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earthship

4' culvert cooling tubes

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posted 5 years ago

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Trying to figure out how to build an earthship to code, and thinking about using 4' culverts as "window wells"/cooling tubes for the bedrooms. The foundation will be concrete with a sufficient mass of earth insulated behind it as tires simply could not be used. The culverts would be run horizontal for about 20 feet, and burried well below the frost line. Airflow could then be controlled by simply adjusting the window opening on the house end of the tube. Any feedback on this idea?

John C Daley

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posted 5 years ago

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Some questions?;
whats the issue with tyres?
What would stop big critters living in the tubes?
Would gravel foundations work better than concrete?
Have any diagrams or pictures please?

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Samuel Weight

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posted 5 years ago

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whats the issue with tyres?
No way I can get a permit to build with tires in Utah (thinking of leaving).

What would stop big critters living in the tubes?
I am thinking a hinged grate or possibly a hinged cover and automated air baffel. I like automation.

Would gravel foundations work better than concrete?
Rock has good thermal mass, but the equation really only calls for mass.

Have any diagrams or pictures please?
Attached a sketchup file of my current draft (still a work in progress). If you have sketchup, or sketchup viewer on your phone you should be able to view / edit it.

Filename: earthship3.skp

Description: 6 bed earthship sketchup

File size: 1 megabytes

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Pearl Sutton

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posted 5 years ago

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I think it would work. I'm designing something similar involving buried 4 inch pipes for our house, going down to where it's always cool.
And codes probably doesn't care what you do with pipes.

I started a thread telling where to view the 2018 building codes online, you might find them useful if you haven't read them. Check in the energy efficiency chapter (14 I think it was) might be something in there that you can use to justify it if you have to. As far as I can tell, it's legal and works. Your mileage may vary if you are in another state, with the local stuff.
Thread about where to find the 2018 building codes online

Edit: something to account for: make it smooth walled pipe, the corrugated stuff gets moisture in it, can't be cleaned, and ends up moldy. A lot of people learned that the hard way.

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Samuel Weight

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posted 5 years ago

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The latest version; I think I am ready to speak to an engineer.

Filename: earthship3-(1).skp

File size: 1 megabytes

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John C Daley

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I cannot open thosefiles
What is your equation please?

Samuel Weight

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The latest version is attached now with some basic layers added. This is a SketchUp file; I saved it in Sketchup 2017 format (the oldest they offer online) so you should be able to open it with any newer version of SketchUp without a problem. You can use their app online for free using a google account at app.sketchup.com or download the 'SketchUp Viewer' app for mobile devices.

Filename: earthship5.skp

File size: 1 megabytes

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John C Daley

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Maybe a photo would be easier as I dont download stuff unless I am using it

Samuel Weight

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Here are a few image files.

Screenshot_2019-04-09-00-49-23.png

Screenshot_2019-04-09-00-49-50.png

Screenshot_2019-04-09-00-52-35.png

John C Daley

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Thanks for the images
It is clearer now, as they say, a picture is better than a thousand words!
I doubt much light would come through those tubes if they are 20 feet long and buried deep.
Maybe painting then white inside may help, but I think some small skylights in each room would be more effective of better value.

Samuel Weight

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Good point I will have to check code on egress to see if a hatch out the roof would count.

John C Daley

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What are you planning to make the roof of?
Do you have bushfire problems where you plan to build?
Your whole plan looks a bit wonky really. Earthships usually have earth over the top, the wide back wall will not have a great benefit than something 1/2 that width I think.
Why not have the bedrooms coming to the front wall of the house with a narrow halway and glass in the upper walls to the bedrooms

Samuel Weight

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Earthships typically have metal roofs to collect rainwater with loads of EPS insulation under them. This is a sketch and the retaining wall thickness is not set yet. In my dreams the greenhouse side wall is 2-3 foot thick rammed earth for maximum thermal mass. The cooling tubes and berm would be 40 feet long and 5 feet deep so they don't need to be insulated on the top. The pitch of the roof would still be angled to match the winter solstice for maximum solar gain. I am not yet convinced that there is a need for the glass to not be vertical.

John C Daley

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The advantage of sloping glass is reduced reflection

Pearl Sutton

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Vertical glass doesn't break as easily. Has to do with the crystalline structure.

John C Daley

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I am assuming glass that is suitable for the task is being used.

Jesse Fisher

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Location: Utah

posted 4 years ago

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Samuel, curious how your project is coming along.
You have a location yet?

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Samuel Weight

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posted 3 years ago

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I had a lot in Indianola, UT but ran into a lot of roadblocks in attempting to develop it. So I sold that. I am now looking in Cochise County, AZ. Building permit opt-out gives an opportunity to use all kinds of alternative building materials and techniques, and they encourage rainwater catchment.

Byron Campbell

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Location: US, East Tennessee

posted 3 years ago

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Nice design, and yeah, the double-bay garage is a must have. For the structure on my build, I'm planning on building with concrete block (filled with concrete and reinforced with re-wire and re-bar). But then that's due to my experience in home construction & additions over the past 35 years, and the preference for building with familiar materials.

The 4 foot diameter culvert "cooling tubes" in such a short run, will most likely end up being to large for the application. The huge volume of air flowing through the culverts would not be (dwell) in the culverts long enough to allow the ground to cool and dehumidify the air, I'm thinking.

The majority of Michael Reynolds average size Earthship designs (i.e. Global, Encounter, Unity, etc.) utilize cooling tubes of 10 inches ID, and 20 to 40 feet in length (depending on climate). 60 foot long cooling tubes have been used in really humid climates with good results.

best regards, Byron

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