I'm interested in constructing an earth shelter home in mountains of WNC and I really don't know were to start. The more I research the more I get confused. Were do I start?

 

Do I go with concrete walls, floors and roof or just do three sides concrete and let the rest stick above ground?

 

            I want to have the home as sustainable as possible, with solar, gray water collection, green roof and more. I know some of these items are pretty easy to do but getting started is the hard part. What works and what is practical?

How you do your home is strictly up to you and the building codes people. Each of us in the construction profession have developed our own ideas about what is the 'best case'. So if you ask 10 of us, you'll probably get 10 different answers.
First, you must determine your budget.
Then, you must consult with local codes people, if any, to determine what they will accept.
Now, combine the above, and you have a good starting point.
Personally, I like to keep it simple. Use products that you know work. ICF's for below grade walls, one above grade wall (preferrably south or southeast). This allows more natural lighting, and gravity flow drainage. And above grade roof systems (conventional with spray foam insulation, or SIPS). Far less expensive than completely covered concrete roof systems, and less likely to be problematic in the future.

A lot of people on planning and zoning boards only want to see certain types of houses. I read one "model planning rule handbook " that required the roof structure to start at least 8 foot above finish grade eliminating "underground homes'. 50 0r 60 years ago a lot of people in Idaho where I grew up built "basement houses'. with flat tar and gravel roofs. a few eventually got conventional strick framing on the top. A lot of planning people have power complex and want to tell everyone in the community exactly what to do, what color . what type of exterior finish etc etc.

Yup, the infamous 'Architectural Committee'.

I wonder if there's a state-level agency you could appeal to to get an innovative green design approved if a local building dept or "architectural committee" rejected it because it was not the same old thing that they're used to?

I'm interested in building a rather conventional looking house with a passive solar design that uses a vented solar slab foundation, and I'm told you can't build a house on a slab in NY state– must be basement or crawl space.

want to build,
Are you sure? That would seem very strange indeed.

First I want to thank you all for the help.

Next I Live in Western North Carolina mountains and my property is zoned unrestricted, this means I could build a pig pen in my front yard and nobody could say anything. This is a double edged sward, since you cant complain about neighbors.

Our building codes are also not so streaked, I’m used to Florida code. The main thing is to build a sustainable and comfortable home. I’m still torn between a underground home and earth sheltered. Does anybody know the pro’s and com’s.

There are hundreds of pros and cons on each side. Any style that is properly designed and built can be safe, strong, and eco friendly. Any design can be completely passive with enough insulation. The most important thing really is, what do you want to look at? Would you prefer something nice above ground to look at? Would you rather not have your lot spoiled by a large obvious building?

Mjunker,

You might benefit from having an experienced professional look at the lot to help decide what would look the best.  I think it is very important that a stand-alone home be appropriate for the lay of the lot.  After deciding what is appropriate, then consider alternative building methods to accomplish your goal.

junker,

Look into ICF wall and and Insulated Floor Form, such as Lite-Deck for the roof. That is if you are going to have a true under ground or green roof (lots of soil and weight). Then water-proof and drain-tile it well, drain-tile to day-light if you can. EPDM membrane for the roof, and it should last a long time because it is not exposed to ultraviolet rays.

Want to build,

You likely can build a slab on grade, as long as you have frost walls and footings below the usual frost depth, as dictated by code. It is 42" in my part of Minnesota and 60" in northern Minnesota.

The main problem with underground homes is egress. Egress is usually only on the south side. And with modern building technologies (ICFs) the earth is not as useful for insulation and thermal mass as it was in the seventies.

Architectural committees and are scary, even worse than covenants, but both are a voluntary thing. A developer will put it together covenants or basis for an architectural committee and people that move into that development are accepting it. But I don't know why anyone would want another form of government in there lives.

Municipalities are also out of control, dictating what we do on our own property. I just bought land in an extended suburb and did not consider any place that had covenants or architectural committees and I got 10 acres because at that I have less restrictions.