Earth-sheltered / semi-buried form

Also listed under ground-source temperature moderation, the same solution serves both wind/storm resistance and thermal stability. Easier on sloped sites.

Cost

High

Upkeep

Occasional

Skill to build

Intermediate

Lifespan

Matches structure lifespan (earth-sheltering is a form choice, not a separately wearing component); waterproofing membrane itself typically needs renewal every 20-30 years

Embodied carbon

Medium

Space / material use

High

Output timing

None

Skill to repair

Intermediate

Regulation (FR example)

Part of the structure or footprint: covered by the building permit (permis de construire) for a new dwelling. Rural sites are additionally constrained by the commune's PLU zoning, outside a constructible zone, a new dwelling is generally refused.

Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.

What your site needs

Sloped site strongly preferred (cost-prohibitive to excavate a basin on flat ground); good drainage or a design that assumes eventual damp

Inputs

none

Outputs

none

What this page does not tell you

No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.