Landscaping for earth-sheltered housing: A study on mud-roofed houses in Anatolia

Traditional mud roofs are still used in various parts of the World, especially in areas of low to medium rainfall. They are popular because of their low cost, ease of construction, and high resistance to heat penetration. Construction materials required to build such roofs are also readily available. In mud-roof construction, landscaping can also be a critical element of the overall design, which must be coordinated with all of the other layers of the roof, particularly the structural and waterproofing system as well as soil and drainage system. Landscaping surely enhances the attractiveness of mud-roofed houses, but it should not be thought of as a separate decorative feature or supplementary element to be added after the house is built. It has a very important role in the success of waterproofing and insulation systems of the house. This paper presents both the major landscape concerns, which are unique to this type of construction, and the existing practice of the most builders. During this presentation, some roof attempts for improving the structural, thermal and water resistance properties of the traditional mud-roof are also discussed. Based on this discussion, an improved mud-roof section is introduced.