Echoes of the Moon
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Guide

Buildings guide: every structure, cost, and effect

A complete reference to all 41 buildable structures — what each does, what it costs, and how to unlock it.

Official developer guide · Last updated

How do buildings work?

Every building has a footprint (1, 3, or 7 hexes), a resource cost, and often a tech or deposit requirement. Extractors must sit on their matching deposit for full output, and same-category buildings boost each other when clustered — but habitats and recreation lose happiness next to heavy industry, so zone your colony like a real city.

  • Footprints: size 1 = one hex, size 2 = three hexes, size 3 = seven hexes (the big wonders).
  • Deposits: blue ❄ = water ice, silver ⚙ = metal, purple ✦ = Helium-3.
  • Upkeep: active buildings sip metals to stay running — keep a buffer or they fall into disrepair.
  • Doctrine & post-win: some buildings unlock only via a doctrine, and a whole tier unlocks after you open the Gateway.

Habitat buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Inflatable Dome — in-game building sprite Inflatable Dome A cozy glowing dome. Houses 6 colonists. 80 Regolith · 30 Water · 20 Energy Available from the start
Habitat Complex — in-game building sprite Habitat Complex 3 hexes Stacked neon living quarters for 14. Low-grav balconies included. 150 Regolith · 60 Metals · 50 Energy Tech: Expansion Engineering
Arcology Spire — in-game building sprite Arcology Spire 7 hexes A shimmering vertical city for 50 colonists. Visible from Earth (probably). 400 Regolith · 250 Metals · 5 Helium-3 · 150 Energy Tech: Xenoarchaeology

Power buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Solar Array — in-game building sprite Solar Array Sun-drinking panels. +1.5 energy/s. 60 Regolith · 40 Metals · 20 Energy Available from the start
Battery Bank — in-game building sprite Battery Bank Stores 300 extra energy for the long lunar night. 40 Regolith · 30 Metals Available from the start
Fission Reactor — in-game building sprite Fission Reactor 3 hexes Reliable atomic heartbeat. +6 energy/s. 120 Metals · 60 Regolith · 40 Energy Tech: Expansion Engineering
Fusion Plant — in-game building sprite Fusion Plant 7 hexes Helium-3 fusion. The future is now. +20 energy/s. 250 Metals · 10 Helium-3 · 100 Regolith Tech: Helium-3 Fusion

Extraction buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Regolith Miner — in-game building sprite Regolith Miner Scoops moon dust like ice cream. +0.8 regolith/s. 40 Regolith · 10 Metals · 30 Energy Available from the start
Ice Harvester — in-game building sprite Ice Harvester Mines water ice. Must be built on a blue ice deposit ❄. 60 Regolith · 20 Metals · 30 Energy On a water deposit
Metal Mine — in-game building sprite Metal Mine Digs precious metals. Must be built on a silver metal deposit ⚙. 80 Regolith · 20 Metals · 40 Energy On a metal deposit
Deep Drill Rig — in-game building sprite Deep Drill Rig 3 hexes Drills for rare Helium-3. Must be built on a purple vein ✦. 150 Metals · 80 Regolith · 100 Energy On a Helium-3 deposit
Strip Mine — in-game building sprite Strip Mine 3 hexes Industrial doctrine only. Tears regolith from the surface anywhere — no deposit needed. The Moon will not miss it. Probably. 160 Metals · 80 Regolith · 100 Energy Tech: Industrial Automation

Processing buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Regolith Refinery — in-game building sprite Regolith Refinery 3 hexes Bakes regolith into metals. Alchemy, basically. 100 Regolith · 40 Metals · 40 Energy Available from the start
Supply Fabricator — in-game building sprite Supply Fabricator 3 hexes 3D-prints food, parts, and questionable lunar pizza. +0.3 supplies/s. 120 Metals · 80 Regolith · 60 Energy Tech: Expansion Engineering
Automated Foundry — in-game building sprite Automated Foundry 3 hexes Industrial doctrine only. A roaring foundry that smelts regolith into metals at scale. 200 Metals · 150 Regolith · 120 Energy Tech: Industrial Automation

Life Support buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Oxygen Extractor — in-game building sprite Oxygen Extractor Splits ice into air. Supports 8 colonists. 100 Regolith · 60 Water · 40 Energy Available from the start
Hydroponics Farm — in-game building sprite Hydroponics Farm Glowing green gardens. Feeds 6 colonists, lifts spirits. 80 Regolith · 40 Water · 30 Energy Available from the start
Biodome — in-game building sprite Biodome 3 hexes Habitat doctrine only. A vast living garden — supports 16 colonists and lifts every spirit. 180 Regolith · 90 Water · 80 Energy Tech: Sustainable Habitats
Greenhouse Tower — in-game building sprite Greenhouse Tower 3 hexes Stacked hydroponics — supports 12 colonists and adds a little joy. 120 Regolith · 70 Water · 50 Metals · 60 Energy Tech: Lunar Agronomy

Medical buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Med Bay — in-game building sprite Med Bay Keeps everyone healthy and bouncy. +6 happiness. 120 Metals · 50 Water · 60 Energy Available from the start
Wellness Center — in-game building sprite Wellness Center 3 hexes Zero-g yoga and moon spas. +10 happiness. 180 Metals · 100 Regolith · 80 Energy Tech: Expansion Engineering

Research buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Research Lab — in-game building sprite Research Lab 3 hexes Where scientists do science. +0.25 research/s. 120 Regolith · 60 Metals · 50 Energy Available from the start
Observatory — in-game building sprite Observatory 3 hexes Watches the skies. Sharpens the scan and decodes... signals. +0.4 research/s. 150 Metals · 80 Regolith · 80 Energy Tech: Orbital Scanning
Xeno-Research Lab — in-game building sprite Xeno-Research Lab 3 hexes Studies alien artifacts with gloves on. +1 research/s. 200 Metals · 5 Helium-3 · 100 Energy Tech: Xenoarchaeology

Infrastructure buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Storage Depot — in-game building sprite Storage Depot +200 capacity for materials, +100 for supplies. 60 Regolith · 20 Metals Available from the start
Landing Pad — in-game building sprite Landing Pad 3 hexes Welcomes Earth rockets more often, with more colonists and supplies. 120 Regolith · 60 Metals · 40 Energy Available from the start
Rover Garage — in-game building sprite Rover Garage 3 hexes Deploys two adorable mining rovers. +15% extraction colony-wide. 200 Metals · 100 Regolith · 150 Energy Tech: Lunar Mobility
Flying Vehicle Pad — in-game building sprite Flying Vehicle Pad 3 hexes Launches a hovering scout. Discoveries happen more often. 250 Metals · 100 Regolith · 120 Energy Tech: Lunar Flight
Cargo Depot — in-game building sprite Cargo Depot 3 hexes Large shared storage: +400 materials, +200 supplies. 120 Regolith · 80 Metals Tech: Logistics Networks

Recreation buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Crater Park — in-game building sprite Crater Park Trees under glass. Earth hangs in the sky above. +5 happiness. 70 Regolith · 30 Water · 20 Energy Available from the start
Earthview Lounge — in-game building sprite Earthview Lounge Cocktails (juice) with a view of home. +7 happiness. 100 Metals · 60 Regolith · 40 Energy Available from the start
Zero-G Arena — in-game building sprite Zero-G Arena 3 hexes Low-gravity sports! Nobody understands the rules. +9 happiness. 150 Metals · 80 Regolith · 80 Energy Tech: Expansion Engineering
Memorial Grove — in-game building sprite Memorial Grove 3 hexes Habitat doctrine only. Real trees under a great glass dome, grown from Earth seed. +14 happiness. 140 Regolith · 70 Water · 60 Metals · 60 Energy Tech: Sustainable Habitats

Hybrid Tech buildings

BuildingWhat it doesCostUnlock
Excavation Site — in-game building sprite Excavation Site Carefully unearths the ancient ruin. Produces Helium-3 crystals. 200 Regolith · 100 Metals · 100 Energy On the alien ruin
Resonance Amplifier — in-game building sprite Resonance Amplifier 3 hexes Hums a song nobody taught it. +30 energy/s, +5 happiness. 200 Metals · 8 Helium-3 · 100 Regolith Tech: Resonance Technology
Alien Gateway — in-game building sprite Alien Gateway 7 hexes The final wonder. Where does it lead? Build it and find out. 500 Regolith · 300 Metals · 30 Helium-3 · 200 Energy Tech: Gateway Protocol
Lattice Conduit — in-game building sprite Lattice Conduit 3 hexes Post-Gateway Post-Gateway. Channels the lattice-glow into raw power and lights the near side. +60 energy/s. 220 Metals · 12 Helium-3 · 120 Regolith Post-Gateway (The Waking)
Bloom Vat — in-game building sprite Bloom Vat 3 hexes Post-Gateway Post-Gateway. Alien biology breathes for the city — supports 40 colonists on almost nothing. 180 Regolith · 120 Water · 8 Helium-3 Post-Gateway (The Waking)
Resonance Spire — in-game building sprite Resonance Spire 7 hexes Post-Gateway Post-Gateway. A tower that sings the colony awake — deep research, deep calm. +1.5 research/s, +10 happiness. 260 Metals · 16 Helium-3 · 180 Energy Post-Gateway (The Waking)
The Beacon — in-game building sprite The Beacon 7 hexes Post-Gateway The capstone of the Waking. A spire of lattice-light that finishes waking the near side — and holds the Gateway open onward. 600 Regolith · 400 Metals · 40 Helium-3 · 250 Energy Post-Gateway (The Waking)
Lattice Node Outpost — in-game building sprite Lattice Node Outpost Post-Gateway Built on the far-side node you woke. Taps the caretaker's lattice directly — steady research, Helium-3, and light. +0.8 research/s. 200 Metals · 14 Helium-3 · 140 Energy Post-Gateway (The Waking)

Orbital structures & satellites

Once you research Lunar Flight, rise to orbit (press O) to build a second colony in the sky. Satellites beam power and speed up rockets; orbital structures host tourists and build colony ships.

StructureWhat it doesCost
Comms Satellite spriteComms Satellite SatelliteRelays Earth traffic. Rockets arrive faster and discoveries happen more often.150 Metals · 100 Regolith · 80 Energy
Solar Power Satellite spriteSolar Power Satellite SatelliteBeams clean power down to the colony. +4 energy/s, colony-wide.200 Metals · 120 Regolith · 100 Energy
Orbital Telescope spriteOrbital Telescope SatelliteEyes on the deep sky. +0.4 research/s... and it watches for visitors.180 Metals · 100 Regolith · 120 Energy
Orbital Station spriteOrbital Station stationA crewed hub in orbit — anchors the orbital colony and expands low-orbit capacity.220 Metals · 140 Regolith · 120 Energy
Orbital Hotel spriteOrbital Hotel tourismEarth tourists pay to stay — low orbit, for the view. Earns Earth credits, scaled by how worth-visiting your colony is.180 Metals · 120 Regolith · 90 Energy
Resort Ring spriteResort Ring tourismA spin-gravity luxury ring — high tourist capacity, the prestige draw.320 Metals · 200 Regolith · 8 Helium-3 · 160 Energy
Mass Driver spriteMass Driver industryA cargo lift to orbit — speeds the Shipyard's assembly and grows mid-orbit capacity.260 Metals · 180 Regolith · 140 Energy
Orbital Shipyard spriteOrbital Shipyard industryAssembles colony ships in orbit — cuts the cost of new colonies and grows mid-orbit capacity.360 Metals · 220 Regolith · 6 Helium-3 · 180 Energy

Keep reading

Getting Started Your first colony, the core loop, and the three ways to play. Resources The six resources, deposits, storage, and keeping them flowing. Tech & Doctrines The tech tree and the one choice that reshapes your colony. Colony Builds Proven strategies: industrial, sustainable, signal-hunter, hardcore.

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