Earth tube / ground-coupled air pre-conditioning

Buries intake ductwork to pre-temper incoming air using stable ground temperature.

Cost

Medium

Upkeep

Occasional

Skill to build

Intermediate

Lifespan

30-50 years for the buried duct itself if corrosion-resistant material used; the fan (if any) needs earlier replacement on its own cycle

Embodied carbon

Medium

Space / material use

Medium

Output timing

Continuous process

Skill to repair

Intermediate

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

What your site needs

Ground area available for a buried intake duct run

Inputs

• Fresh Air

Outputs

• Fresh Air

Sources

• xpair.com (Tier B) / US DOE energy.gov (Tier A)

Tutorials

• https://www.fiabitat.com/dimensionner-un-puits-canadien/
• https://www.fiabitat.com/le-principe-du-puits-canadien/

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.