For years, I dreamed of building an Earthship—one of those incredible off-grid homes designed by Michael Reynolds. The idea of living in a self-sufficient, eco-friendly house built from recycled materials, harnessing solar energy, collecting rainwater, and growing its own food was captivating. It felt like the ultimate path to freedom and sustainability.
But then reality hit.
I quickly realized while Earthships were an incredible concept, actually building one was a different story. The process was long, expensive, and physically demanding. It required specialized knowledge, permitting battles, and an unconventional design not always practical for everyday homeowners.
So, I set out on a mission: How do we take the best of Earthships and make them easier, faster, and more accessible for people like me?
The answer? OasisBioHome—the next evolution of sustainable housing.
My Journey with Earthships
I first discovered Earthships when I was 19 years old. Years later I even attended a workshop with Michael Reynolds at Ryerson University in Toronto. His passion for self-sustaining homes and achieving autonomous living left a lasting impact on me.
For 20+ years, I've followed his work closely, investing time and money to learn as much as possible. I even paid consulting fees to work directly with him and understand Earthship construction in depth.
But the deeper I went, the more obstacles I saw in having my own Earthship.
Despite their brilliance, Earthships were hard to build, expensive, and not widely accepted by local building codes. I realized if sustainable housing was going to change the world, it needed to be easier, faster, and more practical.
That’s what led me to create the OasisBioHome—a home inspired by Earthship principles but designed for real-world accessibility.
What Makes Earthships So Powerful?
Michael Reynolds’s vision for Earthships biotecture is brilliant— autonomous homes eliminating utility bills and working in harmony with nature.
How Earthships Work
Instead of relying on city utilities, Earthships use natural materials and passive design to regulate temperature, collect water, and generate electricity.
- Thermal Mass Walls – Built from earth-rammed tires and recycled beer cans, these walls absorb plus store heat, keeping homes cool in summer and warm in winter.
- Solar & Wind Energy – Earthships generate their electricity from the sun, storing power in battery banks so you don't have to rely on power lines.
- Rainwater Harvesting & Greywater Recycling – Water is collected from the roof, filtered, and waste water is reused in irrigation.
- Indoor Greenhouses – Many Earthships include hydroponic and aquaponic systems for year-round food production.
The Hard Reality of Building an Earthships
The concept by Michael Reynolds is genius. If more architecture schools followed Reynolds concepts - life on earth would be vastly improved. That said, I’ve met countless people who set out to build an Earthship—only to abandon the project halfway through.
1. Extreme Labor & Costs
- Earthships require a backbreaking, time-consuming process of pounding tires with gravel, sand & dirt.
- A 1700 square foot Earthship biotecture home uses something in the ballpark of 800-1000 tires.
- Each tire takes approximately 30min to pound with sand/gravel/dirt.
- This means 400-500 hours (10+ weeks at 40hrs/week of swinging a sledgehammer pounding tires) to put up the external load bearing walls.
- While materials might be recycled, the manual labor costs can skyrocket.
- Many people start building their own DIY earthship, run out of money, and never finish.
2. It Can Take Years to Build
- The steep upfront labour means Earthships take months or even years to complete.
- Many projects stall because of labor shortages, burnout, or budget issues.
3. Nightmare Permitting Process
- Many city officials don’t understand Earthship materials, leading to permit denials and regulatory headaches.
- Finding builders willing to take on an unconventional project is almost impossible.
- Both city officials and builders don't want to take the risk of something going wrong and being held responsible.
4. The Look Isn’t for Everyone
- Earthships have curved walls, bottle windows, and exposed recycled materials.
- While some love the organic look, others find it unappealing, which makes it harder to resell or finance.
I saw these problems over and over again - but loved Michael Reynolds world.
I started thinking: How can we take the best of Earthships biotecture—but make them easier, faster, and more affordable?
OasisBioHome: The Evolution of the Earthship
I didn’t want to abandon the Earthship concept—I wanted to solve its biggest problems. After years of experiments I created OasisBioHome (in partnership with WonderfulStructures), a sustainable home with all the off-grid benefits of an Earthship while eliminating construction headaches.
Unlike traditional Earthships, which can take years to complete, the Oasis BioHome can be built in 60-90 days. It also works within building codes, making it easier to obtain permits - ensuring sustainable living is more accessible than ever before.
Each Oasis BioHome comes with a solar kit, including solar panels, a battery, and an inverter. Homeowners only need to purchase a cistern and other minor components to complete their off-grid system.
The WonderfulStructure Eco Green design used is beautiful and has already received high recognition in the hospitality sector. Previous models have been ranked:
Top 5% Home on Airbnb (View on Airbnb)
4.95/5 with 296 Reviews on Airbnb (View on Airbnb)
#1 of 13 lodges in Puyo on TripAdvisor (View on TripAdvisor)
What Makes Oasis BioHome Different?
Oasis BioHomes use prefabricated technology—so instead of spending months pounding tires, you can assemble your home in 2-5 days. Finish the exterior in 1-2 weeks. The rest is all interior finishes.
No Heavy Labor – The entire exterior shell is prefabricated, so there’s no tire-pounding or excessive labor costs.
Faster Build Time – While Earthships take months or years, an Oasis BioHome can be move-in-ready in weeks.
Easier Permits – Designed to meet building codes, so it’s easier to get city approval.
Modern, Customizable Look – Unlike Earthships, Oasis BioHomes blend into suburban, urban, or rural settings.
The result? A home giving you all the freedom of an Earthship—without the struggles.
How OasisBioHomes Are Built
We took inspiration from submarine and spaceship technology to create a lightweight, ultra-durable, and easy to assemble home.
Step 1: Prefabricated Assembly (2-5 Days)
The high-tech exterior shell arrives in pre-made panels. These panels snap together in just a few days instead of months of manual labor.
Step 2: Exterior Finishing (1-2 Weeks)
The electrical rough-in is completed on the exterior shell of the structure. Following this, spray foam insulation is applied to provide waterproofing. An EPDM black pond liner is then added as a second layer of waterproofing protection. Finally, the home is buried with earth to provide additional insulation. Recent structural updates allow the home to support up to 8 feet of snow loads, making it suitable for various climates.
Step 3: Interior Build-Out (Few Weeks)
Once the shell is up, interior work—like plumbing, electrical, and finishes—takes just a few weeks.
Step 3: Move In & Live Sustainably
- 100% off-grid (passive solar & wind power) or hybrid energy options
- Rainwater collection & filtration
- Grow food in your own home with indoor gardens
And because OasisBioHomes are designed for modern building codes, you don’t have to worry about permit nightmares.
Why Oasis BioHome Is The Future
People love the idea of Earthships but struggle with the reality. OasisBioHome fixes that.
- Off-grid living spaces shouldn’t be hard. You shouldn’t have to spend years building your home.
- Sustainability should be accessible. You shouldn’t need to be a construction expert to live sustainably.
- Owning your home should be easy. OasisBioHomes can be paid off in 3-5 years—giving homeowners a path to financial freedom.
And the best part?
People are already loving them. Some of our models rank in Airbnb’s top 5% of properties worldwide. Sustainable living is the future—but it has to be practical.
Final Thoughts
I have nothing but respect for Michael Reynolds and what he created with Earthships.
He changed the game for sustainable housing. But I also know if we want sustainable living to go mainstream, it needs to be easier, faster, and more affordable.
That’s exactly why I created OasisBioHome—to take the Earthship vision and make it something anyone can build and own.
At the end of the day, we shouldn’t have to choose between sustainability and practicality.
With the OasisBioHome, we get both.