Building the Sun Cottage

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THE FACADE

Use small amounts of Penndex—a smooth, resilient filler also made by PennKote—to even up and fill imperfections in joints between EPS boards. Then apply a resilient, textured coating-such as Penntex or stucco-over all exposed exterior walls, either with a spray gun or a trowel. Penntex is available in tan or white . . . and is a colorfast, no-maintenance acrylic finish that will fill minor surface variations. Once the wall coatings are in place, you can apply eave trim for appearance. This wood can be stained, varnished, or oiled and will need only occasional maintenance.

THE EARTH ON THE SHELTER

Carefully backfill to the finish grade line, sloping the earth away from the house so that rainwater won't pond near the structure (see Fig. 3). Then spread some of the topsoil that you saved from the excavation onto the disturbed areas. To cover the roof, start by gently putting a 4" layer of sand on the waterproofing membrane to facilitate rapid drainage. Then mix more topsoil with an equal amount of manure, mulch, or peat moss . . . to produce a rich, light, loamy mixture. Place 8" of this growing medium over the sand, making the total earth shelter 12" thick. This thickness is sufficient to support ground cover and is the depth for which our structure has been designed.

Plant a hardy, maintenance-free ground cover on your roof. It's best to pick one that has a horizontal, continuous root system — so that frequent watering won't be required—and that is indigenous to your area. It should grow thickly enough to reduce the earth's exposure to weather and to discourage rooftraffic. Pachysandra, ivy, and spreading juniper are three good examples. In any event, keep the roof free from weeds or trees, since their taproots could damage the waterproof membrane below.

That just about wraps up the story of "Building the Sun Cottage". We've covered quite a bit of ground in the last year's worth of articles, but we've also recognized that even this ambitious series is little more than an introduction to the complex business of constructing your own home. Our next step, then, will be to produce a book, based on this series, that will allow us to lead you step by step through the process of building a low-cost, earth-sheltered home. Look for an announcement on the availability of that volume in a future issue of MOTHER!

In the meantime, if you're busy constructing your home (or if you're already enjoying the benefits of earth-sheltered living), be proud that you're involved in creating lasting real estate value by building a home that responds naturally, without mechanical means, to the seasons. Whatever happens to energy prices or availability, your home will be comfortable at minimum expense. And as energy costs rise, the value of your home will soar accordingly. In fact, anyone who's even planning to build an energy-efficient home can look forward to making a livable investment in the future.

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