linux.poet
Active member
- Sep 26, 2023
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The current answer, according to this source, is New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Florida, and Virginia. This is somewhat surprising due to the fact that the first developer of these homes, Micheal Reynolds, faced a court battle in New Mexico over his construction of these unusual homes due to the non-compliance with building codes, as per this video. (This article puts that down to dissatisfied early adopters, though, so perhaps he has improved his designs since then.)
Other than a history of lawsuits, obstacles you may run into building an Earthship include:
1. Local building codes. Since Earthships are unusual and contain a lot of systems that ordinary houses don't have, it's possible that your house could run afoul of some code. These houses contain a rain catching system, solar panels, a greenhouse area that serves as the sewer to use waste to grow plants. Codes that require houses to be close together because of the electric grid or look a certain way may preclude an Earthship from being built.
2. Longer permit review times and more inspections: If your local building department has never heard of an Earthship house before, expect more scrutiny and longer wait times.
3. Necessary changes to the design due the climate: Earthships were originally designed to be built in deserts. In colder climates, a heating system may need to be installed in order to prevent the occupants and plants from freezing. A sustainable option may be a wood stove, for those who don't want to use fossil fuels for heat. Folks in colder climates should also consider the Alaskan dry cabin model of off-grid housing, which may have some advantages over an Earthship.
What helps these permits get through:
1. Having your design stamped by an architect or an engineer, according to this source:
You can read more here.
Other than a history of lawsuits, obstacles you may run into building an Earthship include:
1. Local building codes. Since Earthships are unusual and contain a lot of systems that ordinary houses don't have, it's possible that your house could run afoul of some code. These houses contain a rain catching system, solar panels, a greenhouse area that serves as the sewer to use waste to grow plants. Codes that require houses to be close together because of the electric grid or look a certain way may preclude an Earthship from being built.
2. Longer permit review times and more inspections: If your local building department has never heard of an Earthship house before, expect more scrutiny and longer wait times.
3. Necessary changes to the design due the climate: Earthships were originally designed to be built in deserts. In colder climates, a heating system may need to be installed in order to prevent the occupants and plants from freezing. A sustainable option may be a wood stove, for those who don't want to use fossil fuels for heat. Folks in colder climates should also consider the Alaskan dry cabin model of off-grid housing, which may have some advantages over an Earthship.
What helps these permits get through:
1. Having your design stamped by an architect or an engineer, according to this source:
2. State history of approving the permits.“Generally, there’s a way to work around it,” Basehart said. “All of our buildings are stamped by an architect or engineer so that right there takes a lot of liability off of the county or the city. So there’s ways around it, but yes it can and has been challenging.”
You can read more here.
- Location
- United States