Sustainable Construction with Eco-Domes

Consumer interest in sustainable housing is at an all-time high. With more people becoming aware of the tremendous impact the housing industry has on our environment, many more people are eager to build, buy and live in houses that are constructed sustainably and efficiently. The Eco-dome method of sustainable construction, copyrighted by Cal-Earth, is one of the most efficient and easy methods of green design currently in use.

A form of earth-bag construction, meaning that it uses bags full of clay as a primary building material, Eco-dome structures are formed with long, tubular bags employed the make beehive-shaped domes. The walls of eco-domes are deeply curved to make circular rooms with dome-shaped ceilings. The result is a rounded, organic, womb-like structure that bears more than a passing resemblance to natural homes built by other animals, like bees and beavers.

Eco-dome sustainable housing is earth-friendly because of the extensive use of inorganic soils as a construction material. Sand and inorganic clay (not topsoil) are some of the earth's very few resources deemed essentially inexhaustible, and they require no energy for processing or transportation if they are gathered locally at the construction site. Unlike timber and brick houses, no unsustainable materials must be used (aside from the bags themselves) to construct Cal-Earth's Eco-domes.

Thanks to the amazing insulative power of earth-bag as a building material, Eco-domes are also extremely energy-efficient, and require very little, if any, energy or resources for heating and cooling. Eco-domes can be designed to incorporate solar energy and radiant heating, and they can be built in accordance with the principles of passive heating and cooling, for optimum comfort throughout the year.

Earth-bag construction using the Eco-dome design is ideal for people looking to build their own homes who lack prior experience or expertise. In just a matter of weeks, or even days, Eco-dome housing can be constructed by a team of three to five people. Expertise and experience are in no way required by people seeking to use the Eco-dome design or any other common form of earth-bag construction.

Eco-dome housing is often finished by coating the structure in a plaster, which can be made from lime, cob, clay, cement, or even stucco. The finished appearance beautiful, graceful, and delightfully primitive, enabling it to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. Although they look somewhat rustic compared to less sustainable forms of housing, their earthy appearance adds to their appeal.

Depending on the technique used, labor costs, energy sources, and the desired size of the house, Eco-domes constructed using earth-bags can cost anywhere from $2,400 to $30,000 to build. This price is comparable to the average cost of other forms of green architecture, including strawbale, cob, and earthship designs.

Although Eco-dome design may not be suited to the needs of every individual or family seeking alternative construction methods, it offers some advantages not provided by other forms of sustainable building. A consumer's ability to construct or live in an Eco-dome may vary based on personal comfort levels, local building codes, and financial constraints. Regardless, most people will find that Eco-dome construction methods can and will result in beautiful, versatile, and magnificently earth-friendly structures.