Re: Using earth to deflect wind

[John Schinnerer <eco_living@yahoo.com>]

Aloha,

> > My partner and I are in the process of designing a house for a
> fairly flat
> > site on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia that has a fair
> amount of wind
> > exposure. We are wondering whether anyone has experience or
> knowledge of
> > designing or using swales/mounds/earth around a house and garden
> for wind
> > protection/deflection. We are not looking at earth berming the
> house, but
> > protecting the zones 1- 3 as much as possible.

What comes to mind (random brainstorming) is strategically placed and
sized earthen walls and/or pillars, rather than massive earthworks -
rammed earth, puddled earth, cob-style, etc. to create at least some
areas of calmer microclimates in first couple of zones.  Siting of
auxiliary structures could help with this, if there are any (storage
sheds, critter houses, etc.).

Need to be careful about creating areas of accelerated windflow this
way also, though.  

Perhaps a "crenelated windbreak" sort of layout of earthen
walls...brushpiles staked down (might even accumulate some windblown
soil over time, though maybe not human time...
;-)...wattle/lattice...pop-fence...?


=====
John Schinnerer, MA
--------------------
- Eco-Living -
Cultural & Ecological Designing
Food - Shelter - Community
john@eco-living.net
http://eco-living.net

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