Thermal storage - an evaluation of the thermal performance of the Brighton Earthship

The Brighton Earthship is an autonomous building, built on the outskirts of the city on the south coast of the UK. Based on the design philosophy of Mike Reynolds it incorporates ‘glass and mass’ to permit solar gain and develop long term thermal storage. The thermal store is constructed of rammed chalk utilising end of life car tyres as formers to build the wall. The Earthship was built as a demonstration project and visitor centre for the Low Carbon Network and is the first of its type to be built in the UK. This paper describes the design principles of an earthship and in particular the use of thermal mass to achieve seasonal energy storage. It reports on long term thermal measurements within the thermal store and demonstrates the heat transfer pattern between the store and the internal space.