Earth-sheltered design
Earth-sheltered design
Home design that is partially or totally below ground, either by digging into existing topography or filling over parts of the structure. Earth-sheltered design uses the constant temperature of the soil to improve energy efficiency and can be beneficial on hilly sites by decreasing maintenance and environmental impact.
Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture Copyright © 2012, 2002, 1998 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved