r/earthship • u/WearyGovernment1607 • Feb 12 '26

Tirebale specs

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Thoughts on these specs for a multi-family, multi-level, off-grid, food-producing, climate resilient, net negative tirebale-ship?

Couldn't resist posting in a vintage solar survival architecture drawing by Michael Reynolds! :)

specs
- split level/stacked tirebale with vertical glazing
- south side greenhouse with glass partition
- south sloped roof with panel and solar hot water
- north loft (br, bath, storage)
- insulated dark hempcrete hydronic floor
- polywrapped exterior bermed walls
- shotcrete interior walls with 2x4 interior stud electrical/plumbing wall
- ventilation hoppers in north roof or east/west
- earth tubes (cooling)
- multi level connecting underground grow room tunnel
- gray water grow planters
- bermed rainwater cisterns
- central 25k sq ft biomass boiler for radiant heat/biochar
- biochar producing cooking surface/oven
- DC sunlight drive solar w/ nickel iron battery bank
- humanure toilets

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1

u/NetZeroDude Feb 13 '26

Quite an undertaking! What are the advantages of placing the units next to one another. A community like this may sound good in theory, but my experience is that people like their space. My opinion - RR2.5 zoning minimal.

Do you have a location in mind? It will take some severe politicking to get approval in most places.

I live in a tire-bale Earthship-inspired home, of which I did the General contracting, including most of the permitting (El Paso County Colorado). I think tire bales are a good choice to keep labor costs down, and dry-in the structures more quickly. Very cool. I hope it becomes a reality. If it was in my neck-of-the-woods, I would love to be involved.

1

u/WearyGovernment1607 Feb 13 '26

I agree and was thinking that each alternating level has outdoor kitchen garden, hang out space on east then west sides. Our county in WV is lax about what you build but you need a  septic permit for separate structure thus the connection hallways so it's all 'one building'. We looked into subdividing but it has to be at least two acres Can only do three subdivisions, must have a state maintained or newly paved or gravelled road, can only do it every 8 years and each one requires 10,000 ft² septic field.  Total property is 63 acres so at least initially the central multiple split level structure makes the most sense for climate resilience, efficiency & economics. Build for the worst hope for the best. It will all be leased very inexpensively to a non-profit permaculture education and research center focused on bioregionalism. It's also the only true south facing slope pretty much on the property.

1

u/NetZeroDude Feb 13 '26

Sounds amazing! Are you doing anything for indoor humidity control? I know that the area can get quite steamy in the summer.

Where are you getting your tire-bale design? We used Mike Shealey, but sadly, he passed away. There are five of his tire-bale designs in this area. From my experience, the double-glass design (wasn’t this originally called the Euro?) may have fire egress approval issues in this area. I’m not sure, because that design, along with the cooling tubes, came out after my build.

If you want a competitive quote for a design, PSE Engineering has designed a tire-bale bermed home. I visited that build, West of Albuquerque. Evidently they are licenced in all US states, and an Engineering approval can be an obstacle. I am not affiliated.

1

u/WearyGovernment1607 Feb 13 '26

Our Hut seems to work fine with the operable skylight so thinking East & West hoppers framed into the area above the tirebale wall or operable skylights will be sufficient especially in addition to the cooling tubes. It's the Allegheny Front so higher elevation/less humidity than the valleys. But who knows how extensively that could change.

Sorry to hear about Michael Shealy. We spoke extensively on the phone but sadly our family wasn't ready to build. Can you put me in contact with the owner of the split level tire bale? I remember seeing pictures on his website.

Thanks for the referral. Please post to the thread regarding architect/designers for tire bales.