Nature has had millions of years to solve the complex design problems presented by unforgiving environments. In order to thrive, plants and animals have evolved to be imminently resource efficient. They create some of the strongest, most durable, and most useful materials known using very little energy without toxic chemicals and very little waste. Using nature as an inpiration or even copying processes and stratgegies directly can lead to tremendous advances in human technology.
This building in Harare, Zimbabwe mimics the strategies used by termites. Termites keep their termite mounds at a constant 82 degrees year round in desert conditions in which the temperature swings from over 104 degrees in the day to 35 degrees F at night. The building uses similar techniques to keep its internal temperature around 68 degrees year round without the use of standard air conditioning or heating equipment. The building saves 90% of the traditional heating and cooling energy use as compared to a similar building while saving $3.5 million on up front costs.
The Gemsbok survives in the heat of the desert with little water under the harshest conditions imaginable. It has evolved advanced water conservation and temperature regulation strategies. What can we apply in our buildings in hot dry climates from the strategies of this animal?
More; http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/12/10/building-modelled-on-termites-eastgate-centre-in-zimbabwe/
http://www.arup.com/feature.cfm?pageid=292
Nature has had millions of years to solve the complex design problems presented by unforgiving environments. In order to thrive, plants and animals have evolved to be imminently resource efficient. They create some of the strongest, most durable, and most useful materials known using very little energy without toxic chemicals and very little waste. Using nature as an inpiration or even copying processes and stratgegies directly can lead to tremendous advances in human technology.
This building in Harare, Zimbabwe mimics the strategies used by termites. Termites keep their termite mounds at a constant 82 degrees year round in desert conditions in which the temperature swings from over 104 degrees in the day to 35 degrees F at night. The building uses similar techniques to keep its internal temperature around 68 degrees year round without the use of standard air conditioning or heating equipment. The building saves 90% of the traditional heating and cooling energy use as compared to a similar building while saving $3.5 million on up front costs.
The Gemsbok survives in the heat of the desert with little water under the harshest conditions imaginable. It has evolved advanced water conservation and temperature regulation strategies. What can we apply in our buildings in hot dry climates from the strategies of this animal?
More; http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/12/10/building-modelled-on-termites-eastgate-centre-in-zimbabwe/
http://www.arup.com/feature.cfm?pageid=292
Once we finished removing and prepping (see Going Green as It Goes Deeper post) it was time to start putting something back into the project and building. Furthermore, if we are going to put material back in the ground to build this project it better be as green as possible. For some this is nothing new, but for others rebar and concrete can and in our case do have a high amount of recycled content. Our steel rebar, 38 tons of it contains at least 95% recycled content. Our concrete has 15% fly-ash content, which is a waste byproduct of coal plants. So, instead of 2 tons of fly-ash going to landfills it goes into our concrete and actually makes it stronger. Plus, both materials came from local plants, the rebar plant is 53 miles away and the concrete plant is 58 miles away. The proximity of the plants reduces the impact of vehicle miles traveled by the materials.
Video of Basement Concrete Pour