Skip to content

This is a brainstorming about having an off grid, independent house/bunker, and buried under the earth

Challenges to address

Location / environment based

Storm drains

  • Not at the bottom of a hill/next to water (contradicts the water turbine)
  • need to check how the underground layers usually are laid out and how the water flows downhill. Construction may need to be like a "boat"

Earthquake

  • Not sure the build can do much about this --> avoid locations prone to it. I guess the UK is OK for that.

Storm/tornado

Shouldn't be too much of a problem under earth.

Build of the house

Waterproof/damp proof

  • maybe a container type, like the garden house (good isolation and watertight)

Ventilation + filtration system

  • Heat pump with filters to purify the air in addition to warming or cooling

Primary input and output

Electricity generation

  • Solar panels, would take a large area
  • Water turbine from river
  • Wind turbine

Water production

  • Filter river/mountain water nearby?
  • Recycle grey water
  • Filter rain water

Sewage system

  • Must have a difference between tap/shower water and toilets flush. Maybe two different treatments?
  • Grey and foul? In isolation (in the middle of nowhere) could the second one be treated to be released with the first? Like a mixer?
  • Off grid toilets system seem to move waste mechanically (with a manually actioned pump) and turn the waste into fertilizer with bacteria - so you don't need the sewer at all. Some could even generate gas? I don't know if you can do something with it

Secondary

Heating / cooling

  • Via the ventilation system - will need an external mini house to have the exhausts/external units

Heating water

  • Gas is impossible to source naturally -- actually... maybe it could be recycled from the toilets, but not sure it's a good idea to create a dependency on going to sh... to take a warm shower :D
  • Electricity based?

Access

  • How to get inside in a safe way depending on the weather? Like a submarine entrance?
  • In any case, likely planning a small room to clean shoes and stuff

Oxygen/CO2 levels + emergency alarm?

ie. what if the vent for the Aircon gets stuck and CO2 level raises. What do they do in a submarine?