Title: Hacking
the Earthship: in Search of an Earth-Shelter that Works for EveryBody
Author: Rachel Preston Prinz
Contributors: Debra Bailey,
Carrie Christopher, Michael Curry, Richard Flatau, Sigi Koko, Shannon Colvin
Matteson, Chiara Riccardi, Maggie Schlarb, Steve Scott, Craig Schreiber, Asha
Stout, & Pratik Zaveri
Synopsis: Hacking the Earthship
is a comprehensive collection of academic research on Earthships, combined with
practical advice for designing and financing a sustainable earth-sheltered
home.
Points of Interest:
- What started out as a research project to discover why my (architecturally-trained) gut was reacting negatively towards the Earthship idea turned into a journey of discovery about earth-sheltering, truly natural homes, and sustainability. Through the process of research and discovery, we were able to corroborate in data what many builders learned by doing - that existing Earthship design concepts are out of date, do not work in many climates, and the buildings are not as sustainable as people believe – using a number of unsustainable resources like concrete and depending heavily on technology to function. But humans have a 10,000 year history of doing great earth sheltering without technology. We have examples of LOTS of those ways right here in New Mexico! (I can provide stills to talk about this.) We can merge old and new ideas, along with an understanding of bio-climatic design for the locations where we build, to find a truly sustainable way of doing buildings.
- Hacking the Earthship aims to empower readers with the best design advice for building your own earth-sheltered home. We will help readers to: choose the best truly natural and sustainable materials for their ideals and climate; design a house that is sized to be affordable and comfortable; understand on-grid and off-grid building systems and how building on-grid can make a home more affordable; choose finishes, systems, and even appliances; and build a space they LOVE to be in!
- The book release immediately resulted in a US-EU partnership which will take these ideas to the next level, with a new book focusing on earth-sheltering, permaculture, and natural building to be completed, hopefully, by the end of the year!
- Only a week after publication and we know now that the book is going to be used as a textbook for the Tiny Houses and Natural Building class at UNM-Taos~!
- We also are starting a new non-profit called Architecture for EveryBody to help people use these techniques to make their existing homes and businesses, new buildings, and existing communities more sustainable!
Sell Sheet / One Page
Author Bio
