Ground contact stabilises indoor temperature year-round; easier and cheaper on a sloped site, it also serves wind/storm resistance.
Cost
High
Upkeep
Occasional
Skill to build
Intermediate
Lifespan
Matches structure lifespan, identical form choice, listed under the two functions it serves
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
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.