Lowtech Graph lists low-tech options for every need of a home. Here you can compare them, find tutorials to build them, and link them together into a circular system. Why low-tech?
Earth-sheltered / semi-buried form (thermal stability)
Passive · New build only
One of 3 ways to meet this need. Cost, carbon, footprint and rankings are relative to other solutions for the same need, not absolute.
What your site needs
Sloped site strongly preferred
A house set partly into the ground, with earth against some walls and sometimes over the roof. The ground stays at a steady temperature, so the walls it touches lose less heat in winter and gain less in summer. Indoor temperature stays even all year. It is easier and cheaper on a slope.
Build it
This is contracted work rather than a self-build.
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.
Levels are relative to the other options for this need, not absolute. Fewer dots is lighter.
Earth-sheltered / semi-buried form (thermal stability) (This page) Can I use it? Not in a flat · New build only What does it cost me? Upfront cost: High · Skill to build: Intermediate · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if you are building new and want indoor temperatures that stay even all year.
Earth tube / ground-coupled air pre-conditioning Can I use it? Not in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Medium · Skill to build: Intermediate · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: Yes Choose it if you want fresh air warmed in winter and cooled in summer before it comes in.
Ground-coupled hydronic cooling loop (buried pipe + radiator) Can I use it? Not in a flat · No rebuilding needed What does it cost me? Upfront cost: Medium · Skill to build: Intermediate · Upkeep: Light · Change to daily life: None · Works without the grid: No Choose it if you want to cool an existing house on very little electricity.
We don’t list sizing or quantities, as the yield of each technique depends on the quality of its build. The catalogue compares options but doesn’t dimension them. Regulatory notes are indicative, with a French example, and need to be confirmed locally.