Earthships in Hawaii?

[Guest]

Here is a video of an Earthdome here on the Big Island and the process that the guy took to build one.

-------
My Blog

[gtill]

Wouldn't want to be in there during the 7.3 in the 70s. How does he get a permit without at least re-bar?

[Charles Moore]

I got a chance to tour the earthbag home in Nanawale today. As to how these get permitted without rebar I don't know exactly what they are looking for. For what its worth these domes do have horizontal "rebar" (barbed wire) between each layer of bags and vertical barbed wire tied to the horizontal barbed wire several feet apart. The permitting required the "concrete" to have a compressive strength of 300 psi which was achieved with 10% cement , 80% cinder, and 10% 3/8" blue rock. Although not required for a building permit Mark (the builder) used expanded metal (diamond) lathe on the inside to help the cement plaster stick to the concave curve of the wall/ceiling. I'm sure this adds strength as well.

I like both the inside and outside free form flowing feel of the building and the flexibility of creating integrated sinks, shower walls etc. The ecodome building at less than 400 square feet is a bit small however. I'd probably opt for one of the many larger designs he has on offer.


According to Mark the building permit people were more concerned with sizes of doors and windows which he was forced to make bigger.

[leilaniguy]

Bringing this back because I drove by the earthbag home today. There is a huge barnlike structure erected over the whole thing, must have leaked like a sieve.

[Seeb]

Alternative isn't always better

[kalakoa]

People should be allowed (with enough setback and liability waiver) to explore the alternatives if they wish.

I've seen the "barnlike thing" over that earthbag house -- my first thought was not that it leaked, but that the guy was doing an end-run around compliance by turning it into an "art project". There are better solutions for simple leakage.

[leilaniguy]

Speaking of setbacks, that barn violates them. There is a carport extension that juts out to within just a foot or two of the street.

[Derrick Barnicoat]

Earthships are expensive and don't really make sense to build in areas with not much soil.

[kalakoa]

An overhang does not automatically infringe a setback, subject to limits outlined in 25-4-44; if that overhang is considered a "porte-cochere" it may extend "any distance into a front yard" per 25-4-45.

Planning is ever-vigilant; I'm sure they will enforce this technicality as soon as someone complains.