For my presentation on ecological environmental planning, I have chosen to talk about how underground

housing, or earth sheltered housing as it's more commonly known, can meet the demands of ecological environmental
planning, both in terms of building and energy resources and in terms of sensitivity to the landscape. Perhaps the
greatest merit of this building technique is the low impact it has on the environment, since houses built underground
can hardly be seen from the surface. If earth sheltered homes are perfect for environmentally sensitivity sites, they are
also remarkably efficient when it comes to energy use. This is because this kind of housing makes greater use of
alternative technologies to improve energy efficiency. As I shall explain in more detail later, many earth sheltered
housing projects use natural, non toxic resources for building materials, such as round earth, which are surprisingly
durable. Some of these houses have a predicted lifespan of 500 years or more. The extra protection offered by this type
of housing means less exposure to the elements, which keeps maintenance to a minimum, as there aren't any outside
walls to paint or gutters to clear, for example. Living underground also brings the advantage of a quieter environment,
eliminating disturbances caused by traffic, an enormous problem these days, and one of the most common reasons for
people to consider moving home. And lastly, despite the misconception that underground houses must be very damp,
earth sheltered housing offers significant health advantages. The sophistication of the ventilation systems installed in
earth sheltered houses brings enormous benefits to people suffering from asthma and other chest conditions.
I'd like now to turn to the situation in the UK, where, despite all the obvious advantages, earth sheltered
housing still isn't a popular option for most homeowners, as the statistics prove. The British Earth Sheltering
association says that people shouldn't be put off by fears of too much red tape as it is getting easier to get planning
permission. There is quite a lot of evidence that building development offices are more sympathetic to earth sheltered
projects, especially in conservation areas. Special consideration has been given to several underground homes on sites
where conventional development would not normally be allowed. And there are hopes that one day Britain's coastline
will no longer be dominated by mobile homes, and instead, the job of providing this type of accommodation will be
done by earth sheltered housing.
I'd like to finish by looking at two quite different projects, mull manor and the Hockerton project. When it
was first built, Mole Manor generated international media interest and was voted one of the twelve most desirable
places to live in the world. In a national newspaper poll. Hockerton also attracted wide publicity, winning several
awards for its innovative environmental design. As is the case for all earth sheltered homes, running costs at mull
Manor are substantially lower than for conventional homes because of its effective insulation. Its heating bills are
approximately 75% lower than for conventional houses. However, at Hockerton, solar energy, wind power, and rain
are used to generate enough warmth, electricity for light and cooking, and water for washing and drinking. For all the
needs of the five families who live there, their aim of living a holistic lifestyle in harmony with the environment has
been realized. Hockerton also proves that earth sheltered houses can be built on a modest budget. Each of the families
contributed 80,000 pounds. The cost of an average family house in this area, style rather than cost, was more of an
issue in the design of mull manor. The homely, terraced cottage style at Hockerton contrasts with the grandeur and
space of mull manor, which today is worth over 800,000 pounds. What projects like mull Manor and Hockerton
demonstrate is that earth sheltered housing can provide comfortable, stylish, eco friendly homes for a diverse range of
needs. The combination of architecturally sensitive designs with new energy saving technology satisfies all the criteria
for ecological environmental planning