The Toitu Earth-Sheltered House - Comfortable, Energy Efficient & Unique - October, 2024 Green Building News

Rate It Green Members and Friends -  

The title of this news may seem a bit provocative, but hold on to your construction hats.  We just got word that Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. will be working on the Toitu House, an earth-sheltered home that really could last several hundred years, as in 500 (we will have to wait to find out)!  Some claim an earthen home can even last 1000 years in theory.

What does earth-sheltered mean? Earth-sheltered homes can be partially or completely underground and leverage the earth's steady temperature to create a comfortable year-round environment while also operating efficiently and using less energy overall.  Additional benefits include resistance to extreme weather and weather events, lower maintenance needs, greater durability and longevity, and noise reduction.  

Matt introduces the Toitu House in this interview with Igal, the homeowner. Igal explains the dream he and his family have embarked upon, designing and redesigning over years now to get their home just right.  Minimal impact and durability were high on their list, and Igal admits he wanted to build something unique and "cool" as well. (Get it, it stays cool!) To learn more, check out Matt's Interview!  Reply to this email if you'd like to get involved with this project!  Several Rate It Green Member Companies are already on board, and we'll be reporting more soon and throughout the project! 

Matt and Igal are committed to sharing their experiences through the construction process, so get ready for some amazing leading edge information about the products and companies the team will be working with, and please feel welcome to connect and post and to share your opinions and conversations.  If you have a question, chances are someone else has that same question, too.  Would you live underground in an earth-sheltered structure? Why or why not? What us your dream home, or your dream project to work on?  What's the coolest project you've worked on, and why? Let's discuss!

We're seeing many exciting fall events this year, both online and in person, including a few upcoming green building tours. And Greenbuild is of course coming soon, November 12-15 in Philadelphia!  Check out our open Green Building Calendar, and post your events!  We're especially interested in hearing about great events at the end of the year or into January, 2025. January events often get a lot of social media attention from our team as it tends to be a bit quieter - so let us know! 

Thank you,
Allison Friedman
Founder, Rate It Green


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To read this  newsletter in full: The Toitu Earth-Sheltered House, Rate It Green's October, 2024 Green Building News