as far as the berm design goes the only one i have seen up close was on a low energy use house that my design class toured way back in the first energy crisis. it was a crescent shape. the house side started maybe 5 feet from the foundation. it sloped rather steeply up until it was a little higher than the eves of the roof. the back side(windward) sloped more gently at an angle very much like that of the roof itself. i believe the idea was the wind velocity would be maintained . air up would flow up and over the house without dumping its snow.
i think the earth berm will really make a difference for you as far as the energy drain on your house. but you should study it thoroughly(successful ones not just theory) so that you don't make a problem for yourself. you don't want the gap to fill with snow and you don't want a lot of erosion in spring.[ Parent ]
