There’s living off the grid, living low-impact, living green ….
But what, exactly, do you call living in a cave?
Or in a Hobbit house?
While not quite a Frodo Baggins-certified dwelling, there is a Shire-esque residence in Wales. And this home isn’t just for show – it was built with “maximum regard for the environment.”
Some of the key design and construction points contributing to its low impact on the environment, according to the website, include:
- Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls and foundations
- Frame made of spare wood from surrounding woodland
- Lime plaster on walls is breathable and requires little energy to manufacture (compared with cement)
- Reclaimed wood used for floors and fittings
- Wood burner for heating (renewable and locally plentiful)
- Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
- Skylight in roof lets in natural light
- Solar panels used for lighting and other energy-requiring activities
- Roof water collects in a pond for watering the garden
On the other side of “the pond” is a 15,000-square-foot sandstone cave in Festus, Missouri. According to Inhabitat, the home was built by the Sleeper family after they traded their home for a three-acre parcel of property which happened to include an empty cave.
Some sustainable properties of the cave-home include its sandstone walls, which provide natural insulation.
To read more and see more pictures of this home, visit Inhabitat.com.
What interesting homes have you come across?
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