Book Description

PLEASE NOTE THIS PUBLICATION HAS BEEN REPLACED BY EP 102  978-1-84806-236-8 AVAILABLE TO BUY JULY 2012

http://www.brebookshop.com/details.jsp?id=326907

What exactly is an earthship? This book tells you everything you need to know to answer that question, and more. Architecture is undergoing rapid change as the issues of climate change and cutting carbon emissions in buildings become more and more widely understood. The earthship is a building concept that has evolved over the last 30 years, and represents a pioneering form of zero carbon residential building that tackles a variety of sustainability issues. This book charts the building of the first earthships in the UK and their relevance to home building and architecture generally. It offers lessons about sustainable architecture and about the legislative and regulatory culture that affects their construction, by looking at energy, water, building with waste, and construction methods, and assessing the future of these buildings.

Paperback, 146pp.

FULL CONTENTS

Foreword (Kevin McCloud)

Acknowledgements

About the authors

Illustrations

1 Introduction
Background
Zero carbon homes as a government target
The effects of climate change
Origins of the earthship
Earthships in the UK
Summary of contents
References and notes

2 What is an earthship?
Introduction
Low carbon living in luxury
Site harmony and synergy
Living within our means
Autonomy and self-sufficiency
The evolution of the earthship idea
Aesthetics and functionality
Modular design - different types of earthship
Elements of sustainable construction
Use of low impact materials in construction
Conclusion
References and notes

3 Thermal mass
Introduction
Passive solar design in earthships
Thermal mass and thermal wrap in earthships
Super insulation in earthships
The Brighton Earthship: Evaluating the thermal performance
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References and notes

4 Renewable energy
Introduction
Offgrid construction
Low energy future - the contemporary UK situation
Large scale infrastructure and its carbon implications
Energy demand management in earthships
Harvesting passive solar energy
Microrenewable systems
Financial implications of offgrid living
Conclusion
References and notes

5 Water
Introduction
Large scale water distribution under pressure
Tapping alternative water resources
Earthship water systems
Conclusion
References and notes

6 Building with waste
Introduction
Why use tyres?
Legislative and regulatory position for building with tyres
Specific risk assessment concerns with tyres
Other rules about waste handling
Conclusion: the current regulatory position for tyres
Other low embodied energy materials
"Junk aesthetic"
Conclusion
References and notes

7 Construction methods
Introduction
Site selection and ground preparation
Tyre walls - methodology
Suitability of tyres
Tyre sizing and alternative tyre techniques
Wall construction
Roof construction
Adobe abode - tyre rendering preparation and pack out
Floors and foundations
Timber frame construction and glazing
Water systems installation
Natural ventilation
Material specification
Bottle walls and glass bricks
Plan view and room specification
Earthship Brighton: timeline
References and notes

8 What is the future of earthships?
Introduction
Earthships as provocative agents of change
Zero carbon homes
Site harmony and one planet living
Critique of infrastructure
Building with waste and low embodied energy materials
Demand reduction and renewable supply
Passive solar, thermal mass and thermal performance
Water harvesting and recycling
Home building in the UK - a revolution in zero carbon homes?
Earthships as a mass zero carbon housing solution
Future earthship construction: specific builds
Earthship self-builds
Retrofitting the existing building stock
Conclusion: towards 2016

References and notes

Recommended reading

Index


Other publications that may also be of interest
Rammed earth: design and construction guidelines
Earth masonry - Design and construction guidelines.