If your ever traveling across the country side you may have the occasion to see a home built into the side of a mountain or someone parked on top of their house, it may seem odd at first but the truth is these underground homes are among the most energy efficient dwellings in the world.

There are many common misconceptions about Earth Sheltered or Underground homes. One misconception being that the homes are dark and claustrophobic. The truth is that a properly built home will have an open ended face which would have southern exposure. A dome style would have reflective light walls which disperse natural lighting to every part of the home. They often include skylights which magnify the the internal light and is referred to as co-linear. Another misconception is that interior air quality is poor due to the lack of ventilation. The implementation of Air exchange systems will demystify this myth and in fact the air quality is usually significantly better than that of a conventional building. Many people also believe that an underground home is cold. If you’ve ever lived in a home with a basement, then you would know that it stays warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The earth acts as an insulator and maintains a mean temperature of 55 degrees year round. This is a geothermal property that saves thousands of dollars as well as preserving an abundance of fossil fuels. In addition to these advantages, earth sheltered homes can be built into the side of a mountain or other landscapes that would otherwise be unusable therefor preserving valuable farm land. Other advantages include:

• Incredible structural integrity making them safe from hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, fire, earth quakes and other natural disasters

• Preserving land (you can park on the roof)

• A significant reduction in utilities and energy costs

• Energy Tax savings and tax incentives

• Insect invasion is a non issue due to impenetrable shell

• Thieves and vandals will be less likely to target these homes because of the single open wall

• pipes will not freeze

• Exterior maintenance is almost nonexistent

The disadvantages are few. These homes are nontraditional and must be planned with extreme caution. A leak due to improper waterproofing can be a costly fix. Removing tens of tons of earth from the roof can add up to thousands. Another disadvantage may be resale value. Due to the unconventional style, buyer might tend to shy away. finally, until these homes become a little more mainstream, the initial construction costs are slightly higher than that of a conventional style home. That being said, the long term energy savings and tax incentives far outweigh that initial expense. With the implementation of Wind and Solar Power Generators and the incorporation of geothermal energy, it is probable that the owners of underground homes will live ‘Off The Grid’ never having to pay a utility bill again. These are green homes and are a true representative of sustainability. Energy for the Future and Global Warming: Geothermal Energy: Easyread Large Edition

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GOP Targets EPA Rules To Address Global Warming

by The Associated Press
January 6, 2011

House Republicans wasted no time Thursday in trying to block the Obama administration from acting to stem global warming.

On their second day in power, Republican lawmakers introduced several bills that would hamstring the Environmental Protection Agency from moving forward with regulations to reduce heat-trapping pollution from factories and other sources that they say contributes to global warming. The bills are part of an effort by House Republicans to reverse what they consider job-killing policies of the administration. The bills introduced by Reps. Ted Poe (R-TX), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), would stymie the EPA in different ways.

Poe’s measure would prohibit the EPA from using any money to implement or enforce regulations to impose a limit on global warming gases. Blackburn’s bill would change the Clean Air Act so the EPA could no longer use the law to control greenhouse gases.

A 2007 Supreme Court decision said the EPA had the authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other global warming gases under the statute.

Capito’s measure would delay for two years any effort by the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act.

In a statement, Capito called the EPA’s actions a power grab that would have devastating effects on the economy.

“Without congressional action to say otherwise, the EPA will continue to dismantle energy and manufacturing industries through regulation,” she said.

Meanwhile, a top Democrat in the Senate on environmental issues, Sen. Barbara Boxer, said Thursday she would use every tool to block the Republicans efforts and ensure that the EPA was allowed to follow the law.

A bill that would have placed a limit on heat-trapping gases died in the Senate last year, after it passed the then Democratic-led House. Boxer said there are no plans to pursue another one because there are not enough votes.