Modeling Sustainable Construction
Contents: (1) Ecovillage, some assembly required
At Windward you'll get to participate in using site-appropriate, environmentally-positive techniques to construct sustainable housing and community facilities. Projects we're working on are:
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such as earth-sheltered construction
and laying out buildings in ways
that maximize heat retention and natural lighting. Earth sheltering a building allows the thermal mass of the earth to moderate the cold of winter and the heat of summer, but it won't work without proper drainage. Here we're installing a drain system to keep ground water from building up and seeping through the uphill side of the dining hall. Participants will gain hands-on experience with sustainable systems, and learn about the details that go into making passive systems reliable and cost-effective.
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such as using grid-tied solar panels
to generate electricity,
pumping water with solar power,
and harnessing low-grade geothermal
energy to heat and cool buildings.
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such as using excavated soil
to make rammed earth bricks,
cord-wood construction,
and generating fuel gas from biomass.
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such as using compost to grow earthworms,
using the earthworms to raise fish,
and then using the fish waste
to grow vegetables.