One of the biggest home expenses over time is the cost of energy. Going down under is one way to combat this cost. No, I am not talking about Australia!
Going Down Under With Your House
One of the best ways to save money on utilities it to build a house that takes advantage of the surrounding terrain. One option for really brining this to fruition is to go nearly or completely below grade. Better known as an underground structure, this approach drastically cuts the cost of utilities over the life of the property and gives you an opportunity to build something very creative.
When you go down under with a house, you can have depths from 10 inches to nearly the full height of the house. We are not talking about a house under a lawn. One of the more popular designs for these structures is the atrium layout.
The atrium house is essentially a four sided structure facing an open atrium in the middle. The outer walls of the house are positioned flush to the ground or built up berms. The major living areas all face into the atrium. Windows and glass doors are used to facilitate heating with passive solar energy. Access to the ground and garages are provided...