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waste management systems

O.I.L. - Organic Issues Lab

Submitted by admin on Fri, 11/18/2011 - 5:07pm

Themes

waste management systems, Infrastructures

Earthship, Fife

Submitted by joonsbaek on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 6:39am

Countries

United Kingdom

Tags

renewable energy, recycled material, housing

Themes

water systems, waste management systems, energy systems, housing, do-it-yourself
Link: 
Earthship
Stakeholders / Promoters: 
Earthship Biotecture (a private company), Earthship trainers and trainees
Background/ Context: 
The Earthship is located on the edge of Kinghorn Loch, beside Craigencalt Ecology Centre. Kinghorn itself is a small town with little commerce. The construction programme started with an intensive eight-day building programme with American Earthship builders, including Earthship pioneer Michael Reynolds, and 11 trainees from across the UK. Since then, more than 200 volunteers have helped complete the Earthship over weekends and work experience days from the Sustainable Communities Initiative, which provides experience opportunities to learn building skills required in Earthship building. Volunteers can be involved for a day, or for as long as they wish, however the majority of users are visitors who want to learn how to make their own lives more eco-friendly.
Case Description: 

사용자 삽입 이미지

(Source: Natalie Lambert & Joanne Tauber, 2005)

Earthship houses offer people the opportunity to build their own homes and make a conscious decision to live lightly on the earth. Each home is a passive solar building, made from natural and recycled materials, is powered by renewable energy, such as wind, water and solar power, catches its own water supply from rainwater, and treats and contains its own sewage in planter beds. It is a concept and can be adapted for any climate worldwide.

The purpose of Earthship is to inform people of the simple ways in which they can reduce their impact on the environment. The construction of Earthship houses (reclaimed tyres filled with compacted earth, with a glazed south-facing wall) allows thermal mass, maximum heat-retention and insulation. This is particularly appropriate for the Scottish climate, the wettest climate in which an Earthship has been built. The project is being monitored to assess the feasibility of using reclaimed tyres as a building material in the construction of mainstream housing.

Benefits (Social, and environmental benefits): 

Society. Because the project gives people the opportunity to build their own homes and the necessary experience, through the workshops, it disseminates technical competence in ecobuilding.

Environment. The buildings themselves have little impact on their environment and are powered
through renewable energy.