Sustainable building with earth, corrugated galvanised iron and rebars

[Blokle]

Ok... what do you think about Gabions ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabion ) as external walls. Maybe 3 layers gabions - internal and external - stones and earth between them.

1. How thick such gabions should be so the temperature inside is within 20-26C all the time without heating/cooling?
2. Will this still work if the inner parts of gabions will be covered with drywall (gypsum panels)?

 

[Nik_2213]

I think you need to urgently research the loadings etc for 'Green Roofs' and 'Earth Sheltered' construction.

Also, like the way an unexpected snow-load may seriously threaten roof, a 'green roof' in heavy rain may become very heavy, very rapidly. 'Usual' loading margins simply do not apply.

 

[Baluncore]

Maybe 3 layers gabions - internal and external - stones and earth between them.

A gabion wall is thick because it must not fall. It will require a huge volume of material to build. Once built, a gabion wall is unmaintainable, you are stuck with your investment. The only advantage of a gabion wall, is that it might be bulletproof.

Barriers to the flow of water are close to impossible with gabions. Expect mice to find their way into a gabion wall. Mice will nest within or burrow under the wall. The mice will be followed by snakes, and rats, which will have no hesitation in gnawing their way through a warm drywall on a cold wet night.

Gabions would make a terrible wall for a house, but they would be great for a garden wall, or to stabilise an earth bank.