An unbeatable eco-lodge, the Phoenix Earthship is a standalone building in the high mountain desert of New Mexico. The building is considered an Earthship—a completely self-sufficient building meant to exemplify the off-grid living experience. Made of repurposed materials, this house is a work of sustainable art.
The Phoenix Earthship is a 5,300 square foot house that can sleep up to 8 people with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. The beautiful desert getaway even offers an interior jungle for when you want some lush plant life.
Enjoy sustainable living, with a greenhouse, fish pond, and edible garden on site. The house is not lacking in comfort, with a fireplace, WiFi, and Netflix. Only 9 kilometers from Taos regional airport, Phoenix Earthship offers an out-of-this-world experience.
Their story
The Phoenix Earthship was built by Michael Reynolds in the mid-2000s. Reynolds used the Earthship model to create an off-grid getaway. The building is made of repurposed materials, designed to allow a four-person family to live completely off-grid. The Earthship offers a greenhouse for food, a pond for water management, and chickens in the yard.
The Phoenix takes reuse and recycling to a new level. All types of old materials are used to form the structure and design of the Earthship. The foundation of the Phoenix uses a rammed-earth tire foundation. Cans and bottles are used as decoration.
The Phoenix offers luxury and comfort with zero fossil fuels. The Earthship is 100% off the grid and low-impact. The design of the building uses passive heating and cooling along with thermal mass principles to have a low energy demand.
Featured on television and Lonely Planet’s lists of eco-lodges, the Phoenix Earthship demonstrates how we can create something new out of the old. The property offers sweeping views of the sage land of northern New Mexico and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Read more about them here.
Sustainability actions
Lowest impact construction and operation
- The entire lodge is built with repurposed materials. The building has a rammed earth foundation.
High level of energy efficiency
- All water for the building comes from rainwater roof catchment. The rainwater sits in cisterns buried on the north side of the house – behind the tire-wall foundation. The water is pumped through several filters before exiting household faucets.
- The building is completely off-grid and powered via solar panels. The building has lower requirements for power because of thermal mass (pounded tires), and southern greenhouse space. There are no electrical mechanisms for heating or cooling the building, which is a home’s highest source of power. The building is designed to heat via south-facing greenhouse windows and thermal mass/insulation of the northern tire wall foundation. The building cools via roof window openings and is designed for air circulation.
Pioneer in waste management
- Aluminum and glass waste are reused in the Earthship community for building and repairing projects.
- Water from the kitchen and toilet immediately goes to a septic tank, then an evapotranspiration bed.
- Water from showers, baths, and bathroom sinks goes to the grey water planter (for watering plants and filtering). The water then travels through another filter, and to the toilet for flushing. Earthships never flush with clean drinking water. Water is used twice before ending up in the toilet bowl.
Fully organic and chemical-free operation
- Eco-friendly biodegradable cleaning products are used.
- The greenhouse offers citrus, herbs, and bananas for guests. The property also has a chicken coop.
Actively protects nature and community
- The Phoenix works to improve biodiversity through plantings.
- The Earthship acts as a model for eco-building design, with international acclaim.
Best time to visit Phoenix Earthship
- The most predictable weather with sunshine and light breeze is betwen mid-May and mid-October.