Hello from Maine,

I don't really know anything about environmental architecture except when I saw Micheal Reynold's movie about EarthShips called "garbage Warrior" - in the movie he said he's trying to save the world and all that, so I was psyched to get some blueprints from him and give it a try myself - surely if he's trying to save the world he's spreading the technology, right ? No way Jose :( Those blueprints cost thousands of dollars.

I don't know if he's trying to save the world or die a rich man (???)

So I wonder what the alternatives are, what are the freely distributed plans and community projects for environmental architecture - are there any as good as EarthShips ?

Thanks,
Craig

This would proably be the best forum Green/Energy-Efficient Building and Construction. I'm confused with the meaning of your post, are you implying since the guy isn't giving you blueprints/plans for Free that he's a greedy money loving whore? Surely everyone needs to make a living, even if they are a non-profit group, the bills still have to be paid.

Now as far as the buildings themselves are concerned, "EarthShips" although in princial it's a good idea, and may work fine most of the time, he does not take to account the extremes what may occasionally happen. For example an area experiencing an extended drought wouldn't get any rain water to use for the house's water recycling system, or an extended heat wave or atric freeze could make the thermal mass of the house too warm or too cool over time. This is why most alternative building methods still stress keeping the house connected to the grid.

Regarding Mike Reynolds :

I don't know if you've seen the movie Garbage Warrior

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104694/

... but in it Mike Reynolds makes it very clear that he's trying to save the world. Superman comes to mind. So I watch the movie then go tio Mike's website and find the costs quite shocking. Reynolds charges as much as he possibly can and gives nothing away for free.

I feel if an architect makes that bold claim they should give away blueprints and information at cost or at an affordable rate. But anyone who sells Earthship blueprints does so at an outrageous $3000.

That's crazy. So obviously he's not in a desperate situation just trying to save the world, he's just trying to get rich and cash in on the global warming buying craze. I find it upsetting.

As for Earthships :

I like the idea a lot - a house that is not at odds with the Earth and Sun (like a convention wood house that is oil heated in the winter and uses coal-produced electricity all year) but works with the Earth and Sun. I really like the idea a lot. Unfortunately I don't know anything about architecture, I work in an entirely different field.

I've been reading "Natural Solar Architecture, a Passive Primer, by David Wright, 1978" and it's really cool. I'd like to take a lot of affordable existing technologies and mix them up and build something of a hybrid straw bale adobe Earthship.

But I don't know where to start ...

Have fun :)
Craig

I don't consider $3,000.00 for a set of plans outrageous if they have valuable information that is hard to get in other ways or have design features that you wouldn't get in a standard set or if there are building officials to satisfy and a complicated building code to comply with.  A word of warning however on any sort of system that is really unusual and is berming and the like.  Pay special attention to the detailing, remember what Mies said; "God is in the details" This is true as is the saying "the devil is in the details".  I keep thinking back to one of the architect's forum and a post put up during a thread on alternative building systems. One architect said that he was raised by hippies and spent more time than he liked to remember in musty, mildewy "natural" homes they would live in as well as when visiting friends.................................

I don't mind if he charges $3000 or 30 million for that matter, but if he claims to be trying to save the world he should be handing out his plans in PDF format for low or nothing.

I just can't merge "saving the world" with "charging maximum fee", he should pick ONE

----

I've been reading more "Natural Solar Architecture, a Passive Primer, by David Wright, 1978" and e-mailed the author :

http://www.davidwrightaia.com/

To my delight he wrote back. He does not like Reynold's Earthships, check this out :

(quote, David Wright AIA)

I visited the headquarters in New Mexico last
year. The whole concept sucks as developed by Reynolds. The idea is ok but
needs to be updated and cleaned up, especially the use of toxic tires.

(end quote)

David is fond of SIPs, I've been reading about that. I really like this design :

http://www.davidwrightaia.com/examples/residences.html#bennahmias

Here is what he had to say about that :

(quote David Wright, AIA)

Hi Craig,

Thanks for your interest in the Mondrian Cabin. The plan Is quite
efficient and the building performs wonderfully. It should work very well in
the Maine climate. I would recommend tuning it up by verifying the roof
overhang and wall/roof thickness of the SIPs for your particular
microclimate. I am certain that this SIP cabin will be far easier to build
and economical than a straw bale design.

The cost of the plans, ready to build, is $2,500 for six sets of
drawings. Please let me know if you would like to purchase them and we will
send you the order forms.

Warmly, David Wright, AIA

(end quote)