Stan Sweaney

Hi John Pollard, glad to hear that you're thinking of an earthship. You could also use pumicecrete blocks for your walls-they would be lighter to handle and likely have better insulating value than concrete block. You could make them by mixing ground pumice with concrete or purchase them. Google pumicecrete and you'll find a company from New Mexico that will give more detail on it's application for building. They are also porous and easy to finish with stucco. I'm going to have a company from New Mexico come up here from New Mexico this summer  (I live in Cotopaxi, Co.) and pour pumicecrete walls for my earthship. I'm going to have vertical windows for the south facing windows, with a row of smaller slanted windows above that will be operable-can open or close. I've found that slanted windows (from staying with friends with earthships) tend to collect condensation-which damages the sills. Vertical windows also give more room in the green house area. Slanted windows would be easier to damage with water (outside rain etc.) and hail. You could opt for fewer slanted (half or so) windows above, and protect those with steel mesh..Good luck and stay in touch.  Stan

I'm planning on starting an earthship style house this Spring with pumicecrete walls, rather than tires. They are typically 14-18 inches thick, and consist of a mixture of mostly pumice and a smaller percentage of concrete. There isn't much info to be found on the internet regarding pumicecrete, other than a company out of New Mexico that has used it for years in home building. It has great structural integrity, as well as insulating qualities. I have yet to determine what style of roof I will use-perhaps either a vega or steel beam, supported by 3-4 load bearing walls. I want to use vertical windows in the greenhouse for the main (larger lower) windows, and follow up with some smaller slanted windows above them-as seen in some of the later earthship designs that have appeared in oversea or more tropical regions by Michael Renyolds. The reason for vertical windows is that slanded ones tend to recieve over time more water damage on the interior (from condensation) as well as the exterior from the elements. It also affords me the opportunity to have more greenhouse area for taller plants to grow without bumping and coming into contact with the window. I'll also have a divider wall between the greenhouse area and the living space, and operable windows (3-4 above the lower main windows) as well as skylights in the greenhouse. The load bearing walls will extend from the pumicecrete wall in the back, to the divider wall between the greenhouse and living space. I plan to install a masonary stove or rocket heater that seperates the kitcheon area from the living space, which will all be open. There will be walls separation my bedroom from my studio and also the bathrooms. One nice thing about pumicecrete is that you can route out the walls to string electricial conduit, and either adobe or stucco easity adheres to it for the final coat. I haven't looked into the advantages that hempcrete would have over pumicecrete, but have noticed that there are more books and info available for hempcrete. What timeframe do you have for starting yours?