82. Earthship on the prairie: A radically sustainable home in southern Alberta

The family of the former editor and production manager of Green Energy Futures, Duncan Kinney, built an Earthship on the prairie of southern Alberta. We show how volunteers and Earthship founder Michael Reynolds himself helped build this amazing sustainable home.
BLOG: www.greenenergy...
SEQUEL: What's it like living in an Earthship in the cold Canadian prairie winter. Check out our follow-up story when we went and stayed in the Earthship when temperatures dropped to -25.
See 136. Earthship living in a cold, desolate, Canadian winter
• 136. Earthship living ...
GreenEnergyFutures.ca

[@nicevideomancanada]

Bravo. I like it. I'm a Framer building conventional homes in Calgary for the past 10+ years. I'm taking Energy Systems Engineering Technologies next year, it's a renewable energy engineering course. This is the direction I'm heading towards. I have lived in Calgary since 1980 and I'm really pleased to see these types of homes being built here now. Keep them coming they are the best way to move forward.

[@Andee1688]

Peter, May I have your business card, I am looking to build an Earthship someday, in addition a group Foothills rural Cohousing is looking at buying land and building an offgrid permaculture ecovillage in Alberta.

[@nicevideomancanada]

hello Jade, I'm interested in the permaculture ecovillage off-grid concept. there is another Green Energy Futures video after this one about an off the grid ecovillage in Sask. Feel free to email me. [e-mail] please note that I am Currently not a Renewable Energy Engineering Technologist Yet and that my email address is self-made i.e. not currently a solar-tech Expert, but instead have near-future plans to "Be" one

[@yowgyrl]

very cool house.

[@bearfamilyfarm4434]

I would love to get something like that built out here in Manitoba! Be all warm during the winter .... :-)

[@stevewalsh7591]

I live in Southern Alberta and would love to visit this house. I'm very interested in building something like this.

[@dilbotmacguillacutty4849]

Just on the off chance you ever do build.... I'm in Calgary and would love to help. I understand the engineering aswell.

[@runinguy41]

One of the best videos I've seen on Earthships... thanks and well done.

[@DavidDodgeyeg]

+B Adams Thanks!

[@justinel735]

I'm really glad to see this being done in Alberta and other Canadian locations, I'm in NS and and am hoping to be able to peruse this withing the next year

[@savannahkennedy7552]

How did it go? Did you make one?

[@laszloperesztegi]

Thanks for the link, whoever sent it. Liked it. Would give it a try on hot sunny day.

[@Red_Proton]

Great job on the video! Thanks for sharing!

[@VlancingGenie]

Thanks for making this video that easily explains and shows how this works in a way my permets can understand

[@remellenewellnewell1707]

Man this stuff got me really exited Subbed before Dave started talking

[@dalevandenheuvel3927]

I would love to see an updated video for 2021

[@markschuette3770]

many of the concepts are good - the shape and orientation is good- earthberming is good- the water collection is good- composting toilets are good but normally are not allowed. BUT angled south glass is not! specially at that high a latitude. vertical will let in the low winter sun but keep the high summer sun out much better. that place will overheat in the summer at least the south side of it will. and angled glass ussually loses any seal guarantee on the thermopane glass units, and its difficult to add moveable window insulation to sloped glass. and that is also a necessity every widow should have curtains and or shutters. and never use exposed wood on the south side- specially not holding the glass units in- it can't take the UV- its high maintenance and it will leak.. and rubber/tires are goofy- they actually insulate/keep the mass (adobe) from absorbing heat. stone, concrete, brick, filled cement block, and or thick cement plaster adds much more mass to store the heat thru the evening. i assume it has a conc. slab floor. and any inside vegitation is a huge headache with bugs, condensation on the glass. a freestanding greenhouse would be better. i worked for the NM Solar Energy Assoc. for years and lived and designed/built in Santa Fe, NM for 15 years. now i'm in Oregon- and years ago drew up the first Earthship here in town- and mentioned all of these points to no avail- the owners built the standard EShip- they found out what i was talking about after a few years living in it. www.bendsolarhomes.com

[@normsawyer4192]

good work

[@elinemartinho1139]

Dear sir so inspiring. Would love to ask a few questions

[@dyeaton1]

So, the ultimate question, when all is said and done....what was the final total cost to construct the earthship as finished?

[@Adeus555]

judging by the time this video was posted and matching what they said about the calgary homes somewhere close to half a million Canadian.

[@kairon156]

I th ink Earthsips are very cool. I would like to see a small village built with mostly Earthships.

[@nathanyoung3266]

Please do another video of the house after it has been furnished.

[@maureenkelly738]

Nathan Young - check out Dennis Weaver’s Earthship video on KZbin. It’s in CO. I think it’s called Sunridge or something like that.

[@ginadelsasso288]

I have only seen these homes being built in arid areas.....i wish we could do this in illinios but we get so much rain it would be hard to get the house to dry.

[@banq0o]

respect! 8-)

[@Buttersideup]

someone with money needs to buy a section of land, sell off lots, and build an earthship community. a subdivision of just earthships! I would be all over that.

[@Mark.Watson]

+hellacat Mike Reynolds, creator of the Earthship, has a development in Taos New Mexico.

[@deborahcoffman5427]

hellacat I believe that there is just that. In New Mexico. Check the father of earthship homes video GARBAGE WARRIORS. MICHAEL REYNOLDS.......THANKFULLY YOURS TRULY. I WISH YOU FAITH PEACE LOVE AND HAPPINESS

[@jflow5601]

it is called Taos, NM

[@mimib6253]

Nesara

[@theuglykwan]

They are quite expensive.

[@darlenerozon9201]

Governments should be giving people help to build these types of homes in Ontario encouraging people to build these homes.

[@rongray4118]

You don't need government intervention. These concepts remove government from the equation in order to make progress. Government IS the problem.

[@icefiredragon1]

I always wanted an earth ship, money is the issue. I dislike the way we are being charged. I am on disability at this time and on my own now. I guess it gets expensive as a house. needing land to build it and all. will subscribe and dream on. hoping a win fall comes my way so I can do this. and make a whole neighborhood like this. would be nice. keep up the great work

[@jamesoliver5688]

I would actually consider moving back to Alberta , IF I could live in 5500 sq ft like this ! Other wise ...I will stay in BC and build one here !

[@MsSporty423]

How do they deal with unwanted excess moisture?

[@charronfamilyconnect]

***Do you have any idea how warm is it in the earthship in the dead of winter on average when temperatures are near -30 celcius, and do you need supplementary heat such as a woodstove often? Thanks!***

[@reneemaskery6749]

+B Charron My question is the same as yours. I live in a place where winters bring -40 temperatures, and a snow cover of several feet. Last year, it was over 6feet of snow cover. Would this work here? How could you deal with the snow covering the building. There is no rain in the winter, only snow. How would you collect the water? I wish I could see the replies to your question to know if someone had an answer. I've found very little on this sub-topic on the internet. I'm wondering if it's a challenge too big to take on.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

Renee Olynyk Well, let me know if you find anything on this specific top, and good luck to both of us. thanks again

[@NowAndThenEH89JW]

This ticks all the boxes. The footprint or square foot per person looks large. Taking that into consideration, how can this be adapted for the city environment situation? I would think it's a no no for the city and that, unfortunately is where most people live. What does Mike Reynolds have in mind for the city? Also I love his "wind ship" designs for the Tropics. Communal water catchment and black gardens will save space.

[@marciwata9684]

I agree, it does look large...and awesome! I'd prefer around 1200 sq ft. Great question about the city. I'm on the verge of picking a place to settle down and build a sustainable homestead, and city/county requirements are a huge unknown at this point. However I plan on building outside of city limits, which should make it much easier. Any thoughts or advice from those in the know is greatly appreciated!

[@nikumeru]

Mike's point is that we don't need centralized grid tied communities, like most major cities, there are others who have great ideas on how a city could be built to be extremely eco friendly, one I'd recommend is EcoTownz, ( ecotownz.co.uk )

[@robyrcmp]

Not so "passive". Requires a large amount of maint. and specialized parts that may not be there if the system goes down.

[@Adeus555]

First thing i thought was there is alot annoying maintenance down the road that would have a pretty high learning curve on how to deal with it. The kind of thing you don't want to be a pioneer of lol. Let other people figure out the headaches first.

[@danielkelly8541]

how did you guys get planning permission for this? codes regulations. very interesting

[@Adeus555]

southern alberta has lenient municipalities. They are all farmers. Get into the cities and its another ball of wax with very limited options.

[@IdrisBusari]

idrisbusari.webs.com Do you want to know more about a type of #netZERO housing called #earthSHIPS ? Check out this video with Michael Reynolds of Earthship Biotecture. Get more information at earthship.com. #iwantONE

[@alexanderk.3056]

Hmm what about the lead from polluted rain water, how u filter/clean that.....with what?.... or do u use UV lamps to sterilize it? I'm just curious that's all ......but cool home ideas. Thanks!

[@rickrose2235]

You could have the water analyzed but if your far away from the city maybe the lead is not so much in the water.

[@alexanderk.3056]

Yes, you're right .... :)

[@brandonryan1218]

In rural canada with 1/10 of the U.S.A.’s population I’d imagine there is less air pollution to contaminate the rain water.

[@pizann350]

We're in Alberta is this built ?

[@DavidDodgeyeg]

+steve fabiano 50 km north of Lethbridge, Alberta.

[@winstonsmith6103]

What’s the grand total cost; labor, materials...everything?

[@Adeus555]

This one is probably close to about half a million.

[@h.g9485]

I'm really interested to build a earth ship home how much money do I need to save? how to contact?

[@Adeus555]

just as much as a conventional home if not more.

[@kricotas]

where can i buy a book how to do it?

[@badabing6852]

You can "learn" how to do it by being on a jobsite. That'll save you the cost of the book.

[@guzziventure1750]

And how about using solar energy directly, not by photovoltaic, to warm water and air?

[@Adeus555]

you meane thermo energy in general. The germans have really mastered that tech. Alberta is also one of the most prime locations in the world to utilize it. To the point where suncor was planning the biggest farm in the world.

[@AusieJamster]

Is there anything stopping me from building them here in australia or is the design like copyrighted or something???

[@kimrollo8606]

Ausie Jamster The only thing stopping you is Australian building regulations.....check the web I think there is already a Australian community building earthships or at least looking at building them

[@badabing6852]

You have a whole underground city in central Australia. They'll have all your answers.

[@thelanarchist6912]

. Earthship on the prairie: A radically sustainable home in southern Alberta

[@nicevideomancanada]

For those who are interested in this technology and the homes that come from it you may also be interested in Permaculture. The best site that I have found for this can be found here: www.geofflawton.com/fe/73485-an-oasis-in-the-american-desert Simply Outstanding! check out many of his other video within.

[@nicevideomancanada]

Permaculture introduction: www.geofflawton.com/fe/32461-surviving-the-coming-crises

[@maxyoung2307]

radon gas?

[@guzziventure1750]

Tires and aluminium cans... Isn't that using a lot of steel and aluminium which isn't recycled over and over again?

[@ebonyavi]

This is a different type of recycling, called reusing. Even recycling uses a good amount of energy.

[@madman3891]

This is recycling.

[@paulkansas]

I have been thinking the same thing. The glass provides art, and the tires are a final use product, but aluminum and glass can be used over and over, saving some other place from strip mining, etc. everything has a carbon footprint, but some can go around more than once, cheaper than new use.

[@nikumeru]

Using aluminium cans and glass bottles the way they do is a way of recycling called re-using plus they end up not using or using at a minimum some other materials, like dry-wall, cement, steel beams etc, which would use up a lot of resources and pollute a lot more in order to be produced.

[@anthonystitch477]

sponsored by suncor and shell?! you HAVE to be fucking kidding...

[@mydogma7116]

If you had to pay labor costs it isn't cost effective...

[@tool5150]

Imagine trying to get a mortgage for this.

[@steveraymond982]

I'm looking to build one for that reason. the costs are low in comparison. especially if I mill my own lumber. Banks are leaches.

[@Adeus555]

you don't, this is most likely out of piocket. Although their are some oraganizations that specialize in dealing with clerical and law bs when it comes to these homes. Although its sold at a premium and often they want a hand in building/profiting off the home themselves.

[@paulahavens2764]

does it cost money for me to subscribe to your channel

[@DavidDodgeyeg]

+paula Havens No, it's free and we have 136 episodes so far!

[@paulahavens2764]

+David Dodge thanks sorry I did not get back to you sooner will try to watch the progress of these projects,thanks

[@user-pk5yw1ek8k]

Это мошенница! Проходите мимо!

[@AlbertaGamer]

So.... free labor for this house, and yet we're all supposed to be "green" but our houses we will have to pay for. Hypocrites, try putting your money where your mouth is.

[@mimib6253]

Pitty it took this long to get out of the small powerless victim stereotype box and get really creating