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Hacking the Earthship: In Search of an Earth-Shelter that Works for EveryBody
Author Rachel Preston Prinz and contributing authors discuss the history, research, design issues, and evolution of Earthships, drawing on the knowledge of thousands of builders, craftsmen, and designers who have mastered the art of earth sheltering. Then, they walk readers step by step through design, offering a wealth of resources that can inspire, inform, and educate. Within, readers will find the tools needed to understand their place's culture, architecture, and climate... and the ideal building methods for their climate, personality, values, and budget.
THE NEW GENERATION OF EARTHSHIP
Does not want to cart questionable building materials long distances and call it “green”.
Wants to build locally and naturally… and they want to build it themselves.
Wants their buildings to be cool in summer, warm in winter, the humidity to be predictable and regular; and they want to minimize pests and allergens.
Wants to be able to get a permit and insurance, and resell their homes if they want to; or pass them on if they can.
They want a smaller home that is “just right”… for their budget, time, ability, energy use, and maintenance.
They want to make their home easy to manage, maintain, and get around in, even if they are in a walker or wheelchair.
They want their home to feel like it is made from and relating to the in views, in light, in fresh air, in the ability to grow food, and in a beautiful landscape that supports the home.
Finding the balance between all these desires is a delicate and lengthy process of discernment, study, and goal-setting. That is what this book aims to help you do.
Chapter 1 THE EARTHSHIP REALITY PROJECT discusses the issues and resolutions of the design.
Chapter 2 THE ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND TIRE OFF-GASSING reviews academic and scientific research.
Chapter 3 A WAY FORWARD discusses financing and insurance, minimizing waste, managing the complexities of the build, visioning, and Code requirements.
Chapter 4 THE BUILDING’S CONTEXT AND SITE addresses the site and landscape.
Chapter 5 DESIGNING FOR THERMAL COMFORT addresses natural, mechanical, and design options for improving thermal performance. Topics covered include passive solar design; thermal mass versus insulation; earth-coupling versus earth-sheltering; thermal and moisture protection; and natural ventilation.
Chapter 6 THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM addresses the ways we can form the building’s structure.
Chapter 7 THE ENCLOSURE SYSTEM outlines the construction of the building’s envelope or skin. We discuss traditional earthship building blocks like tire, glass, and can walls, as well as alternative systems like adobe, cob, rammed earth, earthbags, wood block concrete forms, timber frame, log, cordwood, and strawbale buildings. We also cover various roofing options as well as doors and windows.
Chapter 8 ROOMS, SPACES, COLORS, & TEXTURES discusses how we can create a home we love.
Chapter 9 MECHANICAL SYSTEMS outlines basic mechanical, electrical, and plumbing considerations, especially on-grid systems since those are what make an Earthship most affordable.
Chapter 10 IMBUING SPACE WITH SPIRIT - “The WooWoo Chapter” addresses psychological and spiritual aspects of design and covers topics including psychology of space and color, locating power spots, astrologically-correct timing, and Feng Shui and Vaastu.
Chapter 11 A NEW SET OF EARTH-SHELTER BUILDING CRITERIA
Chapter 12 OVERWHELMED? NEED HELP? discusses some helpful tips if you hire an architect or residential designer .
The APPENDICES offer resources and worksheets.
Portions of the proceeds will go to our non-profit architectural education programs ARCHITECTURE FOR EVERYBODY and BUILT FOR LIFE.
Contributors Debra Bailey, Carrie Christopher, Michael Curry, Richard Flatau, Sigi Koko, Shannon Colvin Matteson, Chiara Riccardi, Maggie Schlarb, Steve Scott, Craig Schreiber, Asha Stout, & Pratik Zaveri
THE NEW GENERATION OF EARTHSHIP
Does not want to cart questionable building materials long distances and call it “green”.
Wants to build locally and naturally… and they want to build it themselves.
Wants their buildings to be cool in summer, warm in winter, the humidity to be predictable and regular; and they want to minimize pests and allergens.
Wants to be able to get a permit and insurance, and resell their homes if they want to; or pass them on if they can.
They want a smaller home that is “just right”… for their budget, time, ability, energy use, and maintenance.
They want to make their home easy to manage, maintain, and get around in, even if they are in a walker or wheelchair.
They want their home to feel like it is made from and relating to the in views, in light, in fresh air, in the ability to grow food, and in a beautiful landscape that supports the home.
Finding the balance between all these desires is a delicate and lengthy process of discernment, study, and goal-setting. That is what this book aims to help you do.
Chapter 1 THE EARTHSHIP REALITY PROJECT discusses the issues and resolutions of the design.
Chapter 2 THE ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND TIRE OFF-GASSING reviews academic and scientific research.
Chapter 3 A WAY FORWARD discusses financing and insurance, minimizing waste, managing the complexities of the build, visioning, and Code requirements.
Chapter 4 THE BUILDING’S CONTEXT AND SITE addresses the site and landscape.
Chapter 5 DESIGNING FOR THERMAL COMFORT addresses natural, mechanical, and design options for improving thermal performance. Topics covered include passive solar design; thermal mass versus insulation; earth-coupling versus earth-sheltering; thermal and moisture protection; and natural ventilation.
Chapter 6 THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM addresses the ways we can form the building’s structure.
Chapter 7 THE ENCLOSURE SYSTEM outlines the construction of the building’s envelope or skin. We discuss traditional earthship building blocks like tire, glass, and can walls, as well as alternative systems like adobe, cob, rammed earth, earthbags, wood block concrete forms, timber frame, log, cordwood, and strawbale buildings. We also cover various roofing options as well as doors and windows.
Chapter 8 ROOMS, SPACES, COLORS, & TEXTURES discusses how we can create a home we love.
Chapter 9 MECHANICAL SYSTEMS outlines basic mechanical, electrical, and plumbing considerations, especially on-grid systems since those are what make an Earthship most affordable.
Chapter 10 IMBUING SPACE WITH SPIRIT - “The WooWoo Chapter” addresses psychological and spiritual aspects of design and covers topics including psychology of space and color, locating power spots, astrologically-correct timing, and Feng Shui and Vaastu.
Chapter 11 A NEW SET OF EARTH-SHELTER BUILDING CRITERIA
Chapter 12 OVERWHELMED? NEED HELP? discusses some helpful tips if you hire an architect or residential designer .
The APPENDICES offer resources and worksheets.
Portions of the proceeds will go to our non-profit architectural education programs ARCHITECTURE FOR EVERYBODY and BUILT FOR LIFE.
Contributors Debra Bailey, Carrie Christopher, Michael Curry, Richard Flatau, Sigi Koko, Shannon Colvin Matteson, Chiara Riccardi, Maggie Schlarb, Steve Scott, Craig Schreiber, Asha Stout, & Pratik Zaveri
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First published March 25, 2015
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About the author
Rachel Preston Prinz
2 books2 followersRachel Preston Prinz is an architecturally-trained American designer, preservationist, documentary filmmaker, and artist working in sustainability and architectural engagement. She graduated with a Masters of Architecture and Certificate in Preservation from Texas A&M in 1998. After working in traditional architectural firms for more than 10 years, Rachel started Archinia in 2007 so that she could live her dream of promoting the craft of architecture and the Genius Loci, or Spirit of Place, especially pertaining to U.S. Southern, Mountain, and Southwest indigenous, vernacular, and modern design.
Rachel has served as a preservation commissioner in Taos, as the host of the UNM-Taos Sustainability Institute, and as co-host of TEDxABQWomen. She has won the Echoing Green Work on Purpose challenge and has been named a Green Guardian. Rachel has given multiple TEDx and Pecha Kucha talks on modern applications of vernacular design and critical regionalism, landscape preservation, pattern languages, and photography. She has given 40+ presentations, tours, and lectures and written nearly 60 articles integrating archaeology, architecture, place, culture, and emerging trends in sustainability.
Rachel's work has been featured on HGTV’s “You Live in WHAT?”, NMPBS’ “Colores!”, “HomeMade” on Canadian PBS, and she has been a featured guest on CBS Radio Women’s Media Center live with Robin Morgan, Women’s Focus, New Mexico PBS, PBS, CBS, Good Morning Vail, and KUNM. An emerging leader in the field of sustainability, Rachel has been written about in Prime Your Mind For Confidence; Bermuda Quest; The Girls Guide To Swagger; and Accessing Intuition: Stories from Architects and Designers.
Rachel has served as a preservation commissioner in Taos, as the host of the UNM-Taos Sustainability Institute, and as co-host of TEDxABQWomen. She has won the Echoing Green Work on Purpose challenge and has been named a Green Guardian. Rachel has given multiple TEDx and Pecha Kucha talks on modern applications of vernacular design and critical regionalism, landscape preservation, pattern languages, and photography. She has given 40+ presentations, tours, and lectures and written nearly 60 articles integrating archaeology, architecture, place, culture, and emerging trends in sustainability.
Rachel's work has been featured on HGTV’s “You Live in WHAT?”, NMPBS’ “Colores!”, “HomeMade” on Canadian PBS, and she has been a featured guest on CBS Radio Women’s Media Center live with Robin Morgan, Women’s Focus, New Mexico PBS, PBS, CBS, Good Morning Vail, and KUNM. An emerging leader in the field of sustainability, Rachel has been written about in Prime Your Mind For Confidence; Bermuda Quest; The Girls Guide To Swagger; and Accessing Intuition: Stories from Architects and Designers.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 17, 2025
This book barely has any reviews and that's really not fair because it's very clear that a lot of focused effort in the realms of a very niche topic went into creating this book.
The author, who is an active proponent of the green/alternative architecture movement (to the point where she gave TED talks etc) speaks about things that normally aren't spoken about and questions a lot of almost propaganda-like messages surrounding the Earthship narrative. She gives a realistic view point when it comes to Earthships, their creation, the true costs, the community surrounding them, and better alternatives. And she actually goes into the ideas of looking at historical architecture for your specific location and area where you're trying to build instead of just saying that earthships can be built anywhere and will work perfectly everywhere, which is what is said literally anywhere else I've looked about them (and to be fair, they DO say they're experimental buildings, but they ARE talked up a lot).
This book genuinely does talk about ways that they can be made better and specifically in ways that will play nicer with the local flora and fauna and biomes of whatever region they're meant to go in, which I genuinely appreciate. There is never a one-size-fits-all solution for anything, especially for something as complex as a living breathing organism of a building like an Earthship.
And she also has a very spiritual approach that benefits not only our physical bodies but also our mental health and our soul which I genuinely appreciate a lot as well. She genuinely seems like she wants these buildings to be the best that they can be for humanity and it shows. I'll definitely be looking over the plans that I have for my future build and will be tweaking them based on the advice given in this book 100%. Bravo on the good read.
The author, who is an active proponent of the green/alternative architecture movement (to the point where she gave TED talks etc) speaks about things that normally aren't spoken about and questions a lot of almost propaganda-like messages surrounding the Earthship narrative. She gives a realistic view point when it comes to Earthships, their creation, the true costs, the community surrounding them, and better alternatives. And she actually goes into the ideas of looking at historical architecture for your specific location and area where you're trying to build instead of just saying that earthships can be built anywhere and will work perfectly everywhere, which is what is said literally anywhere else I've looked about them (and to be fair, they DO say they're experimental buildings, but they ARE talked up a lot).
This book genuinely does talk about ways that they can be made better and specifically in ways that will play nicer with the local flora and fauna and biomes of whatever region they're meant to go in, which I genuinely appreciate. There is never a one-size-fits-all solution for anything, especially for something as complex as a living breathing organism of a building like an Earthship.
And she also has a very spiritual approach that benefits not only our physical bodies but also our mental health and our soul which I genuinely appreciate a lot as well. She genuinely seems like she wants these buildings to be the best that they can be for humanity and it shows. I'll definitely be looking over the plans that I have for my future build and will be tweaking them based on the advice given in this book 100%. Bravo on the good read.
January 28, 2016
A thorough discussion of Earthship strengths and weaknesses in various climates, plus strategies for fixing the weaknesses. Definitely read if you are working through the Earthship books!
June 6, 2017
Extremely thorough examination of the pros and cons of the Earthship.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews