The circumference of the outer part of the circle, where the structure meets the ground would be anchored by poured concrete. Picture a concrete 'donut' or ring around the bottom circumference of the segmented dome. This serves the dual purpose of firmly anchoring the structure & keeping any floodwaters out.

    Additional flood protection may come from digging a mote-type channel into the earth around the buildings circumference to channel ground seepage around the home. The only way that I can figure the structure flooding, would be directly through the floor, if the surrounding earth were to be completely saturated with water. This could happen in a catastrophic flood situation, which would probably equate with the entire home actually being underwater. That is a possibility here in the Tampa Bay area, so the best policy for flood protection, as always, is to capture the high ground & build there. This is why my earthship will be built in Tampa Heights.

Tampa Heights is a historical district however, so my home would have to at least 'look' old. Looking historical & being green-hi-tech is less of a problem these days.

   The Geodesic structure has natural hurricane protection, in that it is spherical & would let wind flow over it. There is nothing to 'catch' or confront wind head-on. Wind would be channeled right over it.

   The Geodesic structure also affords interesting possibilities for solar energy production. Panels can be placed at the multitude of angels provided by Bucky Fuller's ingenious design. The multitude of angles would allow for different panels to be pointed directly toward the sun at different times of the day.

   I'm in patent research with an architect friend of mine on several other aspects of my plan, so be sure to sign up for the C2 E-mail group to stay up to date on this & other stories featured on the site.

   p.s. Being a musician, I would also experiment with using some of this enclosed space as a recording studio. The acoustic qualities of the geodesic structure, it seems , would be ideal (i.e. no flat surfaces facing each other).

   Again, the main purpose of this project, is to serve as an east coast example of high-tech sustainable energy & Viridian Green living. I would hope to inspire others, including contractors, to build this way to help take stress off the home insurance industry as well as the energy grid & it's resulting Co2 emissions upon the biosphere. I've dubbed this action - method of inspiring others through example; "exampling". More comfortable, technologically superior high-tech living which doesn't preach to others but seduces them into conscious environmental change, I've dubbed "synerduction" (synergy - seduction).
E-mail me w/ your thoughts.