Earth Sheltered Housing: Principles in Practice

One of our most important objectives as hu­ have provided basic principles from scientific mans is to discover and pass on ways of living journals and books and summarized the expe­ with our environment. Every form of life, in­ riences of people actually living in earth shel­ cluding human, depends on nature's ability to ters. produce clean air, pure water and fertile soil In the growth and development of any field and to recycle wastes. It is our duty to live in a of knowledge, there comes a time when theory manner that enhances and preserves these nat­ requires testing, when concepts need to be re­ ural processes. Earth sheltering-the use of fined in the light of experience. Such is the case earth cover to moderate and improve living with earth sheltering. A good foundation of conditions in buildings-is an old but recently principles has been laid, mostly through the ex­ rediscovered technique. It holds much promise cellent efforts of such organizations as the Un­ for allowing us to use less energy and preserve derground Space Center of the University of more space for natural and human needs. It also Minnesota, the School of Architecture at Okla­ gives the individual and society alike a real way homa State University, and the many design to achieve self-reliance and independence from professionals active in earth sheltering. These limited sources of fossil fuels.