Underground Homes

One of the biggest home expenses over time is the cost of energy. Underground homes are one way to attack your utility bill. The Atrium style is the most popular for underground homes.

Underground Homes

When an entire earth-sheltered house is built below grade or completely underground, it's called an underground structure. The atrium or courtyard design can accommodate an underground, earth-sheltered house.

An earth-covered dwelling may have as little as 6 to 8 inches of sod or as much as 9 feet of earth covering the structure. An atrium design offers an open feeling because it has four walls that give exposure to daylight. This design uses a sub-grade open area as the entry and focal point of the house.

The house is built completely below ground on a flat site, and the major living spaces surround a central outdoor courtyard. The windows and glass doors that are on the exposed walls facing the atrium provide light, solar heat, outside views, and access via a stairway from the ground level. Atrium courtyard homes are usually covered with less than 3 feet of earth primarily because greater depths do not improve energy efficiency. This style also offers the potential for natural ventilation.

The atrium design is hardly visible from ground level and barely interrupts the landscape. It also provides good protection from winter winds and offers a private outdoor space. This design is ideal for an area without scenic exterior views, in dense developments, and on sites in noisy areas. Passive solar gain, heat obtained through windows, might be more limited due to the window position in an atrium plan. Courtyard drainage and snow removal are important items to consider in design. You certainly do not want your underground home to become a bog.

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