747 Wing House
The 747 Wing House was built on the site where existing Duquette structures had burned. Some of the materials from the previous building were used as walkways. The use of the existing pad minimized site grading. The foundation used many of the existing concrete retaining walls but they were rebuilt and reinforced as required to meet new code regulations. This greatly reduced the amount of concrete needed to make the foundation and new walls. Because the wings are only supported in four primary places to the ground, the foundation was further minimized. Both main wings are held up entirely by the four large mounts that the engines originally hung from. By designing the weight distribution on the mounts, it allowed for the outside walls of the building to be made of high efficiency self-supporting glass instead of conventional load-bearing wooden walls. This maximizes solar gain for heating and allows the entire building to be opened to the outside. This also keeps it cool in the summers and minimizes the need for artificial light.
Earth shelter
Typically earth sheltered structures are more costly to build compared to a regular house. This is due in part to the cost of excavating the earth, having to use structural materials in the walls and the roof which withstand greater load, and increased expense on waterproofing. Many financial institutions outright exclude financing on earth-berm homes or require this type of property to be common for the area. However, as with other types of buildings the cost of construction varies greatly. For example homes built in the style of Oehler would tend to be significantly cheaper than regular houses since he emphasizes the owner(s) doing much of the excavation and work themself and using recycled materials for windows for example.