Located in Blue Ash (North of Cincinnati), it's one of two houses
in Hamilton county where you have to mow the roof! This "Solarcrete"
earth sheltered home was custom built in 1980 by Ray Baker of
Baker Homes Inc. for doctors Ross & Terry Zumwalt. Twenty
years ahead of its time, "Solarcrete" was an innovative
product using extruded polystyrene sandwiched between two poured
and re-enforced layers of concrete. "Solarcrete" (email
iccwall@bright.net is still used today but most builders use polystyrene
between orientated strandboard in the construction of super-insulated
homes.
With "Solarcrete" walls plus 18 inch layer of earth on top of the 84 yards of re-enforced "Solarcrete" roof, the house is rated at R-54 insulative value. The house maintains a temperature range from 65 to 75 degrees F year round without a furnace or central air. A wood stove used as backup burns about a cord of wood per year. Utility cost (Electric, water, and wood) average $120/ month. Purchased in the spring of 1991 by Joe and Ceil Davis, the house can be viewed further on their home page at http://www.joe-davis.com and on the tour.
The house was recently returned to its original condition by replacing and orientating the 4 skylights to slant toward the south with more efficient "Velux" triple-pane argon filled units. Also the 8 fixed windows and 2 awning windows in the sunroom were replaced with more efficient Alpine and Hurd Heat-Mirror 88 window units. The same was done for the two east bedroom units.
Built in a rolling setting (not the usual hill side), you will
find in this semicircular, earth sheltered home the following
features: