The
GaiaTech®
EcoVillage
I. Objectives:
The principle
objective of the GaiaTech EcoVillage (“GTV”) is to demonstrate practices
that ensure a high quality of life for village participants while ensuring
locally sustainable development, conservation of the bio-diversity of natural
resources, and self-sustainability through social, economic, geologic, and
climatic changes.
A further objective
of GTV is the substantive exchange, give-away, and transfer of empirically
tested practices or technologies which produce skills that ensure the
development and sustainability of its social, economic and environmental
attributes. The development of these
sustainable technologies is envisioned to provide for their expansion to a
greater part of the Planet. Various village humanitarian and commercial
organizations will accomplish this objective through
interdependent development, education, local induction of self-sustainable and
ecologically sensitive technologies, practices, and products for application in
rural and urban settings of need worldwide.
II. Definitions:
Since each individual has their unique idea about what is
meant by "EcoVillage”, "Sustainable", and “Quality of Life”,
these concepts are specifically defined and provide a criterion to which all
practices should adhere.
EcoVillage:
¨
Demonstrate lifestyles which are "successfully
sustained into the indefinite future"
¨
Ensure stability through periods of economic, geologic,
societal, or climatic changes
¨
Weave together. into one fabric, all aspects of village living,
including; housing, energy, health assurance, education, commerce, agriculture,
cottage industry, recreation, and culture
¨
Promote the ability of the individual to experience a
quality life of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual fulfillment
¨
Meet every aspect of the definition of
"Sustainability"
Sustainability:
Meeting
"the needs of present life-forms in a healthy manner without compromising
the ability of future generations of all life forms to meet their own
needs." Specifically, activities
are defined by GTV as sustainable when they meet the following criteria:
¨
Use materials in continuous cycles
¨
Use renewable and reliable sources of energy
¨
Are primarily founded upon the qualities of being human
(i.e. creativity, communication, coordination, appreciation, and spiritual and
intellectual development.)
Quality of Life:
This goes
beyond basic survival or the necessities of the physical body. Once we have secured the food and shelter
necessary for healthy life, worlds of opportunity open up for personal growth
and satisfaction. Time and opportunities for experiencing creative expression,
learning, love and laughter, as well as art, music, dance, sport,
communication, service, and appreciation of the universe give our lives
quality. Quality of Life is also greatly dependent upon the attitude of the
individual living the life. It is our
hope the goals of Village participants will be focused upon the Village’s
ability to provide pleasure, purpose, comfort, and meaning to our lives while
responsibly stewarding the Earth and invigorating each other.
III. Organic Food Production
Villagers, and those
regions to which the agricultural cottage industry exports food, will enjoy a
class of Superfood vegetables, fruits, nuts, and herbs incorporating currently
unheard-of dietary diversity, nutrition, and agricultural sustainability within
a single operation. The growing areas
will include one-third of available agricultural acreage in fruit and nut
orchards and two-thirds planted in row crops.
The growing practices will produce Superfoods with emphasis on
sustainability and certified organic protocols.
Cutting edge technology in the areas of seed propagation, irrigation,
agricultural input production, soil management, crop diversity, and vital
nutrient supplementation (free of synthetic fertilizers) will present a model
for food-based nutrition and sustainable farming of the future. Consistently
increasing consumer patronage of organic foods and ‘super-nutrition’ markets
will ensure the GTV cottage industry profitability and a sustainable source of
jobs within the village.
We believe that the human contribution to
nurturing our crops is critical. Our spirit of life and our relationship with
the earth and each other is reflected in the products of our lives. The people responsible for cultivating our
food will find joy and reward from their effort. The abundance of care in our fields will be
reflected in the quality of our harvest.
This model will reveal a system where crop diversity, soil health, high
nutrition, and economic viability coexist in harmony with nature.
The cottage industry
export of surplus produce will offer a class of Superfood products that
concentrate upon building soil structure through the use of agricultural inputs
produced on the property. Composting is
the greatest single application for soil structure and micro nutrient
availability and will be applied via our 30 years experience with on-site
composting. We will immediately begin to
practice green waste and source-verified manure recycling to produce superior
quality compost. The agricultural input
manufacturing process augments the compost with fish and herbal products, sea
vegetation, chelated minerals, rare earth trace mineral extracts, specific
enzymes and microorganisms. This will
ensure full-spectrum bio-active nutrient delivery to our crops. The symbiosis of these practices will assure
products of a Superfood class that is not currently available.
Further enhancements
to the quality of our organic foods comes from our greenhouse operations for
producing both row crop and orchard starts from certified organic seeds and
tissue cultures, permanent drip irrigation in the field to deliver additional
water soluble nutrients and water programmed specifically for individual crop
requirements, foliar nutrient application, crop rotation, and companion
planting. Over time we will propagate
non-hybrid, open pollinated varieties specifically suited to the GTV
microclimate.
The plants’ natural
resistance will be stimulated and maintained by viable and sustainable soil
structure enhanced by an advanced nutrient program to address the challenges of
pests and disease. Organic agriculture
is not simply the growing of food without pesticides or synthetic
chemicals. It is the practice of working
with the natural living ecology of the earth to utilize beneficial insects and
other naturally derived biological controls so that chemical pesticides are
simply not needed.
The site selected to
launch the GTV enterprise will offer complementary growing conditions. The attributes of ample water, mild weather
allowing year-round cultivation, and volcanic soil would offer the ideal
microclimate and soil characteristics.
The elegantly formed fields, contoured with the lay of the land, will be
enjoyed by gardeners and visitors alike. Growth-oriented organic markets lend
the best of all possibilities for demonstrating sustainable economic success of
the village’s organic foods cottage industry. In addition to feeding our
sustainable-living community, the primary market focus will be restaurants,
consumer food markets, and hotels, expanding to health food stores and resorts
as local markets demand. Community members will enjoy the advantage of a
complete diet of diverse produce year-round, as opposed to the one or two crops
produced seasonally by most growers.
Because our surplus will be competitively priced with conventionally
grown produce, volume purchasing is ensured due to the desirability of
chemical- and pesticide-free produce. The operational structure will include
all facets of a vertically integrated, self-contained agribusiness, including
propagation, agricultural input production, farming, harvesting, dehydration,
packing, sales, and distribution.
Crop diversity will include a complete diet of vegetables, fruits,
and nuts as well as medicinal and culinary herbs. ‘Added Value’ products such as “Signature
Salad” mixes and herbal blends will be a part of the product offering.
IV. Village Housing:
Turner Domes
Two types of
sustainable homes have been identified that meet the sustainability criteria
envisioned for GTV. The first is the
curvilinear air-form Turner Dome made from natural earth aggregate,
which is sprayed onto a non-toxic bubble-form that may be configured to
virtually any size and shape. The Turner
Dome design utilizes a cluster concept, where each room is reserved as a
single bubble in the cluster. This
design theme provides the home with a unique and natural flow yet an
unparalleled sense of privacy in every room.
The
interior of the Turner Dome is filled with natural light.
DNA Home
Another option
is the modular DNA Home . This
fully self-sufficient and environmentally friendly home sets the standards for positive
impact with an off-the-grid western-comfort style of living.
While the DNA Home looks
very complicated, construction is fairly simple. Most of the wall, roof, and floor panels are equilateral
triangles, eight or ten feet along each edge depending upon the size of the
selected floor plan. The panel skins consist of materials graded according to
the climatic conditions at the installation site. These skins encase insulating
materials, creating a very strong stressed-skin panel with an R-28 insulation
value. The roof panels are covered with a durable, reflective, and self-glazing
material. The structure exclusively uses
ecologically sustainable materials.
The DNA
Home
structure:
·
Is adaptable to various climates by virtue of the thickness and specifications
for insulating materials, with a minimum value of R-28.
·
Is resistant to microbial and insect
invasion without the use of fumigation or pressure treatment.
·
Encases all materials with a
propensity to out-gas in impenetrable barrier materials.
·
Provides the option for convenient,
spacious living with the option for modular add-ons.
·
Able to sustain 130 mph sustained
winds.
The internal
systems of the DNA Home include:
1. Heat storage - The inner layer of insulating material is
dipped into a phase change material. At 70° this 
material begins to melt, while remaining bound. It absorbs a great deal
of room heat as it melts, keeping the air temperature at 75° until all of the
phase change material has melted. As the room cools, the phase change material
solidifies between 70° and 65°, releasing as much heat as can be stored in
3" of concrete. Since every surface is releasing this heat, the room air
warms to the temperature of the walls. When all the phase change material has
melted, the room temperature rises above 75°. This heats and expands carbon
dioxide gas in a piston at the peak of the house, which pushes an actuating
rod, opening a vent and exhausting the excess heat.
2. Crystal energy -
The house utilizes the properties of crystal energy to create a healing,
clear environment. Lightning rods at the
peaks attract the ambient electrical charge of the sky and transmit this charge
along the edges of the structure through copper wires to quartz crystals at
each point, then down to grounding rods buried in the Earth.
3. Lighting -
The quartz crystals (mentioned under “Crystal energy”) resonate to the
frequency of this conducted charge and emit electrical energy. These crystals
are enclosed in glass spheres from which the air is drawn out and replaced with
gases that ionize and fluoresce with the crystal charge. The spheres emit a
warm, natural light and are controlled via a variable switch. Photovoltaic panels, an optional wind
generator, and batteries power full-spectrum compact fluorescent lights. When
daylight is not sufficient, these lights are switched with light and motion
sensors, so the room lights up when entered and darkens when exited,. The wall and ceiling surfaces may also
contain phosphors that absorb the sun's light during the day and glow through
the night.
4. Windows -
Sunlight enters the south windows, warming the surfaces directly and
also indirectly as the warm air circulates to the shaded surfaces. The windows
consist of no less than three layers of clear Tedlar film, a very strong
material that does not degrade in sunlight. The windows are soft like pillows.
5.
Air heat exchange
- The windows exchange heat from
warm stuffy room air being exhausted to cool fresh air entering. The room air
enters the inner air space at the top of the window and as it loses heat
through the window it sinks out the bottom of the window. The fresh air enters
the outer air space at the bottom of the window, picks up the heat being
released by the room and old air through the film, and rises into the room at
the top of the window. This captures about 85% of the heat in the exhausted
room air plus the heat lost through the window from the room, giving it an
effective insulation value equal to 5" of fiberglass (R-14), while the
house has the fresh breath and scent of the outdoors.
6.
Solar hot water and refrigeration
- Solar
collectors on the south sloped roof panels both heat the water and cool the
refrigerator. These panels are filled with a material that adsorbs ten times
its volume in water. During the day the 200° heat generated within the panels
evaporates the water contained within this material. The resulting expansion from vapor pressure
evenly fills a piping system with water vapor. Water vapor carries 17 times as
much heat as an equal volume of dry air. The vapor condenses in tubing within
the hot water tank, transferring the heat of condensation to the water within
the tank. The condensed water pre-heats the incoming cold water at the bottom
of the tank, then flows down to tubes in the refrigerator box. After sunset,
the solar collectors cool down and the adsorbent material reclaims the vapor,
thus dropping the vapor pressure of the piping system. As the vapor pressure
drops, the water in the refrigerator tubes evaporates very readily. As the
system pressure approaches near-vacuum, the evaporation absorbs so much heat
from the refrigerator water that it freezes the water remaining in the tubes.
The resulting ice keeps the refrigerator cold during the following day. As the
vapor rises back to the adsorbent material, it is diverted through a bypass
valve around the hot water tank. Each shelf in the super-insulated refrigerator
is an individual drawer. When opened,
the cold, heavy air is retained within the drawer, versus conventional
refrigerators with side-hinged doors, which allow the cold, heavy air to tumble
onto the kitchen floor each time the door is opened.
7. Electricity -
Solar photovoltaic panels generate electricity. They can be mounted
where most convenient or in treetops in a forested location. Wind power from an optional wind generator in
the tree tops increases in winter and during storms, just as solar power is
decreasing and as the lighting needs increase. Solar and wind electrical power
feed through a charge controller into batteries. When needed, it flows through
an inverter to change the 12v dc current to 110v ac.
8. Rainwater -
Rainwater on the roofs runs into gutters, then flows into a cold water
tank located in the ceiling between the rooms, above the closets. This tank
also filters the water through a high-grade micron filter. The optional
ozonator further ensures water purity and optional flow-form enhances
bioactivity. The water flows to
over-sized faucets through one-inch pipes, to give full flow at very low
pressure. It also flows to the hot water tank. A low-flow showerhead requires
very little water. A thermo-siphoning solar collector located in the southern
deck heats and further filters water for a covered, insulated hot tub.
9. Waste water -
Greywater from the sinks and shower flows through a sand filter, then to
the hydroponic gardens. The toilet flushes with a ball valve instead of a
U-trap, thus requiring very little pressure and only a pint of water to flush.
The toilet wastewater flows to a clear fiberglass tank beneath the south deck.
Sunlight enters this tank, where algae feed on the sewage. The algae water then flows through a one-way valve to a second black-colored tank and is thus heated by the sun. Here anaerobic bacteria feed on the algae, and produce methane. These organisms produce five times more methane from the algae cellulose as they would from raw sewage. When the pressure has sufficiently risen, an exit valve in the bacteria tank bursts open, releasing the water and bacteria to a solar still. With the pressure released, the exit valve closes and a fresh load of algae water flows into the tank. The pressurized methane later flows through a regulator, and proceeds on to the cook stove and a quiet, high-efficiency back-up electrical generator.
Between the opposite polarities of algae growth (oxidation) and the anaerobic bacteria digesting the algae (reduction), an electrical potential develops. It is a living battery. An anode in the algae tank and cathode in the bacteria tank collect this current, which can then be transformed and inverted for household power.
The solar still evaporates the water and pasteurizes
(sterilizes with heat) the bacterial solids left behind, which make excellent
fertilizer. The water vapor rises up a tube and condenses in the hot water tank
in the peak of the house, completing the water cycle.
10. Hydroponic Gardens -
Hydroponic trays are fitted to the structure which are automatically feed
by the filtered greywater system and provide food source for the family. In temperate zones, these trays are mounted
on the exterior of the structure during the spring and summer and move inside
during the fall and winter months.
V. Community Water, Power
& Sanitation
Community
WP&S can be supplied cleanly and become sustainable through the use of a
technology being designed by one of the projects participants. This utility-hub technology is called the
Aquarius Utility Hub, or AQUH. Simply
stated, the AQUH is a complex of interrelated systems utilizing many successful
time-proven technologies that have been configured specifically to produce a
single stand-alone system capable of being fully operational without any
requirements for outside energy sources. It does this by utilizing almost 100%
of the sun's radiant energy, processing and purifying literally millions of
cubic feet of atmospheric air in a single day of operation, while extracting
viable quantities of ultra-pure water in addition to a marketable surplus of
electrical energy and other commercially viable products.
Although
this technology can be configured to any application, the smallest economical
unit covers one acre of land (43,560 square feet), providing an aesthetically
pleasant and flexible outer structure. The enclosed area directly beneath the
installation can be adapted for any use imaginable: a refrigerated warehouse,
for example, or a fully controlled clean room environment for industry,
schools, hospitals or domestic residences. Also, this technology may be
retrofitted to any existing structure, providing the same benefits. All
utilities, including sewage disposal, potable water, electrical power, heating
/ cooling and a acclimatized, purified environment are possible for the space
enclosed beneath the AQUH installation.
Water
can be produced from two sources: directly from the atmosphere; or from a
combination of the atmosphere and any moisture sources available to the
installation including grey waste.
In
desert regions, where the only moisture source is the atmosphere, a one-acre
system will produce approximately 14,000 gallons of potable water per day of
operation. If installed contiguous to a source of greywater, the same system will produce approximately 30,000 gallons of potable
water per day of operation. The quality of the greywater is
of no consequence; anything from seawater to agricultural, residential or
limited industrial wastewater can be successfully processed within the system.
In fact, the facility operates more effectively under heavy loads of greywater processing. The finally produced water is too
pure for most practical uses and must be remineralized, or treated appropriate
to its application or ultimate use. All silicates and impurities filtered and
processed from the greywater are
composted or broken down to their basic elemental structure and separated. The
task of pre-treating the ultra-pure water output from the plant is merely a
matter of introducing additives relative to its end use. That is, the system's
potable water output can be "programmed" to suit the most rigorous or
specific needs of local industry, agriculture or domestic applications. With
respect to domestic applications, the people receiving drinking water from the
facility are consuming a product specifically engineered for human consumption.
All run-off and wastewater can be recycled through the system.
Atmospheric
air is scrubbed to remove airborne debris. The water condensed from this
processed air is then purified and sent to the system's holding tanks.
Approximately 5,000,000 cubic feet of air is processed by a one-acre
installation per day of operation. The by-products of this process are then
added to the system's composted materials.
Operational
energy is provided by a combination of highly efficient, low maintenance,
photovoltaic, thermal storage, and gravitation technologies. In fact, through
the use of corrosion-resistant materials in all of the system's components, and
the nature of their function and design, the entire facility is extremely
low-maintenance. The operation and technical monitoring of the facility can
even be conducted remotely, via telephone or satellite link if desired.
All
components of this highly efficient plant have been designed, manufactured and
proven in the industrial environment over a period of many years, and are
specifically configured to meet the unique requirements of this system.
Because GTV is
designated as a proving ground for technologies and practices focused upon greater
harmony with nature, community WP&S will
augment the AQUH system with water and air wells, magnetic energy and
temperature differential conversion, as well as other alternative clean energy
sources as they are proven viable, safe, and harmonious with the village model.
VI. Sustainable
Agro-Forestry
The GTV Agro-Forestry criteria are
based on the five broad elements of sustainable forestry as defined by the
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
These are:
·
Harmoniously meet the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to use the forest for products
as well as for ecological and other uses.
·
Promote both environmentally and economically responsible
practices on all lands.
·
Improve long-term forest health and productivity by
protecting forests against wildfire, pests, and disease.
·
Protect forests of biological, geological, or historical
significance.
·
Continuously improve forest management and regularly track progress
toward achieving the goal of sustainable forestry.
At the heart
of the GTV Agro-Forestry strategy is the world’s fastest growing hardwood tree,
the Paulownia. When grown correctly, the wood produced by the Paulownia is
straight-grained, free of knots, stable, light and easy to work. Its uses
include cabinet making, lining boards, veneer, architraves, moldings, and
furniture. When the leaves fall in
autumn, they can be used a nutrient-rich stock feed or compost to enrich the
soil.
Because of its
deep root system and deciduous nature, the Paulownia lends itself to being used
for Agro-Forestry, where they can be incorporated into other grazing, cropping
or horticultural activities.
The
Paulownia’s ability to quickly transform the landscape with its fast growth,
lush foliage and prolific flowering, makes it an important landscape feature.
Paulownia can be planted in gardens, on farms, around factories or sheds, in
parks and streets, providing almost immediate shelter and shade.
All varieties
within the Paulownia species are quite unique.
However, the varieties employed by the GTV participants who provide this
technology present a considerably faster-growing tree than many other varieties
of Paulownia. Developed by the
Australian timber industry, the accelerated growth of fortunei select #2 and an
improved variety of tomentosa present
significantly greater cash flow potential than many other varieties. In addition, these varieties exhibit a highly
competitive nature when planted close together.
Because this factor also invigorates the growth and regeneration of the
trees, they can be planted in a much denser arrangement than practiced by other
producers. The combination of fast
growth and the dense planting strategy stimulates the production of wood
by-products and it becomes possible to begin thinning stands for market on a
yearly basis after the first growth season. According to independent estimates,
the profit potential of Paulownia Plantations noticeably exceeds the profit
obtainable from most real estate development activities in rural or outlying
areas.
Because the Paulownia can achieve in
only 3 to 5 years what other tree species take generations to achieve, it
demonstrates both environmental and economic sustainability. There is a
projected demand for over 2 billion trees in the next five years. This ripe and waiting market is highly driven
by real estate development, furniture production, and timber exportation. With over 25 different wood products
identified that can be manufactured from the wood of Paulownia, prospects for
the continuation of this trend, and the profits generated by it, bode extremely
well for sustained revenue generation.
By virtue of the regenerative powers of Paulownia, production occurs,
consistently and predictably, through the life of the plantation.
VII. Waste Management
While most of the waste produced within
the Village will be managed by the AQUH system, as much waste as possible will
be "up-cycled", thereby demonstrating how to turn a liability into a
profit center for Village cottage industry.
One good example is tree wastes, where village artisans who enjoy
transforming nature’s products into works of art may create decorative and
functional objects from waste destined for composting.
VIII. Village
Governance
Governance is
a question that can only be answered when there is a critical mass of
participants who come to agreement upon how to govern or administrate village
life. At the moment, Village Councils
are envisioned. Councils should be based
on the principles of participatory planning and cooperative partnership. The current model for administration utilized
by Oniya Ile for it's Non-profit, NGO could be very effectually utilized by
Village participants should they choose that model. Councils for implementation are listed below,
by priority.
- Administrative
& Decision-Making Process Systems Council
Creation of a Village Constitution,
delegation structure, and determination of protocols for guidance to Village
Councils. It is recommended that governance and civic engagement be directed
toward a strong emphasis on comprehensive communication and participation in
the decision-making processes. This
Council will optimally provide inter-organizational communication platforms
that provide inherently clear, action-oriented, forward-looking agendas,
focused on cross-pollinating organizational, strategic, and policy issues.
- Conflict
Management and Mediation Council
The mission of this council is to
research multiple modalities for conflict prevention and resolution in
organizations and to integrate best practices so as to give definition to our
own internal processes for dispute resolution. The goal of sustainability is
not served by avoiding disagreements. Truth is uncovered through the encounter
of differing opinions. The main objective of this council is to devise ways
where we can resolve the differences that keep us from decisive action after
all opinions have been explored.
- Assessment
Council
This council is engaged in assessing
the individual and wholistic merit of each practice, solution, or system
implemented for action within the Village by the Village Councils or other
organizational bodies. The goal of assessment is to identify the most effective
practices for improving the living environment and disseminating the lessons
and experiences as tools for building both internal and external capacity.
This aspect of "Quality
Control" is envisioned to use the following criteria as assessment
guideposts:
1. The
substantive impact of each practice on improving quality of life, and;
2. The
demonstration value of each practice in terms of knowledge gained and its
potential for transfer or duplication
- Social
Services Councils
"Edu-tainment"
Systems Council
¨
Kindergarten (ages 9 months - 2 years)
¨
Foundation Systems (ages 2 years - 4 years)
¨
Intermediate Education (ages 5 years -11 years)
¨
Advanced Education and Internship/apprenticeships (Ages 11
years - adulthood)
¨
Continued Education (adults)
Health
Assurance Council
This is an assessment and recommendation
council that is chartered to provide guidance for the Village health practices.
The process is envisioned to include all manner of nutritional and medical
wisdom including holistic, alternative, traditional, and conventional
modalities with emphasis placed upon:
¨
Disease preventative
¨
Catastrophic health response and care
Public Safety & Protection Council
¨
Personnel Security and Population Defense
The aims of this council are to collect
and evaluate humanizing defense practices that use formative actions while
focusing on the guarantee of human rights and the exercise of responsible
citizenship. The practices should enhance philosophical, anthropological and
sociological knowledge that will enable group interaction and self-analysis
towards change of behavior and attitude of defined ethical principles of
Village citizenship. defense and security for the population.