The Best Sustainable Architecture in 2026 is from the 70s
The best sustainable architecture in 2026 is actually from the 1970s! Before all of the acronyms and branded sustainability, Earthships have quietly been the leader in sustainable living.
If you want to see the future of sustainability, look no further to these unique structures. As with crazy concept vehicles car companies make for car shows, there are many principles that Earthships can provide for modern homes.
The 6 Principles of Earthships:
- Building with Upcycled Materials: The backbone of an Earthship is its rammed-earth tire walls. Taking trash, old tires, and creating walls filled with dirt creates indestructible and fireproof walls that also act as a thermal mass (see #2).
- Passive Solar Heating & Cooling: By berming the home into the earth on three sides and using a greenhouse on the south side, Earthships maintain a steady temperature year-round without a furnace or AC.
- Off-Grid Energy: Energy from the sun and wind is stored in batteries.
- Water Harvesting: The entire roof acts like a funnel. Rain and snowmelt are collected in cisterns, filtered, and reused: first for drinking/showering, then for the indoor planters, then for flushing toilets, and finally for outdoor landscaping.
- Contained Sewage Treatment: Earthships don't use a city sewer. They use indoor and outdoor "botanical cells" (planters) to treat and filter gray and black water through plant roots and microbes.
- In-Home Food Production: The south-facing greenhouse isn't just for light, it provides a great indoor farm. This includes everything from growing fruits and vegetables to raising fish like tilapia.
A New (Old) Sustainable Approach
As the modern sustainability movement focuses on branded metrics where certifications and profiteering are paramount, Earthships have a proven track record of performing.
While the aesthetic of earth-rammed tires and glass-bottle walls might seem alien, the principles behind them provide the perfect template for creating a modern sustainable home. A holistic focus on energy, waste, and upcycling is more beneficial than a plaque on a wall.
