Earth bermed buildings
Earth bermed buildings, often called earth shelters or earth sheltered buildings are a design approach that connects a building more significantly to the ground and landscape around it than simply sitting upon it. This typology is normally built slightly below ground or at ground level with an earth burm around that covers most of the external walls and potentially also the roof, creating a sunken or earth sheltered appearance.
Depending on the detail design approach, the building will, to differing degrees benefit from an earth coupling effect, where by the thermal mass, insulative and protective qualities of the surrounding earth benefit the thermal performance of the building. Below around three metres earth tends to have a relatively constant ground temperature, which means in the summer it is cooler than the outside temperature and in winter it is warmer than the outside temperature, this effect lessens gradually as the depth decreases. An earth coupled building does not insulate between the internal space and the earth and as such benefits from the decreased fluctuation of the earths temperature, it will however have insulation and normally high internal mass or glazing on any walls exposed externally.
One well known example of an earth bermed housing scheme is the Hockerton Housing Project, which is a linear cluster of five self-sufficient houses built in Nottinghamshire in 1997 by Brenda Vale. Theses houses are earth coupled and as such require zero to minimal heating and have lower-than-normal energy consumption, which is supplied by onsite renewable energy generation from two 6 kW turbines and 7.6 kW solar panels.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Angstloch.
- Basement v cellar.
- Basement waterproofing.
- Bund.
- CarTube.
- Catacomb.
- Excavation.
- Earth to air heat exchangers.
- Geothermal energy.
- Geothermal pile foundations.
- Ground energy options
- Ground preconditioning of supply air.
- Ground source heat pumps.
- Gabion.
- Global undergrounds - exploring cities within.
- Oubliette.
- Planning (Subterranean Development) Bill.
- Substructure.
- Stad Ship Tunnel.
- The Lowline.
- Thermal labyrinths.
- Tunnels.
- Underground.
Featured articles and news
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.
BSRIA Occupant Wellbeing survey BOW
Occupant satisfaction and wellbeing tool inc. physical environment, indoor facilities, functionality and accessibility.