pdc+++ module 4 class 7 permaconstruction

Energy & EcoTechnologyModule 4 of the PDC+++PDC

++

+We dedicate this Module to the Mother &

Father of Integral Permaculture: Dana Meadows & Howard Odum, two original

pioneers who helped humanity make great strides in understanding systemic

thinking, in all four quadrants.

This class provides a solid introduction of the science & technology of the home, covering bio-climactic principles as well as choice of materials, location &

design context. But we also question the great emphasis which is put on more & larger

construction by the alternative movement these days.

BioConstruction or EcoBuilding are terms which technically mean 'construction which promotes life' or 'ecological building', not something which is centered - yet again - on consumerist values: putting human whims & comfort above all

else.

How or when are these 'bio' & 'construction' terms used in contradictory ways? Do we need to coin a new 'perma-construction' term?

Class M4.7PermaConstru-Action

M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction, & How many Types

Exist?PermaConstruction vs. BioConstruction

BioClimatics

• Lime, Wood & Plastic

• Innovative Examples

Direct link to this chapter in the e-

book:

www.bit.ly/Perma

Construction

PermaConstruction vs. BioConstruction

BioClimatics

• Lime, Wood & Plastic

• Innovative Examples

Direct link to this chapter in the e-

book:

www.bit.ly/Perma

Construction

M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction, & How many Types

Exist?

Construction

BioConstruction

PermaConstruction

PermaConstru-Action is one which follows PermaCulture Ethics,

Principles & Guidelines

& takes into

accountALL

quadrants

Class 2.5 of the PDC+++¿How do we ensure optimal resource use &

best choice of materials, interventions & technologies?

This is something so basic that it is quite common to fall into old habits, simply copy what others have done or (even

worse) use the materials 'we like', those we are familiar with, or technologies we find pleasant instead of those

which do, in fact, best fit the criteria of sustainability.

In this class we look at the importance & thinking behind the hierarchy of resources & the scale of interventions, two tools amongst various which we use to ground our designs.

The objective is to create systems that are ecologically sustainable, economically viable, that satisfy needs, don't exploit or contaminate &

that are self-sufficient in the longer-term.

Guidelines for Integral Design1. Make a sketch of your habitual design PROCESS

(e.g.. of the last thing you designed)

2. Observe how it differs from the Design Frameworks (shown in class M2.4)

3. Analyze your Design Motivations (see class M2.3) & if it fits well with your Vision & Mission

4. Are there other designs that could represent a better use of resources (that YOU control) for sustainability?

5. Make a list of the various designs you could make (a brainstorming) & then a PMI analysis of each one.

6. Present this in your Design Portfolio!

1

2 3

456

Collective

Individual

Intern al

Externa l

RESOURCES

Energíes coming into our system –

Sun, wind, rain, people …

living componentsAnd technology

Useful Reserves RESOURCES

Some are

needed to keep

the systemSurplus = YIELD

trade

conserve

Too much = pollution

COMMON HERITAGE

Forests, water, soils, air, seeds …

PEOPLE work CLASSIFICATION - For analysis of USE - RESULTS

0) cause pollution if NOT used, all our 'junk'

1) INCREASE by modest use,

Cut-&-come-again salads, information, creativity

2) UNAFFECTED by useReturned water (hydroplant),well managed ecosystems, a view,

good climate …

3) DISAPPEAR/ DEGRADE if not used waste water, crop

failure, fish-escapes

4) REDUCED by use natural forests, coal, oil, poorly-

managed marine and forestry resources

5) POLLUTE if used pesticides, nuclear, oil, scorn,

contempt ...Managing resources - regulate all uses to create a sustainable harvest

Use 4 y 5 only to create

infrastructure

ENERGY ACCOUNTING

“HARVEST” of a system is

theorically unlimited- IMAGINATION -

physical

biological

spatial

technical

preservation

social

cultural

Legal /administrative

temporal Considers ‘upstream costs’ (input enegy) &

‘downstream costs’ (e.g. health)

CiclesNiches in

time“catching the flow”

A sustainable system produces all the energy and resources thatit needs for its maintenance and growth. What remains is the “harvest”

Input energy < Maintenance energy + HARVEST

ENERGYACCOUNTING(Sustainability)

“HARVEST” of a system is

theorically unlimited- IMAGINATION -

physical

biological

spatial

technical

preservation

social

cultural

Legal /administrative

temporal

Input energy < Maintenance energy + HARVEST

e.g. Short-Life Housing Coops

- Legalization of squatters -

lots of alternative people together!

A sustainable system produces all the energy and resources that it needs for its maintenance and growth. What remains is the “harvest”

extinction of biodiversity

& the gray wave

PETROL PEAK CLIMATE CHANGE

monetary instability

& the

information revolution

20002020

see class 5.10designing with

MythThe External

Collective moves ALL the other

quadrants

... things are a lot more interesting than we usually

imagine ...

in the last 20years, the 500 largest firms in the world

increased their production & sales by 700% whilst

REDUCING their labour force

right now are alive 3/4 of the 65+ year olds that

have ever lived. A fundamental problem of

the 21st century.

we are destroying 200 species per day - all being tranformed to

human biomass

“May you live in interesting times”

hystorical transitions are accelerating

Can we INCREASE in Complexity

while LOWERINGenergy consumption?

Only if we become MORE intelligent :)

... & fast...

Take into account ALL these factors!

BioConstruction vs. PermaConstruction

Is born from a personal or institutional wish

Is born from a real social need

“Natural materials” used following whims, trends…

Materials used following Resources Scale

Consumist culture Activist cultureEthics & PrinciplesM1 y M5

Resources Scale

M2.5 y M4.2

Design motivationM2 (M2.3)

PermaConstruction vs. BioConstruction

BioClimatics

• Lime, Wood & Plastic

• Innovative Examples

Direct link to this chapter in the e-

book:

www.bit.ly/Perma

Construction

M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction, & How many Types

Exist?

Bioclimatic architecture consists in the design of buildings taking into account the climatic conditions, making use of the available resources (sun, vegetation, rain,

winds) to reduce the environmental impacts, trying to reduce energy consumption,

based on principles intertwined with the local culture.

Swiss Chaletin the Vaud Alps

Cave houses in Granada, Spain

Hórreos in Galicia, Spain

Animals downstairs, warm floorStraw upstairs, warm roofSnow protection

Cool & DryRodent protection

Cave effect:warm in winter & cool in summer

Vernacular architecture:

localized needs & materials

reflect local traditionsevolves over time

reflects environmental, cultural, technological,

& historical context

Isolating cover

Summer

sun

Winter

sun

Thermalmass

Thermalmass

Constant 14ºC soil layer

Atmospheric temp

soil layerIntermediate

tempsoil layer

Most of house underground: high insulation

High thermal mass easy to heat in winter

Shaded in summer (also with plant shade)

Isolating cover

Thermalmass

Thermalmass

Constant 14ºC soil layer

Atmospheric tempsoil layer

Intermediate tempsoil layer

Heat accumulated in daytime released at night

(ideal for desert climates: hot days, cold nights)

PermaConstruction vs. BioConstruction

BioClimatics

• Lime, Wood & Plastic

• Innovative Examples

Direct link to this chapter in the e-

book:

www.bit.ly/Perma

Construction

M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction, & How many Types

Exist?

Qualities

• air purity• hygrometric regulation• transpirability • thermal isolation• natural temperature regulation because of progressive carbonatation

• no radiation• no additives

The Lime CycleCalcium Carbonate (CaCO3)

Quarried Limestone

Lime Burning

Calcium Oxide (CaO)

QuickLime

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Lime Slacking

Water (H2O)

Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)

Lime putty

Using & Drying

Mortar, Render, blaster ...

Water (H2O)

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

PermaConstruction vs. BioConstruction

BioClimatics

• Lime, Wood & Plastic

• Innovative Examples

Direct link to this chapter in the e-

book:

www.bit.ly/Perma

Construction

M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction, & How many Types

Exist?

Wood is one of the oldest building materials (& multi-purpose)

Structureinternal & external fittingslaminatescarpentryin structures & exteriorsfloors, etc

Advantages:• low cost (lightweight & low energy

consumption needed for production & processing)

• inexhaustible natural resource (with sustainable production: endless solar enegy)

• more resistant than steel•& concrete• can be cut and worked with using

simple tools and machines• strong in tension, compression &

flexible

also veryeasy to recycle

Carbonsink

PermaConstruction vs. BioConstruction

BioClimatics

• Lime, Wood & Plastic

• Innovative Examples

Direct link to this chapter in the e-

book:

www.bit.ly/Perma

Construction

M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction, & How many Types

Exist?

TransformingRubbish

into DreamsHelp us invest in a healthier world for the future

generations

Needs lots of imagination

... & personal growth (apparently)

A Big Challenge for All of Us

❖ In Spain we generate more than 550kg of rubbish per person per year

❖ In the Canaries 750kg per person per year (3/4 of a ton)

❖ In each square kilometer of the sea there are floating 18,000 plastic remains ...

❖ ... killing many animals every day

Urgent social need

❖ Soft plastic and plastic fibers’ decomposition time is between20 & 50 years

❖ Hard plastic’s decomposition time is more than500 years

❖ Two huge floating plastic dumps, collected by Pacific currents

❖ Bigger than the USA in area

google Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Urgent environmental need

The Plastic Problem

The Plastic Problem

❖ If it’s burnt in dumps, the problem might be worse:❖ DIOXINS, some of the most toxic known substances,

are generated … & nowadays found even in mother’s milk

dump in Graciosa Island - Canarias

Health, environment, social problem…

Let’s Transform

with some compassion, creativity & imagination

... Beyond Recycling ...

PROBLEM

into SOLUTION

¿Which Materials

& Resources

will be used in a

really Sustainable Society?

❖ We always use the highest possible types in

this Resources

Scale that…

The Resources Scale is a tool used in Permaculture Design

These > > > > > > ONLY if highers can’t be used & to create structures to harvest the others, the most sustainable resources

(classified by use consequence)

0) cause pollution if NOT used, all our 'junk'

1) INCREASE by modest use,

Cut-&-come-again salads, information, creativity

2) UNAFFECTED by useReturned water (hydroplant),well managed ecosystems, a view,

good climate …

3) DISAPPEAR/ DEGRADE if not used waste water, crop

failure, fish-escapes

4) REDUCED by use natural forests, coal, oil, poorly-

managed marine and forestry resources

5) POLLUTE if used pesticides, nuclear, oil, scorn,

contempt ...

We Create “Hobbit Domes” "

small (for 1 person or couple) 95% rubbish: plástic, cardboard, newspapers & tiresiron supportsuper-isolated from cold and heat& very cozy

mini-homes in a new EcoVillage

in the Canaries

when plastic is protected from heat light & the weather, it stays inert, hygienic & long-lasting

Creating the future environments: where it’s possible to live WITHOUT generating rubbish, recycling everything

That will becomeInvisible in the

Landscapeblended into Nature100% invisiblemore isolationsurface for plants+ very beautiful

This is the first prototype ... it can’t be seen anymore: trees & vines cover it completely

covered by trees and climbing vines

Dome BioClimaticssuper-isolated (air, plant shadow) air circulationvery importantthick papier-mâché layer “breathes” inside (painted with lime)

absorbs humidity (for respiration) in winter

“Living in a littlehouse” is animportant personaldevelopment phase

“inner bioclimatics”?

PermaConstruction vs. BioConstruction

BioClimatics

• Lime, Wood & Plastic

• Innovative Examples

Direct link to this chapter in the e-

book:

www.bit.ly/Perma

Construction

M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction, & How many Types

Exist?

Spiral Island

RichardSowa

Michael Reynolds (Garbage Warrior)

Dan Phillips

allrecycled

Bio = Life

Living Constructions =

BioConstructions

The Vine Bridges in the Iya Valley, Japan

Really BIOlogic

The Root Bridges in India

PermaConstruction vs. BioConstruction

BioClimatics

• Lime, Wood & Plastic

• Innovative Examples

Direct link to this chapter in the e-

book:

www.bit.ly/Perma

Construction

M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction, & How many Types

Exist?