LITERATURE STUDY

INTRODUCTION-
An earth shelter, also called earth bermed structure, is a structure with earth (soil) against the walls, on
the roof, or that is entirely buried underground.
Earth sheltering is an age long traditional practice With the potential thermal conservation qualities and
physical characteristics of earth as a building mass, earth shelters can now be defined as structures built
with the use of earth mass against building walls as external thermal mass, which reduces heat loss and
maintains a steady indoor air temperature throughout the seasons. The popularity of earth sheltering
was advanced mostly by research in energy conservation in residential housing. Originally conceived
as dwellings developed by the utilization of caves within the traditional context, its evolution through
technologies led to the construction of customized earth dwellings all across the globe.

HISTORY-
• It is thought that from about 15,000 BC migratory hunters in Europe were using turf and earth to
insulate simple round huts that were also sunk into the ground.

• Normally these examples of cultures using earth sheltered buildings occur without any knowledge of
the construction method elsewhere. These structures have many different forms and are referred to
by many different names. General terms include pit-house and dugout.

• One of the oldest examples of berming, dating back some 5,000 years, can be found at Skara Brae in
the Orkney Islands off northern Scotland.

• Another historical example of in-hill earth shelters would be Mesa Verde, in southwest USA. These
building are constructed directly onto the ledges and caves on the face of the cliffs. The front wall is
built up with local stone and earth to enclose the structure.

• In North America, almost every native American group used earth sheltered structures to some
extent.These structures have been called 'earth lodges' . When Europeans colonized North America,
sod houses ("soddies") were common on the Great Plains.

• In China, man-made cave dwellings have been used as a shelter since 2,000 BC. In certain areas of
northern China, like the provinces of Shaanxi and Shanxi, since the loess earth is structurally
uniform and compacted, providing easy access to good quality building material with stable
structure, earth-sheltered homes have been in use for centuries.

MODERN TIMES-
• In the last 30 years earth sheltered homes have become increasingly popular. The technique is more
common in Russia, China and Japan.[4] It is possible that Northern China has more earth shelters
than any other region.

• There are an estimated 30-40 million Chinese living in such earth homes today still, mostly along
the Yellow River in Northern China.
EARTH SHELTER TYPOLOGIES-
Three main types of earth shelter are described. There is also great variation in the approach to earth
sheltering in terms of materials used and expenditure.
• The "low tech" approach- natural building techniques, wooden posts and shed style roofs, recycling
of materials, owner labor, hand excavation, etc.
• The "high tech " approach- using concrete and steel. It consists of higher embodied energy and
significantly more costs.

1. BERMED
• In the earth bermed (also termed "bunded") type, earth is
banked against the exterior walls, sloping down away
from the building. The berm can be partial or total.
• The polar facing wall may be bermed, leaving the
equator-facing wall un-bermed (in temperate regions).
Usually this type of earth shelter is built on, or only
slightly below the original grade.
• Due to the building being above the original ground level,
fewer moisture problems are associated with earth
berming in comparison to underground/fully-recessed
construction, and it costs less to construct. According to
one report, earth berming provided 90-95% of the energy
advantage as a completely below grade structure

2. IN-HILL
• The in-hill (also termed "earth covered", or "elevational")
construction is where the earth shelter is set into a slope
or hillside, and earth covers the roof in addition to the
walls.
• The most practical application is using a hill facing
towards the equator (south in the Northern Hemisphere
and north in the Southern Hemisphere), towards the
aphelion (north) in the Tropics, or east just outside the
Tropics.
• There is only one exposed wall in this type of earth
sheltering, the wall facing out of the hill, all other walls
are embedded within the earth/hill. This is the most
popular and energy efficient form of earth shelter in cold
and temperate climates.
3. UNDERGROUND
• The true underground (also termed "chambered" or
"subterranean") earth shelter describes a house where
the ground is excavated, and the house is set in below
grade. They can feature an atrium or courtyard
constructed in the middle of the shelter to provide
adequate light and ventilation.
• The atrium arrangement provides a much less
compact plan than that of the one or two-story
bermed/in hill design; therefore it is commonly less
energy efficient, in terms of heating needs.Therefore,
atrium designs are found mainly in warmer climates.

4. OTHER TYPES
• Depending on what definition of earth sheltering is used, other types are sometimes included. In
culvert homes, precast concrete containers and large diameter pipes are arranged into a connecting
design to form a living space and then backfilled with earth.
• An experimental construction design from the 1980s of Japan, coined 'Alice City', proposed to use
a wide and deep cylindrical shaft sunk into the earth, with a domed skylight roof. Artificial caves
can be constructed by making a tunnel into the earth.

CONSTRAINTS OF EARTH SHELTERED STRUCTURES-

• Creating a healthy air circulation into the design is vital, and what are known as Earthtubes can be
used to draw in fresh air, with exhaust vents placed high in the building.

• Water seepage can also be an issue in earth sheltered housing, and proper waterproofing needs to
be implemented into the design. Non-biodegradable materials are often used in earth sheltering
construction to keep water out, including both plastics and energy-intensive concrete, one of the
least environmentally sustainable buildings materials available. If earth sheltering is to be
implemented as a green building practice in the modern world, more sustainable products will
need to be implemented and testing is ongoing in this area.

• It’s essential that before constructing an earth sheltered building that the site is carefully surveyed,
with aspects such as climate, soil type and water table all impacting significantly on the design
and application.

• The excavation of the site itself is time-consuming and labor intensive, and although it requires
less finishing and maintenance than conventional construction methods, the initial costs can be
more.
 DESTINATION RESORT
• A destination resort is a resort that itself contains the necessary guest attraction capabilities so it
does not need to be near a destination (town, historic site, theme park, or other) to attract its
patrons.

• A commercial establishment at a resort destination such as a recreational area, a scenic or historic

site, amusement park, a gaming facility, or other tourist attraction may compete with other
businesses at a destination.

• Consequently, another quality of a destination resort is that it offers food, drink, lodging, sports,
entertainment, and shopping within the facility so that guests have no need to leave the facility
throughout their stay.

REQUIREMENTS-

1. ENTRANCE 14. KITCHEN

2. RECEPTION & LOBBY 15. DINING
3. BEDROOM 16. PASSAGES
4. GYM 17. PATHWAY
5. SPORTS 18. FOUNTAIN
6. SWIMMING POOLS 19. STAFF ROOMS
7. LANDSCAPE 20. MANAGER ROOMS
8. GARDENS 21. STORE ROOMS
9. PARTY AREA 22. DELUXE ROOMS
10. OAT 23. SINGLE AND DOUBLE ROOM
11. PANTRY 24. SPA FACILITIES
12. SERVICES 25. RESTAURANTS
13. FIRST AID ROOM 26. SHOPPING

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR DESTINATION RESORT

Space, surroundings, sound, and services – contribute to sensory experiences as you step into a
wellness resort long before you are into the scheduled programs. Proper sensory management is the
key component of wellness resort design and architecture in sync with the natural surroundings.
Space:
This includes all the external and internal spaces of various constructions in the resort namely living
rooms, resting spaces, dining spaces, spa and treatment rooms, consultation spaces, washrooms,
private and public spaces where guests are likely to interact with the staff, nature, and others.
Sound:
This encompasses the entire outdoor natural sound and indoor acoustic management that supports a
serene and tranquil ambience.
Surroundings:
The overall natural surrounding both inside and outside of the resort premises. Lush valleys, greenery,
curated gardens and lawns, wilderness, ocean fronts, waterbodies, hills, and mountains comprise the
external surroundings.
Service:
All the above three sensory management have a great impact on the service of wellness resorts.
Thinking the other way round, smart and efficient service and support can promote the overall sensory
experiences of guests.
HOTEL ROOM FEATURES [ACCORDING TO DEHOGA]

According to the classification system of the German Hotel and Inn Association (DEHOGA), there are
five categories, essentially determined by the room's size and features:

1 Star (Tourist): single room 8 m², double room 12 m² (minimum area for 759% of the hotel rooms,
without bathroom), bed, wardrobe, seat, washbasin in the room, reception as a separate area

2 Stars (Standard): as before, but single room 12 m², double room 10 m (minimum area for 75% of
the hotel rooms, including bathroom and corridor), bathroom in room (for 70% of hotel rooms), seat
per bed, colour television (in 70% of the hotel rooms)

3 Stars (Comfort): as before, but single room 14 m², double room 18 m (minimum area, see above),
bathroom in room (for all rooms in the hotel), telephone, reception area with seating for group,
independent reception

4 Stars (First Class): as before, but single room 16 m², double room 22 m² (minimum area, see above),
minibar, armchair/couch with coffee table, lobby with seating and drinks service

5 Stars (Luxury): as before, but single room 18 m², double room 26 m², (minimum size, see above),
2% of the hotel rooms as suites (at least two), each with an armchair/sota per bed, additional
washbasin in double rooms and suites, additional colour television In suites, reception lobby.

ROOM AND ACCESS SCHEME OF A RESORT-

APPROXIMATE PERCENTAGE OF AREAS REQUIRED-
ADVANTAGES AND DISAVANTAGES OF EARTH SHELTERS
IMPORTANCE OF TOPOGRAPHY-

• The site planning for an earth sheltered building is an integral part of the design. Topography plays a
significant role for house construction. In other word, different topographical forms with even the
smallest changes lead to create remarkable effects on wind and temperature as well as water direction
runoff around the building.

• Unlike climate, topography tends to impact on a micro or site-specific scale. Slopes can change
dramatically in short distances, and this fact precludes drawing any regional conclusions. However, if
a region has many steeply sloped ridges running in a northeast/southwest direction, it may offer the
opportunity for some ideal earth-sheltered building sites.

• In the flat site the design is limited to one level under the surface mainly or in some part include the
levels earth sheltered houses as single units while the steep sites take the advantages of situating the
dwelling into the side hill. In this context, determination of opening’s orientation is depending on the
direction of slope. Predominantly, the southern side of the hill is the best position to compromise of
• absorption of maximum passive solar energy. Thus, exposing the house to the south is the best way
of designing the earth sheltered dwellings .

• The topography of the site will affect wind flow and drainage patterns, and will determine how easily
the building can be surrounded by earth. A modest slope requires more excavation than a steep one,
and a flat site is the most demanding, needing extensive excavation. Buildings on flat ground are
bermed more easily onone or more sides.

• South-facing slopes can be utilized effectively to make

the earth-sheltered house a passive solar structure.
North-facing slopes may be beneficial in areas where
the need to cool the structure is dominant. East- and
west-facing slopes, in general, should be avoided since
they offer little winter passive solar heating benefit
and can be significant summertime liabilities.

• When an earthsheltered building is constructed on

sloping area, the at-grade scheme has more advantageous
since water drains in natural way, and it is easy access
for residents, view and light. If the structure built on a southern slope, near to 100 percent passive solar
energy is conceivable because of both the minimum heat loss and maximum thermal capacity of the
earth.
COMPARING EFFICIENCY VALUES OF EARTH
SHELTER BUILDING TYPOLOGY