Earth Tubes
From Green Garage Detroit
return to Living Building Design Studio
Contents
What is It?
- A brief description of what it is.
- If it is part of a system-level pattern put a link to it in here.
Why is it Important?
Describe how it:
- strengthen our relationship to the earth...all are connected (sun, wind, water, plants and animals)
- helps restore the planet's eco-systems (plant, animal, water, air)
- builds strong communities.
- creates equal economic opportunities and energy.
- creates One Earth patterns of living
When to Use It?
- Need available land to hold the length of tubes.
- Avoid areas with high water tables.
- Best where there are extreme highs and lows. The high difference between the ambient temperatures and the indoor temperatures create the best opportunity of the earth tubes to produce better results.
Green Garage Example
Sustainability Goals
- Help the people in feel a stronger connection to the earth.
- Air Volume - Meet the commercial building code requirement for air exchange. Currently estimated at 800 cfm based on 40 people.
- Passive Heating / Cooling
- Pre-heats in Winter: Ambient Air temp = 0 degrees / Pre-heated = 40 degrees
- Pre-cools in Summer: Ambient Air temp = 0 degrees / Pre-heated = 40 degrees
- Equal or better indoor air quality than a standard HVAC system.
Strategy and Conceptual Design
- Tube Lengths - Minimum of 80 ft.
- Tube - Depth - 5ft under ground. This is due to the water table in the backyard.
- Describe how we plan to achieve these goals
- Explain why we chose this specific strategy and design (our rationale)
- Include pictures, drawings or videos(flickr)
Proposed Materials / Suppliers
- Identify (via links and short description) the materials and suppliers we propose to use.
Related Internal Links
- Help people find other related Green Garage pages that may help them. Keep it tight.
Resources
- Provide valuable links to help make it easier for others to pursue this pattern.
