Macdonald Architecture & Technology designed a 2-story earth bermed house for a private client in the Blue Ridge Mountains of VA.

The building was designed as a 5-bedroom off-grid passive solar earth tempered super insulated structure of about 6,000 sq.ft. The structural frame was panelized by am-cor inc. and erected on site by the owner's family and friends. The partition panels were light enough for children to place.

The house has 100% solar array generated electricity, LED lamps, mini-split heat pumps, solar heated hot water and in-slab radiant floor heating, and a green house passive heat collector along the lower level bedroom front.