A Sustainable, Regenerative Home to Thrive In
This project is out way of combining the sustainable idea on an earthship with the permaculture principles, and our own originality. We started with the design of the renewable close loop systems that minimized energy use and maximized yield. Once our physical design was complete we looked at the integration of the social, economic, and environmental aspects. This integration ended up being, by far, the most difficult aspect of the design.
We hope that through the education of others the ideas that we express in this design can start to be implemented world wide and integrated into every day culture and structure.
Orion, Natasha, Bridget.
We hope that through the education of others the ideas that we express in this design can start to be implemented world wide and integrated into every day culture and structure.
Orion, Natasha, Bridget.
Facts about our property and home:
-located in Sedona, AZ
-average low; 31 degrees. average high; 97 degrees
-elevation 4500 ft
-primary wind from North east, secondary from South east (speeds bet. 3-10 mph)
-sun from south in winter, north in summer
-average 18 in. rain/yr
-our rain tanks collect almost 14,000 gallons of water/yr
-one 2500 gal. water cistern to provide for household and garden needs
-one 500 gal. cistern to provide for chickens and goats
-one well for backup water
-water filtered from primary cistern (2500 gal). used for sink in outdoor bathroom, kitchen sink, and greenhouse shower. -pumped into grease filter, used in greenhouse and outdoor garden -greenhouse drains into peat filter, pumped into grey water tank -grey water tank pumps water into orchard
-house is 939.16 sq. ft., one bedroom, one living area/kitchen (designed to suit 2 people)
-200 sq. ft. greenhouse
-200 sq ft garden
-500 sq. ft. orchard, w ten trees (apple and mesquite)
-5 1,000 watt solar panels
-4 compost pallets
-3 swales on eastern end of property.. small pond for ducks beneath swales
-south facing greenhouse provides passive solar heating in winter
-north end submerged in hillside provides geothermal cooling in summer
-foundation made of urbanite, supplemented with cement
-walls made of straw bale, covered in earthen plaster
-earthen plaster made of subsoil removed from excavation into hill, clay-rich soil, and sand
-clay in plaster makes walls water resistant
-some recycled wooden support beams in walls
-outdoor toilet composts, uses no water
-located in Sedona, AZ
-average low; 31 degrees. average high; 97 degrees
-elevation 4500 ft
-primary wind from North east, secondary from South east (speeds bet. 3-10 mph)
-sun from south in winter, north in summer
-average 18 in. rain/yr
-our rain tanks collect almost 14,000 gallons of water/yr
-one 2500 gal. water cistern to provide for household and garden needs
-one 500 gal. cistern to provide for chickens and goats
-one well for backup water
-water filtered from primary cistern (2500 gal). used for sink in outdoor bathroom, kitchen sink, and greenhouse shower. -pumped into grease filter, used in greenhouse and outdoor garden -greenhouse drains into peat filter, pumped into grey water tank -grey water tank pumps water into orchard
-house is 939.16 sq. ft., one bedroom, one living area/kitchen (designed to suit 2 people)
-200 sq. ft. greenhouse
-200 sq ft garden
-500 sq. ft. orchard, w ten trees (apple and mesquite)
-5 1,000 watt solar panels
-4 compost pallets
-3 swales on eastern end of property.. small pond for ducks beneath swales
-south facing greenhouse provides passive solar heating in winter
-north end submerged in hillside provides geothermal cooling in summer
-foundation made of urbanite, supplemented with cement
-walls made of straw bale, covered in earthen plaster
-earthen plaster made of subsoil removed from excavation into hill, clay-rich soil, and sand
-clay in plaster makes walls water resistant
-some recycled wooden support beams in walls
-outdoor toilet composts, uses no water
How we plan on connecting to the community
We’ve decided to use this space as a learning tool to teach people of all ages permaculture techniques. By having live, working system we can show people by example the techniques we use, such as the gray water system and rain catchment barrels, tending to the garden and greenhouse, as well as taking care of the animals. We will run workshops that focus on developing swales along with anything else on the property that my need improvement. We go about education with an idea of an attainable goal, something we can assign students to, so they finish with a sense of accomplishment and then can later apply what they have learned fully to their own projects. In addition to the education part of our community outreach, we plan on sharing yields with the community, wether it be for trade, donation to a local food bank or for sale at the farmers market, we plan on sharing the abundance of crops with the community. Showing by example that we can produce ample food for ourselves and more to share, when plants are thriving. We hope through all of this our site can be a safe place for us to live , and community members to visit and learn from. And continue to spread the magic of Permaculture, little by little, making a difference to each and every person the growing idea touches. |
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Some sources to check out:
http://earthship.com/
http://www.highexistence.com/10-reasons-why-earthships-are-fing-awesome/
http://www.archinia.com/index.php/58-publications/publications/216-earthship-pros-and-cons
http://www.balewatch.com/990earth.html
https://www.thenaturalhome.com/passivesolar.html
http://earthship.com/
http://www.highexistence.com/10-reasons-why-earthships-are-fing-awesome/
http://www.archinia.com/index.php/58-publications/publications/216-earthship-pros-and-cons
http://www.balewatch.com/990earth.html
https://www.thenaturalhome.com/passivesolar.html