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Earthship Systems Summary
The Earthship is designed as a structure that can be entirely self sufficient and off the grid. It is important that the Earthship creates its own utilities as well as uses readily available and sustainable materials. In order to be entirely self-sufficient, Earthships can
• Heat and cool themselves naturally via solar/thermal dynamics
• Collect their own power from the sun and wind
• Harvest their own water from rain and snow melt
• Contain and treat their own sewage on site
• Produce a significant amount of food
• Be constructed using the byproducts of modern society like cans, bottles and tires.
Heating and Cooling
The Earthship uses thermal mass and passive solar heating and cooling. The load-bearing walls of an Earthship, which are made from tires rammed with earth, provide a dense thermal mass that will soak up heat during the day and radiate heat during the night, keeping the interior climate relatively comfortable all day. In addition to high thermal mass, an Earthship stablizes with the earth's temperature. An Earthship faces directly towards the equator. This positioning allows for optimum solar exposure. The wall is angled for maximum exposure in the winter, when heat is wanted, and lesser exposure in the summer, when heat is to be avoided.
Natural Ventilation
The Earthships usually use a natural ventilation system. It consists of ventilation tubes and skylights. As the hot air rises, the system creates a steady airflow - of cooler air coming in, and warmer air blowing out.
Solar Electricity
Earthships are designed to collect and store their own energy from a variety of sources. The majority of electrical energy is harvested from the sun. Photovoltaic panels and wind turbines located on or near the Earthship generate DC energy that is then stored in several types of deep-cycle batteries.
In an Earthship, a Power Organizing Module is used to take stored energy from batteries and invert it for AC use. The Power Organizing Module is a prefabricated system provided by Earthship Biotecture that is simply attached to a wall on the interior of the Earthship and wired in a conventional manner. It includes the necessary equipment such as circuit breakers and converters. The energy run through the Power Organizing Module can be used to run any house-hold appliance including washing machines, computers, kitchen appliances, print machines, and vacuums. Ideally, none of the electrical energy in an Earthship is used for heating or cooling.
Water Collection
Earthships are designed to catch and use water from the local environment without bringing in water from a centralized source. Water used in an Earthship is harvested from rain, snow and condensation. As water collects on the roof it is channelled through a silt-catching device and into a cistern. The cisterns are positioned so they gravity-feed a WOM (water organization module), that filters out bacteria and contaminants, and makes it suitable for drinking. The WOM consists of filters and a DC-pump that are screwed into a panel. Water is then pushed into a conventional pressure tank to create common household water pressure. Water collected in this fashion is used for any household activity except flushing toilets the conventional way. Rather, the water used for flushing toilets has been used at least once already: frequently it is filtered waste-water from sinks and showers, and described as "Grey water".
Water Treatment
Grey Water
Grey water, water that has been used and is unsuitable for drinking, is used within the Earthship once it is reclaimed. First, before the grey water can be reused, it is channeled through a filter and into a 30”-60" deep rubber-lined botanical cell within the Earthship. This cell, with imbedded plants, can also be used to produce food (for example, by using a fruit tree). Oxygenation,filtration snd transpiration, all take place within the cell and help to cleanse the water. Within the botanical cell, filtration is achieved by passing the water through a mixture of gravel and plant roots. Because of the nature of plants, oxygen is added to the water as it filters, while nitrogen is removed. Water taken up through the plants and transpired at their tops helps to humidify the air. In the cell, bacteria will naturally grow and help to cleanse the water.
Water from the low end of the botanical cell is then directed through another filter and collected in a reservoir or well. This reclaimed water is then passed once more through a grey water board and used to flush conventional toilets.
Black Water
Black water, water that has been used in a flush-toilets, is not reused within the Earthship. Instead, black water is sent to a solar-enhanced septic tank. This tank is heated by the sun, and is insulated, to help the anaerobic process. Water from the incubator is channeled out to an exterior planter cells for further treatment.
After years of tests, the water leaving an Earthship is cleaner than tap water and below measurable nitrate levels.
Food Production
One of the fundamental concepts used by Earthships is to recycle all water from the sinks and showers (“grey water’) and purify it using an indoor planter prior to use as toilet water.
Plants play a vital role in maintenance of an Earthship. To further sustainability and independent living, food producing plants are grown.
The internal planter cells in the Earthships greenhouse are a perfect environment for growing organic fruits and vegetables. The variety of plants that can be grown are endless and Earthship offers guides to best use your planters to suit your needs.
Recycled Building Materials
Tires
The major structural building component of the Earthship is recycled automobile tires filled with compacted earth to form a rammed earth brick encased in steel belted rubber. This brick and the resulting bearing walls it forms is virtually indestructible. Offgassing is not an issue. Tires are hazardous in piles, when exposed to air, not encased, as they are in Earthships.
Aluminum Cans and Glass/Plastic Bottles:
These 'little bricks' are a great, simple way to build interior, non-structural walls.
Aluminum can walls and create a cement-matrix that is very strong and very easy to build. Bottles can create beautiful colored walls that light shines through.