Virgina Earthship

Earthship Farmstead is net-zero energy, Passive House certified, LEED Platinum single family home in the mountains of southern Virginia. The clients’ goal was to create a self-sufficent farm on their 100-acre property where “sheep can graze on our roof.”
The home is partially buried into a hillside with the native grasses of the field extending over the concrete roof. This home carefully lets in the winter sun while blocking it the summer with fixed and operable shading devices.

Completion date: 2012
Project size: 3,263 sf
Building shell: R-28 slab; R-32 walls; R-61 roof
Materials: Eastern white cedar shingles, local fieldstone, metal and sod roof, Makrowin windows
Systems: Aerothermal heat pumps for heat and AC, ERVs for fresh air, Solar thermal system for hot water, Photovoltaic system on adjacent barn with batteries for electricity
Energy Savings over typical new home: 100%+
Awards: USGBC 2013 Home of the Year
Certifications: Passive House, LEED for Homes Platinum

Architect: Kaplan Thompson Architects
Project Manager: Jamie Broadbent - contributed to project while an employee at Kaplan Thompson Architects
Builder: Structures Design Build
Photography: Brett Lemon Photography