You should see how much the Viburnum have grown in 5 years. It's really incredible. We've fenced the entire yard and it's so peaceful in our own little "monastery." I still love this little house just as much and can't wait to build the same thing at Lake Atitlan!
---
2005: Our little green house with lovely sunroom and outdoor fountains out in the country in Oxford NC. Who would have guessed this tiny little house would have turned out to be so nice? With windows and French doors throughout the entire space, it's like living in the garden, with views from every room. Absolutely Marvelous!
Note 11.08: This is the plan I want to use for my little houses in Panajachel, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, although using the Spanish colonial character and designs. Can't wait to get started!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Green House & Impatiens 2005
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Earthship Biotecture. Mr. Reynolds
Lots of interesting and beautiful photos on site
earthship webinarsEarthships can be built anywhere in the world, in any climate.
Earthships will keep you comfortable in any climate in the world with little to no utility bills / fossil fuels.
Make sure you understand what makes an Earthship an Earthship.
An Earthship is defined
by the following six principles:
* Thermal/Solar Heating & Cooling
* Solar & Wind Electricity
* Contained Sewage Treatment
* Building with Natural & Recycled Materials
* Water Harvesting
* Food Production
Earthship Design Principles
Comfort in Any Climate
The concept of thermal mass buildings works both to cool and to heat a home. Earthships keep you comfortable in any climate, anywhere in the world.
Earthship Biotecture design principle: 'Thermal/Solar Heating & Cooling' details how Earthships maintain comfortable
temperatures in any climate.
Earthship Book: 'Comfort in Any Climate' 30 pages. Covers how an Earthship stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Details the solar / thermal dynamics of the 'heating and cooling systems' of an Earthship.
Earthship Solar Thermal Dynamics
The 'engine' of the Earthship:
All aspects of the Earthship concept, the catch water and waste water treatment systems and the solar/wind power systems, are tuned to your climate and your local codes as well.
All systems are in addition to and do not replace conventional systems, where available.
Earthship Book: 'Water from the Sky'
Takes its readers from problem to solution. It addresses the water shortage in New Mexico, the United States, and around the world. Step by step, the book outlines how to solve the problem of water shortage through catching, storing, using, reusing and treating water.
What is your plan? Do you have one?
There are a lot of options...
Do you want to have a private residence?
Do you want to have a demo workshop as part of a larger building for some other use?
You can also apply the 6 principles of Earthship Biotecture to an existing building. This is called retrofitting.
Another option is to send your local builders to an Earthship workshops in the USA or around the world.
Earthship Systems Plan
Earthship Demonstration workshops
Retrofitting with Earthship Biotecture
Earthship Seminars in Taos, NM, USA
Earthship Biotecture is a concept - not limited to tires - it is a building that will take care of you by encountering and interacting with the biology and physics of the earth.
'BALLPARK' COSTS OF AN EARTHSHIP HOME ARE AS FOLLOWS...
40% LABOR
40% MATERIALS
20% SYSTEMS AND SUBCONTRACTORS
Earthship Modular Overview
BASE THE ABOVE ON ABOUT $200 PER SF
These prices reflect the fact that you are building your utility systems as well as your shelter. Conventional housing provides only shelter and you pay monthly for your utilities.
LABOR PERCENTAGES OF THE COST FACTOR CHANGE IF YOU BUILD IT YOURSELF.
YOU WILL FIND THESE COSTS TO BE SIMILAR TO CONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION - BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS THESE EARTHSHIP HOMES HAVE LITTLE OR NO UTILITY BILLS SO THE OVERALL MONTHLY LIVING EXPENSE (mortgage payment plus utility bills) IS LESS IN AN EARTHSHIP - NOT TO MENTION THE SECURITY OF HAVING YOUR OWN UTILITIES.
This is not a rigid thing - it is a concept that we help you apply to your specific situation. SECURITY, COMFORT AND "MINIMAL-TO-NO" MONTHLY UTILITY BILLS AS WELL AS USE IN ALL CLIMATES IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS CONCEPT.
Earthship Global Model plan
If you are ready to begin the Earthship Experience, following are starting points that can help you decide what you want to do and how to prepare and actually begin your project.
First Steps
You are some or all of the following:
* new to the Earthship
* heard about it, and want to know more beyond exploring earthship.com
* love Earthships, want to live in one and don't know where to start
* on a romantic vacation
* from any type of school or educational facility
Visit Us
Earthship World Headquarters located in Taos, New Mexico.
For $5 you may take a self-guided tour of this Earthship Visitor's Center. There is always someone available to answer questions. The tour includes a viewing of the Earthship 101 video/DVD: An 11 minute introduction to the Earthship concept and is a quick and concise way to learn the basics of Earthship Biotecture. The video is also an effective way to familiarize your builder or your friends with the concept.
At the conclusion of your tour, you may want to purchase our Complete Library set, a selection of Earthship products providing a solid basis of understanding to move forward with whatever project you have in mind. The set consists of: Earthship Volumes I, II, & III , Water From the Sky, Comfort in any Climate, the Earthships 101 video, and your choice of "From the Ground Up" DVD or "The Hut" DVD, and the Earthship Photo CD.
You may even want to arrange for a Consultation with Michael Reynolds. This is a good first step toward learning more about Earthships. We will tap all of our 40 years of experience and resources to provide you with the best answers for your situation (minimum one hour).
Earthship nightly and weekly rentals.
Experience living in an Earthship. Nightly rentals are available in Taos, NM at the Earthship World Headquarters. Fully furnished Earthships with all modern amenities are available, including high speed wireless internet access, digital satellite tv, kitchens, etc. Weekly rates and group rates are available.
Earthship Seminars
Earthship Biotecture offers exciting workshops which will give you hands-on experience building Earthships.
The weekend begins with dinner and a slide show and discussion of the concepts and history of Earthships. The following day begins with a morning lecture; the afternoon is devoted to on-site tire pounding, mudding, and building can walls. Sunday is split between additional lectures and touring a variety of completed Earthships in The Greater World Community, including the Phoenix. The lecture series includes explanation and demonstration of the systems packages, and addressing individual participant's questions. Reviewing the Earthship books and videos prior to the seminar will help you get the most out of this experience.
owner built earthship
phoenix earthship
Second Steps
You are some or all of the following:
* Know what you want to build
* Have a good idea of what it will take to build a building
* Have land
* Have information about permitting and regulations
* Have local climate data prepared for Earthship Biotects
* Have the money it takes to build a building
* Prepared to support a 12 person crew
Host a demonstration project
$2500 to start *
We stage an educational/building workshop over 2 - 6 weeks, to build a demonstration room that can be replicated by local builders while providing a basic education as to the principles and concepts of the Earthship structures.
What you get: The beginning of your Earthship that you can easily finish.
The building is made of local, recycled materials that will catch clean water, harvest its own power, contain and treat its own sewage and provide strong, quick shelter.
Owner Builder Earthship
Private Residential Earthships
$2500 to start *
Contract Earthship Biotecture to build your home, anywhere on the planet. We can build your Earthship turn-key or you can provide hands-on help.
* Analysis of Local Climate, occupancy use
* Floor Plan: based on climate, budget, planned occupancy use
* Project Plan: team build, local crew, intern program
* Cost Estimates to move forward to phase II
* $2500 to start is your first step, getting your sustainable, independent green home is not cheap. $2500 is an initial retainer.
Commercial Ventures: Contact Us here
Do you have a commercial venture requiring partnership with Earthship Biotecture?
Greater World Earthship Community
A sustainable subdivision started in 1994, 633 acres of rolling mesa with a deep gorge.
Lots Available! "Probably the most intense collection of independent, sustainable housing in the world."
Owner Builder Earthship
We have 40 years of experience at helping people get into sustainable homes all over the world. We know how to make it easy, safe and step by step.
Thank you for your interest in Earthship Biotecture
Earthship Biotecture
Michael Reynolds
biotecture@earthship.com
---
Solving Haiti's Housing Problems with Old Tires, Bottles - Forums ...
3 posts - 2 authors
Earthship Biotecture: Sustainable Green Buildings. ... Earlier this month, Mr. Reynolds and two builders, along with a cameraman, went to Haiti intending to ...
ww.earthship.org/.../4904-solving-haitis-housing-problems-with-old-tires-bottles.html
Thank you!! - Earthship Forums - Earthship Biotecture Sustainable ...
2 posts - 2 authors - Last post: Feb 21
Earthship Biotecture: Sustainable Green Buildings. ... Dear Mr. Reynolds, I hope at some point you get this mesage or one of your ...
www.earthship.org/education/forums/509-texas/1480-thank-you.html
Solving Haiti's Housing Problems with Old Tires, Bottles - Forums ...
5 posts - 2 authors
Architect Michael Reynolds of Earthship Biotecture, at center, worked with 40 ... Earlier this month, Mr. Reynolds and two builders, along with a cameraman, ...
iphone.earthshipbiotecture.com/.../4904-solving-haitis-housing-problems-with-old-tires-bottles.html
Mike Reynolds (architect) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reynolds calls this practice "Earthship Biotecture" and has dedicated his life to it. He cites as an epiphany the moment he realized that any object, ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Reynolds_(architect)
How to Construct Houses with Plastic Bottles !! w/comments
by nav.sparx
intro
How to Construct Houses with Plastic Bottles !!
Waste bottles for construction? Yes, it is difficult to think of a bottle as a brick. But a mud-filled bottle is as strong as a brick and whatever you can do with a brick, you can do with a bottle too..Plus it has got lots of advantages too...
This project was done as a part of our college activity.The man behind this innovative idea is a german named Andreas Froese,who is also the founder of 'ECO-TEC' .
OFFICIAL WEBSITE : http://www.eco-tecnologia.com
About ECO-TEC
* Found in 2001 by Andreas Froese Germen citizen and its head quarters is at Honduras Central America.
* ECO-TEC has done more than 50 eco friendly projects at Honduras, Columbia, Bolivia.
* ECO-TEC has experience working with Govt, Non-Govt and International organization.
* ECO-TEC has won lot of environmental awards for innovation.
* Developed technology to build with pet bottles which helps to reuse plastic bottles and avoid plastic menace.
* Developed technology to build water tanks with pet bottles.
Being a student of Architecture, I was able to be a part of this innovative construction with Plastic Bottles.
Building with Bottles :
This is an effective solution for reusing the plastic. Bottles have the following advantages over bricks and other construction materials.
1. Low cost - You know how much a bottle costs!
2. Non-Brittle - (Unlike bricks)
3. Absorbs abrupt shock loads - Since they are not brittle,there can take up heavy loads without failure.
4. Bio climatic
5. Re-usable
6. Less construction material
7. Easy to build
8. Green Construction
(photos on website)
step 1Bottles,bottles everywhere!
The video shows the strength of a mud filled plastic bottle.
When you make a clay brick, the time and the energy used right from mixing the clay to baking it in the kiln and taking into account the firewood used for that, you will see that the bottle brick is far more energy-efficient.
The technology also reduces the carbon emission that happens during the baking of an ordinary brick . The heat generation from cement factories can also be reduced as this technology uses only five percent cement. The foundation for the entire construction is obtained from building waste and so the mountains from which granite is blasted out can be saved too..
PET Bottle can last as long as 300 years (undoubtedly longer than the cement used to bind the bottles together in the walls!).
The following picture is of an ecological house constructed in Honduras using some 8,000 PET bottles, in the process freeing up an estimated 12 cubic meters (m3) in the local landfill.
The house also features a living roof (sometimes called a green roof) of sod and turf. Such roofs not only have aesthetic appeal, but tend to insulate the house better than conventional roofs, lowering heating and cooling costs. They are also cheaper than conventional roofs.
When wet, the 102 square meter (m2), living roof of the casa ecol?can weigh as much as 30 metric tons (Mt, toneladas). The PET bottle walls can support the weight.
Comments: (as of 8.22.10)
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Jul 13, 2010. 10:41 AMspark master says:
See old "Mother Earth News" chord wood housethere is also a beer can house and they used other stuff as well. benefit of empty sealed up bottle is it becomes an insulator.
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Jul 12, 2010. 1:16 PMspark master says:
Everything old is NEW again "The Mother Earth News" had articles on this type of construction back in the 1980's (maybe 70's) I do like the instructable though. If I can find the issues where they show it I will let you know the year and issue. People used Chord Wood and bottles and cans and tires. All in an attempt to reuse the unreusable. thanks for posting this, I will visit their website sparkie
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Jun 20, 2010. 12:49 AMcyrusdaquigan says:
nice one! good construction material alternative.cheap but durable..
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Mar 17, 2010. 2:02 PMgnoll says:
I was curious as to what your measurements were for the "mixture made of earth, clay, sawdust and a little cement."
Also, if the pillars are the main support for the roof, do you have to use any reinforcement for the walls like rebar?
Thanks so much for posting this Instructable!
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5
Mar 8, 2010. 8:46 PMEmmettO says:
I like it. What is being used as mortar here? Another similar ible has in the comments that you do not use cement mortar. Are you only using dried clay as a mortar? If so, how do you make the water tanks? I know that clay is water resistant but it isn't water tight.
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Jan 16, 2010. 9:03 PMlancesb says:
This is crazy, yes I agree with the green factor of production; but how much time & labor is used in packing the bottles? Wouldn't it be more profitable to recycle the bottles into solid building materials? Roofing tiles, flooring, siding, countertops; the demand for more eco friendly products is finally on the rise, I personally don't think it helps to give out good ideas which may detract from more viable options. This IS a great idea, but the average homeowner will not be able to afford this anytime soon.
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Mar 7, 2010. 9:25 AMstrayturk says:
Lancesb, you are right for developed countries where labor is expensive, and materials are not, in contrast to underdeveloped ones where this is exactly the opposite.
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Jan 20, 2010. 3:59 PMPurocuyu says:
It might be crazy for a first world economy, but I think in other places, it can make sense. I lived for a few years in rural Mexico, and the people there have way more time, and energy than they have money.
This doesn't seem to be a project intended to maximize profit. It seems to me to be intended to allow people with modest means, but with serious drive to build a house. Within those confines, doesn't it seem to be successful?
I imagine some people would look at this and think,"what a drag to fill all those bottles" but maybe if those people had no home, but plenty of dirt, and maybe some bottles, they might think it is a viable option.
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Feb 24, 2010. 12:32 AMPinky212 says:
I understand completely where you are coming from. When people have little or no money and a lot of time, it is time well spent (invested) to create something usable and needed even if the "average" person would not spend the time doing it. Most 2 worker families in the U.S.A. don't have (or take) the time to bake bread and other bakery items, cook meals, or sew clothes and decorative items. However, seniors and disabled persons on a limited income (and often at or near the poverty line) who are physically able to spend their time doing those tasks, save (or don't spend as much) money. Remodeling clothes, hemming pants, hemming and/or remodeling curtains, etc., given to them or purchased cheaply at garage sales/thrift stores can take alot of time. But, again, it's time well spent for the person who has little money.
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Feb 6, 2010. 7:44 PMElmoRoyD says:
I agree, i live in México, I am mexican. I worked in a project of PET bottles recycling, and you are right, if your "job" is to gather plastic bottles from the trash, to sell it at $1.50 Pesos, that is less than .15 dollar cents for kilo. You do have a lot of time and energy.
Here in Mexico we dont have problems with recycling, people can throw beer cans in the streets without feeling guilty about pollution. Someone else is going to pick it up and sell it. Actually i never put cans in the trash can that is outside of my house, i just put them aside, that way is easier for them.
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Mar 7, 2010. 9:18 AMstrayturk says:
You can use Irfanview. It's an awesome image viewer/editor program that also has FLV capability, and it's free. http://www.irfanview.com
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Mar 4, 2010. 6:01 AMAlfredo Harmsen says:
I can not watch the videos. Is it possible to have them with other program? Thanks Alfredo
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1
Apr 28, 2009. 9:20 AMalphaseinor says:
I like the use of materials, I wonder if this will work in the US... much easier to make curved walls. Not to mention the R value for hot climates!
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Feb 24, 2010. 12:40 AMPinky212 says:
Zoning laws in many localities would, unfortunately, prohibit home building using this unconventional method. This may be the case in other first world countries, too. Of that I do not know.
I know a case in Minnesota, U.S.A. where a home owner was forced to remove a wellbuilt and well designed (small Victorian-like) play house for his granddaughters to play in when they visited. He'd put in many, many hours of work but because he hadn't obtained building permits for this toy and it was a shelter structure that didn't meet the minimum size allowed, he couldn't keep it. He choose to move it to another location with less strict building codes, etc. Pity.
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Feb 11, 2010. 1:47 AMdufferdev says:
superb work... too good... where is it Made... Can I come to see it ???
Thanks..........
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7
Feb 11, 2010. 6:06 AMnav.sparx (author) says:
Have a look at www.eco-tecnologia.com
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Feb 11, 2010. 4:10 AMandreasfroese says:
We have done projects in
Honduras
Colombia
Bolivia
India
www.eco-tecnologia.com
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7
Feb 11, 2010. 6:15 AMnav.sparx (author) says:
Sir , what project are you presently working on ?
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Feb 11, 2010. 7:32 AMandreasfroese says:
preparing a water tank project in Africa and other in Chile
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1
Apr 19, 2009. 6:51 PM8bit says:
Is this easier than making bricks?
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Feb 10, 2010. 8:09 AMandreasfroese says:
you need 2-3 minute to fill one bouttle and no machine
www.eco-tecnologia.com
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Apr 19, 2009. 8:58 PMvalhallas_end says:
If you could speed up the filling process, this would be so much faster - homemade bricks are a pain to cure properly (I cannot count how many times I've laid out a batch to dry, then realized too late I'd added too little clay or some small detail, and Crack!). I love the texture you can get with this system.
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Nov 19, 2009. 8:24 AMSnoopytooth says:
It doesn't describe how to make square corners and the diagrams don't show that part.
Please can you add to this instructable how to end the straight walls?
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Feb 7, 2010. 1:36 AMve_ness says:
IF your not a pro this won't come easy. Laying brick, er bottles, can't be learned over night. Well if you want a good end product that is. You'll need to layout the wall, consider reinforcing, then be able to lay the "corner lead" level, plumb, square (if called for), and in range. IF you can't do so within a certain tolerance you jeopardize the stability of the structure. If you can, then bravo.
If your a novice the best thing to do would be to hire (or barter) the services of a bricklayer to lay the corners for you. The corners are built first and then the middle is filled in. If you want to play, jump in the middle of the wall where you can be "supervised" by the pros and really can't muck things up too much.
http://www.lets-do-diy.com/Projects-and-advice/Brickwork-and-masonry/Building-a-brick-wall.aspx
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Nov 21, 2009. 2:09 PMruthy nov says:
Thank you for a wonderful idea!
In my country we have large collection baskets on the streets for recycling plastic containers. It is obligatory to do so.
Please tell the exact proportions of sand-clay-cement.
I think the caps should be glued!
a word to LARZE - re-using plastic bottles is so dangerous! No sterilization possible and they become a sourse of deseases. This is done in poor countries like India, bery bad indeed.
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Feb 7, 2010. 1:21 AMve_ness says:
The ratio for the mortar mixture depends on the climate in your area. I work as a commercial bricklayer in Chicago and we typically use type S or N mortar. I use one bag of cement (94 lbs), one bag of type S Lime (40 lb bag), and 64 shovels of sand if it's dry. If the sand is wet then use less.
http://www.graymont.com/applications_mixing_methods.shtmlFurther explanation:
http://www.mc2-ice.com/support/estref/popular_conversion_files/masonry/mortar.htm
Keep in mind that the parts are used by common material measurements used in the US.
OR just save your self the headache if your not a pro and buy "Masonry mix" which is known by the product name here as "spec mix".
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2
Feb 7, 2010. 12:23 AMLight_Lab says:
I have seen something like this done with empty glass beer bottles here in Australia. It seemed a great idea as the bottles let in light like amber glass bricks. I always wondered though how you discouraged critters from taking up residence in the bottles (unless you recapped them). This is not a problem with sand filled plastic bottles, and the construction is more flexible.
I wonder if you could conveniently combine rammed sand plastic bottles with rammed earth car tires. Use the tires for the columns/pillars, and bottles for the walls.
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1
Jan 15, 2010. 9:53 PMthe crowing says:
This is such a cool idea. I love it!
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Nov 19, 2009. 6:42 AMporcupinemamma says:
go to this site and enjoy every one!
http://www.agilitynut.com/h/bh.html
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Nov 2, 2009. 4:32 AMharshada says:
this is amazing..
i want to know where this thing is constructed.. i would love to visit the place.... please share the infor as early as possible i m quite keen.....
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Nov 19, 2009. 6:40 AMporcupinemamma says:
Me too!
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Oct 24, 2009. 1:50 AMpolana says:
Why do we fill the bottles with sand for?? Why don't we use water or better leave them empty (fill the with air)???
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Nov 17, 2009. 5:48 PMjuanoporras says:
Because the empty (air) bottles are more susceptible to collapse with heavy loads; if you fill them with water the problem is that water spans and contracts with temperature changes, same problem with air, so the house will "move" and create cracks on the mortar. sand is the best environmental and structural choice which is one of the main reasons of this project. somebody tell me i'm wrong.
BTW really nice project, thanks for sharing, I will certainly use these tips ;).
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1
Aug 6, 2009. 5:00 PMA good name says:
It isn't an innovative thought. Mike Reynolds has been doing the same thing since like 1970.
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Sep 20, 2009. 4:01 PMAnathema_Herem says:
Amen and amen. If one is more interested in this type of building, look up Earthship Biotecture. Mr. Reynolds has created houses that are art forms.
http://www.earthship.net/
One of these years I'll have the land to build one, myself. Ah, dreams.
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Sep 12, 2009. 6:14 AMpinkhairkid says:
its on my bucket list whenever I find myself with a lot of time and a lot of plastic bottles, ill do it
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Jul 31, 2009. 10:56 PMazntrooper93 says:
WICKED first i thought u were just making the foundation or something thats really cool but wont it erode fast
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Jul 19, 2009. 10:07 PMporcupinemamma says:
Excellent!!!!
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Jun 24, 2009. 2:26 PMlarze says:
I think the bottles would be better saved for recycling as liquid containers. They are not ecological because to produce them you need so much oil, especially to replace the bottles which would go off circulation. Better to emit a bit of CO2 for bricks than emit a lot more CO2 because of oil for bottles and use the increasingly scarce oil, in my opinion. But in innovational sense, this instructable is great anyway.
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4
Jul 10, 2009. 6:43 AMJavin007 says:
I think you miss the point here. They wouldn't produce bottles to build houses (notice that the bottles are all different brands.) These are bottles that would otherwise end up in a landfill, or even be recycled, which chemically is not nearly as good as it sounds.
cowscankill says:
That is soooooooo awesome. I don't know why we don't build more bottle houses.
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May 17, 2009. 7:10 AMKenmundo101 says:
Amazing idea... voted AND really like
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11
May 16, 2009. 10:34 AMyokozuna says:
five stars, voted, faved.
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May 16, 2009. 9:57 AMMortokeiro says:
Fantastic idea!
I'll try to do that!
but a small wall or pillar to beguin!
=D
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1
May 13, 2009. 3:43 PMDimitrios says:
I love the idea. Just wondering if a funny guy opens the caps and the sand flows out.... Or same thing if a heavy object flies against the wall, there is only like one inch surface concrete (plaster) if that cracks and bottle cap cracks, one empty bottle. If I can collect enough bottles I might actually try this for a fence wall. Just worrying about the dry sand in the bottle that can run out like water
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May 14, 2009. 5:11 PMradiochemist says:
to ensure that doesn't happen, maybe you can try adding a little bit of water to the dry sand bottles before you put the cap on
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7
May 13, 2009. 8:53 PMnav.sparx (author) says:
Good question..Since these bottles are filled with sand (ofcourse very tightly, which helps to build up good pressure inside it),there's little chance that the cap will break.
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May 30, 2009. 11:49 PMArghus says:
no way, if u look at the picture u see the part with all the caps its covered by the cement like mixture
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1
May 12, 2009. 6:32 AMzippydaspinhead says:
Do you use cut up plastic bottles for the shingles on some of the houses? If not another way to reduce cost of the roof and the amount of plastic going to waste. Just an idea
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1
May 8, 2009. 11:36 AMCoffee bean says:
Very nice, but were did you get all those bottles!
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7
May 8, 2009. 7:48 PMnav.sparx (author) says:
From restaurants,supermarkets,neighbourhood houses etc ... :D
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May 6, 2009. 2:57 PMrookie1 says:
Great instructable. I really like the idea. If you want a green roof, what do you use as a base for your roof? What do you use as a vapor barrier ?
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7
May 6, 2009. 8:14 PMnav.sparx (author) says:
The angle of the roof should be greater than 30 degrees. Typical sheds will already have an asphalt or bitumen felt layer for waterproofing. Green roofs require an additional layer of water proofing material, and this needs to be root-proof. For this you can use heavy-duty pond liner. Only a single sheet is required, which can be fixed with a strong mastic sealant. In case of vapour diffusion through walls,Gypsum have virtually no ability to block it. Neither does the brick. But here,plastic bottles can prevent it to a large extent. However,it is not enough. About choosing the insulation material , You could say all insulation is green, regardless of what it's made of because by definition, insulation saves energy. :) .You can use polythlene , fibre glass or cellulose. Current building science recommendations are to locate the vapor retarder in the thermal envelope (exterior walls and ceiling/roof) depending on the climate zone. Heating-dominated climates require an interior vapor retarder. Cooling-dominated climates require an exterior vapor retarder. In mixed climates it is often better to have none. It is also important to allow water vapor to diffuse out of the building envelope (outward in heating climates, inward in cooling climates).
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May 3, 2009. 4:19 PMYeah Yeah 5166 says:
do u.s. codes allow this medium of building material? I consume a fair share of bottled drinks and would love to find a way to reuse them.
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1
Apr 28, 2009. 9:20 AMalphaseinor says:
I like the use of materials, I wonder if this will work in the US... much easier to make curved walls. Not to mention the R value for hot climates!
REPLY
Feb 24, 2010. 12:40 AMPinky212 says:
Zoning laws in many localities would, unfortunately, prohibit home building using this unconventional method. This may be the case in other first world countries, too. Of that I do not know.
I know a case in Minnesota, U.S.A. where a home owner was forced to remove a wellbuilt and well designed (small Victorian-like) play house for his granddaughters to play in when they visited. He'd put in many, many hours of work but because he hadn't obtained building permits for this toy and it was a shelter structure that didn't meet the minimum size allowed, he couldn't keep it. He choose to move it to another location with less strict building codes, etc. Pity.
REPLY
18
Apr 22, 2009. 10:11 AMLithium Rain says:
Very nice! I very much like this.
REPLY
Apr 20, 2009. 4:34 PMIdahoDavid says:
WOW!!!! It's a stack log house without the logs. What an incredibly innovative use of waste resources for the self-builder. I am inspired.
REPLY
1
Apr 19, 2009. 6:51 PM8bit says:
Is this easier than making bricks?
REPLY
Feb 10, 2010. 8:09 AMandreasfroese says:
you need 2-3 minute to fill one bouttle and no machine
www.eco-tecnologia.com
REPLY
Apr 19, 2009. 8:58 PMvalhallas_end says:
If you could speed up the filling process, this would be so much faster - homemade bricks are a pain to cure properly (I cannot count how many times I've laid out a batch to dry, then realized too late I'd added too little clay or some small detail, and Crack!). I love the texture you can get with this system.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Develop Economies not Charity
China in Africa: Maybe the West Is Wrong
Posted on July 23, 2010 by Josh
developeconomies.com/?p=1571
For decades, the Western world has viewed Africa as a basket case in need of charity, giving huge amounts of aid to corrupt dictators who steal much of the money and squander the rest. Critics of aid say it creates dependence, undermines the competitiveness of local industries, and keeps cruel dictators in power by giving them the financial wherewithal to secure their position. Aid is a $40 billion a year business in Africa, and there isn’t too much to show for it.
China, on the other hand, has taken a different approach. By investing in Africa to gain access to its rich natural resources, China might be helping Africa in a more dignified and some might say effective way:
Perhaps the most compelling evidence that Africa is now a business destination is China’s new love for it. While the old superpowers still agonize over Africa’s poverty, the new one is captivated by its riches. Trade between Africa and China has grown an average of 30% in the past decade, topping $106 billion last year. Chinese engineers are at work across the continent, mining copper in Zambia and cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo and tapping oil in Angola. Nor is this merely exploitative. China bought its access by agreeing to create a new infrastructure for Africa, building roads, railways, hospitals and schools across the continent. The current crisis is not expected to affect China’s march in Africa: on the contrary, with the West’s plans in Africa on hold at best, Beijing views it as an opportunity to extend China’s lead. “We will continue to have a vigorous aid program here, and Chinese companies will continue to invest as much as possible,” Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in South Africa in January. “It is a win-win solution.” Dambisa Moyo, who wrote Dead Aid, says those who need convincing about Africa should ask themselves if they are convinced about China, “because if you back China, you’re backing Africa.” Ecobank CEO Ekpe says part of the explanation for China’s zeal for Africa is a new way of looking at Africans. “[The Chinese] are not setting out to do good,” he says. “They are setting out to do business. It’s actually much less demeaning.”
And that gets to what, for Africans, is the emotional heart of the matter — and why joining the business world means so much. Though it rarely occurs to Westerners who’ve been instructed that Africa needs their help, charity is humiliating. Not emergency charity, of course: when disaster strikes, emergency aid is always welcome, whether in New Orleans or Papua New Guinea. But long-term charity, living life as a beggar, is degrading. Andrew Rugasira, 40, runs Good African Coffee, a Ugandan company he set up in 2004 to supply British supermarkets under the motto “Trade, not aid.” He is emblematic of a new generation of African antiaid, antistate entrepreneurs. For Rugasira, aid not only “undermines the creativity to lift yourself out of poverty” but also “undermines the integrity and dignity of the people. It says, These are people who cannot figure out how to develop.” Aid even manages to silence those it is meant to help. “African governments become accountable to Western donors,” says Rugasira, “and Africa finds itself represented not by Africans but by Bono and Bob Geldof. I mean, how would America react if Amy Winehouse dropped in to advise them on the credit crisis?”
The last sentence is a bit over-the-top and misleading, but salient nonetheless. China manages infrastructure projects from start to finish, avoiding the paralyzing leakage brought on by corruption. It is creating a loyal investment partner for the future and, in doing so, accomplishing more in the way of economic development than all the aid dollars in the world. Of course, there is a downside:
Some African activists worry that Beijing still sometimes props up ancient autocrats like Mugabe. In nations with strong civil societies like South Africa, there is a growing realization that many Western firms train local workers and understand how to operate in a free political environment. Meanwhile, activists in places like Ethiopia and Namibia have condemned Chinese investment practices, including poor wages and importation of Chinese laborers. In one of the worst incidents, Zambia exploded in protest after an accident at a Chinese-owned copper mine there in 2005 killed over 50 Zambians.
Is China exploitative, harmful to the environment, tolerant of oppressive regimes, and concerned with just the bottom line? Maybe. But, in the long run, maybe growth through investment, even if it means further income inequality in the short-term, is a more dignified and effective path than aid. The question was raised in a recent article in the YaleGlobal Magazine titled “China in Africa: Soft Power, Hard Results“:
China assisted African at a time when many in the West scorned the continent. After the end of the Cold War, Africa was abandoned by the West and the 1990s were marked by great suffering and instability. China’s meteoric rise in Africa forced many in the West to re-engage the continent, diminishing its marginalization. Beijing built major infrastructure projects such as mega dams, badly needed roads and telecommunications in the continent that no Western nation was willing to fund. Still, it remains to be seen if in the long run, the benefits will outweigh the many problems caused by the new great power in the African savanna.
Apparently, the jury is still out.
Easy Latrine, dirt, solar pump, roof, mortar & cement
A.G. Vermouth
Director of Marketing and Communications
IDE – International Development Enterprises
+1 720.235.3460 (direct)
http://www.ideorg.org
IDE creates income opportunities for poor rural households.
from A.G. Vermouth
to "Catherine S. Todd"
date Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 11:50 AM
subject Re: Easy Latrine
mailed-by ideorg.org
Catherine:
I like portland cement (available almost everywhere) with a bunch of extra sand for more moisture retention, but really depends on what you’re ramming the bottles with and how rigid they are going to be. What’s the mud like where you’re working? Obviously you don’t want the mortar more rigid than the walls themselves.
I think it always comes down to tests (realizing you probably don’t have much time) of a range of materials.
We just mounted this exhibit in Denver... http://artofdirt.org
Just yesterday I added a prototype of a solar steam pump we’re designing for Africa. Pumps 12000 liters per day on a little water and sun. I’ll be adding a virtual tour to that site above. You can keep up there.
By the way, are you looking for roof construction? I’m involved with a group here in Denver that uses thin shell composite hypar. Very light, strong using locally sourced materials, and easy to learn...
http://tscglobal.org/
Keep in touch,
Andy
-------
IDE - International Development Enterprises. ... IDE. Creating Income Opportunities for the Rural Poor. Our Story · Mission News History IDE Blog ...
www.ideorg.org/
Employment at IDE
Our Locations
Our Story
Multiple Use Water Systems
Mission
Publications
Entry Point: Water
Environment
Director of Marketing and Communications
IDE – International Development Enterprises
+1 720.235.3460 (direct)
http://www.ideorg.org
IDE creates income opportunities for poor rural households.
from A.G. Vermouth
to "Catherine S. Todd"
date Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 11:50 AM
subject Re: Easy Latrine
mailed-by ideorg.org
Catherine:
I like portland cement (available almost everywhere) with a bunch of extra sand for more moisture retention, but really depends on what you’re ramming the bottles with and how rigid they are going to be. What’s the mud like where you’re working? Obviously you don’t want the mortar more rigid than the walls themselves.
I think it always comes down to tests (realizing you probably don’t have much time) of a range of materials.
We just mounted this exhibit in Denver... http://artofdirt.org
Just yesterday I added a prototype of a solar steam pump we’re designing for Africa. Pumps 12000 liters per day on a little water and sun. I’ll be adding a virtual tour to that site above. You can keep up there.
By the way, are you looking for roof construction? I’m involved with a group here in Denver that uses thin shell composite hypar. Very light, strong using locally sourced materials, and easy to learn...
http://tscglobal.org/
Keep in touch,
Andy
-------
IDE - International Development Enterprises. ... IDE. Creating Income Opportunities for the Rural Poor. Our Story · Mission News History IDE Blog ...
www.ideorg.org/
Employment at IDE
Our Locations
Our Story
Multiple Use Water Systems
Mission
Publications
Entry Point: Water
Environment
IDE Innovation Update
IDE.org: Creating Income Opportunities for the Rural Poor
Solar Pumps
We continue to work toward development of a solar pump that will be feasible for large-scale application. In the past year, we have increased practicality by switching from pentane to water as the working fluid, increased output from 10 to 15 watts/square meter (3 to 5 Btu/square feet), and developed a solar collector (pictured above) which is about a third of the cost of a vacuum tube collector, resulting in considerable overall cost reduction.
Water Wheels
As they access new technologies which enable them to grow new crops, our customers are frequently challenged by the lack of information on proper growing methods. As part of the Rural Prosperity Initiative IDE developed a simple "Water Wheel" calculator based on local conditions to assist poor farmers in determining optimal water requirements for vegetable crops in Myanmar. Different versions are now being printed for each of the three major agro-climatic zones of Myanmar. These wheels will allow farmers to minimize waste and increase yield since crops will be receiving optimal amounts of water during all stages of growth.
A separate Drip Planner Chart (DPC) based on FAO planning guidelines is being developed in Ethiopia. It consists of two disks: one with crop and climatological data for calculating irrigation requirements, and a second containing soil-specific information for calculating maximum allowable irrigation intervals.
Water and Sanitation
Increasing water and sanitation development is a necessary step small farmers and villages must take on their way out of poverty. IDE takes an unsubsidized, demand-driven approach toward increasing the use of appropriate water and sanitation technologies throughout the developing world. Ceramic water purifiers, treadle pumps, and rope pumps all provide poor farmers with access to sanitary water; decreasing the presence of water-related illnesses, and providing them with potential income generating opportunities.
IDE is working to develop a latrine that would sell for between US$10-20, a significant improvement over the US$150 latrines currently offered by many non-governmental organizations. IDE will also design and conduct a social marketing campaign based on prevalent knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning sanitation in rural areas. This campaign will help small enterprises provide scalable, upgradeable latrine packages suitable for poor families, and will rely on marketing promotions with local enterprises and government partners to build demand for latrines.
Participatory Market Chain Approach
Originally developed in Peru in 2003 and applied in several other countries, the Participatory Market Chain Approach (PMCA) has been proven effective in involving the private sector in market processes with a pro-poor orientation. The PMCA process aims to foster collaboration between farmers and traders, buyers, and intermediaries, providing efficient means of marketing good quality produce for good prices. IDE is implementing the PMCA process in three countries—Cambodia, Nepal, and Vietnam—through our participation in DFID's Research Into Use program. See below for an example of a PMCA schematic.
...(more)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Easy Latrine Wins IDEA Award!
IDE: Creating Income Opportunities for the Rural Poor
24 Jun 2010 | Posted by: Aaron Langton
What do a consumer technology product, an ecologically responsible laundry detergent, and a simple design innovation for an age old product have in common? They were all selected as winners of the prestigious Best in Show Award at the 2010 IDEA Awards for international design excellence.
Latrines are a decidedly unsexy topic, more likely to induce uncomfortable giggles than provoke innovative thinking. People in the developed world take access to sanitation for granted. Yet in most of rural Cambodia, lack of adequate sanitation causes more deaths than HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Despite this fact, many villagers view purchasing sanitation equipment as an unnecessary luxury, partly because of the expense and difficulty of installing traditional latrines.
Jeff Chapin, a designer on sabbatical from IDEO worked with our IDE Cambodia team to tackle the problem. The solution? A low-cost sanitation system that villagers could build themselves using cheap, locally available materials. Each latrine costs about $25, and more than 2,500 have already been purchased and installed by villagers.
The award judges appreciated the Easy Latrine’s integration of product design, social strategy, and sustainability. In the end, they decided that excellence in affordable technology deserved equal status with the other two winners, the Slingbox 700U and Method Laundry Detergent with Smartclean Technology™. Judge Anton Andrews, of FrontEDGE Experience Planning for Microsoft Entertainment, said, “We’re choosing all three because it’s a sustainability story. All three tell the same story from different angles. One is cloud computing, the other is behavioral change, and the third is applying design thinking at its best to an extreme problem in another part of the world.” Industrial Designers Society of America’s Chief Executive Clive Roux explained, “Design works across the spectrum of human needs and issues and can produce excellence at both extremes.”
We couldn’t agree more. Congratulations to Jeff Chapin and the entire IDE Cambodia team on this well-deserved recognition.
Learn more:
2010 IDEA Awards Gallery
Easy Latrine by IDE
Easy Latrine developed by International Development Enterprises (IDE) under funding from USAID and the World Bank Water and Sanitation Program (WSP)
Easy Latrine
IDE, Rainwater Cambodia, LienAid and Rural Development
Cambridge, MA
For 2.5 billion people globally and 84 % of rural Cambodia, access to affordable sanitation is a major problem. Lack of adequate sanitation causes more deaths than HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined, yet sanitation purchases are generally seen as status-based rather than health-based investments. A simple design solution is changing the field, dropping the costs of an age-old product and mobilizing an industry to impact the well-being of millions of households. The Easy Latrine is the first affordable and sustainable latrine design that consists of a squat pan, slab, catchment box, pipe and offset storage rings, making household sanitation decisions easy.
Credits: Easy Latrine developed by International Development Enterprises (IDE) under funding from USAID and the World Bank Water and Sanitation Program (WSP)
“Today, basic sanitary facilities are taken for granted, but not so in this rural Cambodian community. Their economic priorities made even the most rudimentary facility a luxury that could only be a dream until this design team showed them how it could become a reality. Not beautiful, but a beautiful example of 'design thinking' employed to harness local knowledge and expertise to solve the problem in an economically sustainable way. The impact will go well beyond this project and serve as inspiration of how to creatively tackle problems they may encounter in the future."
--Davin Stowell, Smart Design
Shipping Container House
Inhabit.com
Architecture
Deceiving Shipping Container Home That Doesn’t Look Like One
by Bridgette Meinhold, 07/16/10
filed under: Architecture, Sustainable Building
If we hadn't told you this was a shipping container house, would you have known?? With a contemporary classic style, regular-looking facade and huge light-filled windows, this lovely home in Richmond, California, designed by Leger Wanaselja Architects, is a great example of the beautiful work that can done with shipping containers. You may like the industrial look of the container, but if you're into a more traditional look, this is the house for you! Check out the interior shots of this deceiving home - they give you a really good idea of the available space.
Built out of three insulated shipping containers and stacked on two levels with a two-story atrium in the middle, this home packs a lot into a small footprint. Coming in at only 1,350 sq feet, the home has three good sized bedrooms, and a large open living room which connects into the long kitchen and dining room. Two 40′ containers are stacked on top of each other serving as the master bedroom on top and a kitchen/dining area on the ground floor. The other container is cut in half and stacked to create two more bedrooms. Between the stacks is a large two story living area with floor to ceiling windows and a staircase and bridge to connect to the rooms upstairs.
Solar passively designed, deep roof eaves were used to protect from summer solar gain and operable windows were used to maximize ventilation. As the containers are already insulated, they act as weatherproof exterior siding, insulation, and structural frame. Insulation was only needed in the roof and flooring and framing was only done on interior walls and for the windows. Additional green features include the use of low VOC paints, a 100% wool carpet, bamboo flooring, a 50% flyash concrete foundation, blown-in cellulose insulation, stacked plumbing, roof rainwater collection, high efficiency lighting, solatubes, and a ton more green features which you can see here: http://www.greenrenter.com/building/258/richmond_ca/casa-verdanta
+ Leger Wanaselja Architects
Via Re-Nest
photo credits: Jan Grygier
Read more: Shipping Container House by Leger Wanaselja Architects | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
more... http://inhabitat.com/2010/07/16/fantastic-california-home-surprisingly-made-from-shipping-containers/
Videos: http://shipping-container-house-yurt.phanfare.com/2008/
More: shipping-container-house-yurt.phanfare.com/2663041_2903644#imageID=45573887
Eco-Tec brochure and workshops
Brochure from Eco-Tec. See pdf file with photos. (rough translation from Spanish to English with Google Translate):
Ambientales
Bioconstrucción con botellas PET, tierra y escombros
Ecotec es una empresa creada en el
2002 por Andreas Froese, que ofrece
servicio de consultoría integral en el
manejo y aprovechamiento de residuos
sólidos, donde a través de propuestas
innovadoras se lleva a la comunidad a
descubrir la amplia posibilidad de
aprovechamiento de los mismos.
"Será muy difícil resolver los problemas a los
que nos enfrentamos hoy si utilizamos la
misma forma de pensar que teníamos
cuando los creamos"
- ALBERT EINSTEIN
¿Quienes somos?
ANDREAS FROESE
Herford, Alemania
Mobil
andreasfroese@yahoo.com
De nacionalidad alemana, es el inventor de la técnica ECOTEC. Andreas es ecologista, dedicado a la
bioconstrucción y el ecodiseño. Se desempeña como consultor internacional y viaja por diferentes partes del
mundo multiplicando su saber y su amplia experiencia en aprovechamiento innovador de residuos sólidos
domiciliarios; bioconstrucción, compostaje y lombricultura.
NORMA RIAÑO MOLINA
Bogotá, Colombia
Mobil 3108682140
ecotecsoluciones@gmail.com
Estudió antropología y se especializó en manejo y transformación de conflictos. Ha trabajado con organizaciones
no gubernamentales e instituciones del Estado en Colombia en temas de conflicto ambiental y étnico;
conservación de fauna, y en implementación de tecnologías alternativas apropiadas.
!
¿Cómo trabajamos?
Trabajamos desde la metodología del aprender-haciendo, a través de la
construcción de una obra útil a la comunidad, buscamos incentivar el
trabajo creativo y práctico de los estudiantes; pensando en una
modalidad que se centra en el alumno, permitiendo enfrentar problemas
reales, al tiempo que se estudian alternativas de solución y se evalúan
sus implicaciones, desarrollando su sensibilidad frente a la utilización de
tecnologías alternativas.
¿A quién está dirigido?
Instituciones gubernamentales, ONG´s, y empresas e instituciones que
manejen soluciones de infraestructura, optimización de procesos de
reciclaje, así como ecoturismo.
¿Cuáles son los requerimientos para realizar un proyecto de
capacitación local en la técnica ECOTEC?
La técnica fue desarrollada para mejorar condiciones sociales,
económicas y ambientales de comunidades en estado de vulnerabilidad.
Desarrollada como una técnica de autocontrucción que encuentra uno de
sus pilares fundamentales en la participación comunitaria. Es por esto
que las capacitaciones deben contar con un proceso previo a la
capacitación en consientización, educación y sensibilización ambiental,
así como la recolección de botellas y escombros.
Nuestro aporte contra el calentamiento global
Inversión
Ecotec envía un instructor y un asistente de obra. Los honorarios
semanal de éste equipo son de 2500 dólares, libres de impuestos y
viáticos.
Cuando el proyecto lo requiere contamos con personal calificado en
diseño arquitectónico, ingeniería, paisajismo, así como educación
ambiental, abordaje social y construcción de paz. Los costos de
estos servicios profesionales dependerán de los requerimientos del
proyecto.
Taller de introducción a la técnica de construcción con botellas PET y
escombros*
Duración
Un día
Metodología
Teórico - 2 horas
Práctica - 5 horas
Grupos de 10 a 15 estudiantes
Inversión
Ecotec envía un instructor y un asistente de obra, el costo
total del curso es de 700 dólares libres de impuestos más
viáticos.
Introducción a la técnica ecotec
Reutilización de escombros origen minero y
demolición usando tecnología de pala
Realización de diferentes tipos de mezclas utilizando
tierra, arena y escombros
Transformación de botellas PET en ladrillos para
obras civiles
Amarre de las botellas desde los principios de la
biomimética
Construcción de pilares
Construcción de esquinas
Cimentación
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Contenido
*Puede ser realizado durante la ejecución de obras.
Talleres y cursos en construcción de tanques de almacenamiento de agua
TALLERES
CURSOS
Tanque 10000 - 25000 litros
Duración
Tres (3) semanas
En todos los casos el tanque se entregará
terminado.
Contenido
Tanque 1000- 3000 litros
Duración
Una (1) semana
En una semana pueden realizarse dos
talleres con grupos de diez (10)
estudiantes.
Tanque 3000 - 10000 litros
Duración
Dos (2) semana
En dos (2) semana pueden realizarse
cuatro talleres con grupos de diez (10)
estudiantes.
Introducción en la técnica ecotec
Reutilización de escombros origen minero y demolición
usando tecnología de pala.
Cimentación
Realización de diferentes tipos de mezclas utilizando tierra,
arena y escombros
Transformación de botellas pet en ladrillos para obras civiles
Amarre de las botellas desde los principios de la biomimética
Construcción de cilindros de doble muro
Instalaciones hidráulicas
Acabados
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
!
Cursos en construcción de infraestructura
Valorar el sitio y los recursos locales
Abordaje social y ambiental en terreno
Diseño con botellas
Logística de la obra
Transformación de escombros
Producción de ladrillo PET
Cimentación
Levantamiento de los pilares y otras esquinas constructivas
Levantar los muros
Amarre de las botellas desde los principios de la biomimética (la tecnología que
imita a la naturaleza)
Construcción de la solera superior
Instalación de redes hidráulicas y eléctricas
Instalación de puertas, ventanas y anclaje de techo
Revoque y acabados con materiales naturales y convencionales
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Construcción de cabañas y estructuras pequeñas (15 á 25 m2)
Cabañas, baños secos, kioscos, depósitos de basuras, son algunas de las
obras que dejamos implementadas en estos cursos.
Duración
Dos (2) a cuatro (4) semanas
Contenidos
Este curso esta diseñado para formar formadores en
construcción con materiales alternativos, permitiendole
trabajar como instructor en la técnica, con el respaldo y
asesoría de Ecotec. En el mismo se desarrollan obras
como aulas educativas, centros comunales, vivienda,
muros de contención, entre otros.
Duración
Cuatro (4) a (12) meses
Cursos en construcción de muros
Cursos en construcción de casas
* Pueden construirse hasta tres obras
simultáneamente
Este curso esta diseñado para formar formadores en
construcción con materiales alternativos, permitiendole
trabajar como instructor en la técnica, con el respaldo y
asesoría de Ecotec. En el mismo se desarrollan obras
como aulas educativas, centros comunales, vivienda,
muros de contención, entre otros.
Duración
Cuatro (4) a (12) meses
Cursos en construcción de muros
Cursos en construcción de casas
* Pueden construirse hasta tres obras
simultáneamente
--- End ---
Environmental
Bioconstruction PET bottles, dirt and debris
Ecotec is a company created in
Andreas Froese 2002, offering
comprehensive consultancy service in
waste management and utilization
solids, where through proposals
takes innovative community
discover the extensive range of
use them.
"It will be very difficult to solve the problems
we face today if we use the
same thinking that we had
when we created them "
- ALBERT EINSTEIN
About us
Andreas Froese
Herford, Germany
Mobil
andreasfroese@yahoo.com
A German national, is the inventor of the art ECOTEC. Andreas is an ecologist, dedicated to
bio and eco-design. He serves as an international consultant and travels to different parts of
world by multiplying its knowledge and experience in innovative use of solid waste
home, bio, composting and vermiculture.
RIAÑO NORMA MOLINA
Bogotá, Colombia
Mobil 3108682140
ecotecsoluciones@gmail.com
He studied anthropology, specializing in management and conflict transformation. He has worked with organizations
NGOs and state institutions in Colombia on issues of environmental and ethnic conflict;
wildlife conservation, and implementation of appropriate alternative technologies.
!
How we work
We work from the methodology of learning by doing, through
construction of a work useful to the community, we seek to encourage
creative and practical work of students, considering a
modality that focuses on the student, allowing coping
real, while alternative solutions are studied and evaluated
implications, developing his sensitivity to the use of
alternative technologies.
Who should attend?
Government institutions, NGOs, and companies and institutions
manage infrastructure solutions, process optimization
recycling, and ecotourism.
What are the requirements for a project
local training in the art ECOTEC?
The technique was developed to improve social conditions
economic and environmental communities vulnerable.
Developed as a technique that is one of autocontrucción
fundamental pillars of community participation. That is why
that training should have a pre-process
consientización training, education and environmental awareness
and the collection of bottles and debris.
Our contribution against global warming
Investment
Ecotec send an instructor and an assistant work. Fees
week of this team are $ 2,500, exclusive of tax and
per diem.
When the project requires, we have qualified staff
architectural design, engineering, landscaping, and education
environmental, social approach and peace building. Costs
these professional services will depend on the requirements of
project.
Workshop technical introduction to the construction and PET bottles
debris *
Duration
One day
Methodology
Theoretical - 2 hours
Practice - 5 hours
Groups of 10-15 students
Investment
Ecotec send an instructor and an assistant work, the cost
Total course is $ 700 tax-free
per diem.
Technical Introduction to ECOTEC
Reuse of debris from mining and
demolition using blade technology
Realization of different types of mixtures using
soil, sand and debris
Transformation of bricks for PET bottles
civil works
Tie cylinders from the principles of
biomimetics
Construction of pillars
Construction Corner
Foundation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Content
* Can be done during the execution of works.
Workshops and courses in construction of water storage tanks
WORKSHOPS
COURSES
Tank 10000-25000 litros
Duration
Three (3) weeks
In all cases the tank will be delivered
finished.
Content
Tank 1000 - 3000 litros
Duration
One (1) week
In a week may be two
workshops with groups of ten (10)
students.
Tank 3000-10000 litros
Duration
Two (2) week
Two (2) weeks may be
four workshops for groups of ten (10)
students.
Introduction in the art ECOTEC
Reuse from mining and demolition debris
technology using a shovel.
Foundation
Realization of different types of mixtures using land
Sand and debris
Transformation of pet bottles bricks for civil works
Tie cylinders from the principles of biomimetics
Construction of double wall cylinders
Hydraulic
Finishes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
!
Courses in infrastructure construction
Assess the site and local resources
Addressing social and environmental field
Bottle design
Logistics work
Transformation of debris
PET brick production
Foundation
Lifting the corner pillars and other constructive
Raising the walls
Tie cylinders from the principles of biomimetics (the technology
imitates nature)
Construction of Upper Sill
Installing water and electricity networks
Installation of doors, windows and roof anchor
Plaster and finished with natural and conventional materials
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Construction of cabins and small structures (15 to 25 m2)
Cabins, dry toilets, kiosks, trash deposits, are some of the
works that we implemented in these courses.
Duration
Two (2) to four (4) weeks
Contents
This course is designed to train trainers
alternative construction materials, allowing
work as an instructor in the art, with the support and
Ecotec advice. In the same works are developed
as classrooms, community centers, housing,
retaining walls, among others.
Duration
Four (4) to (12) months
Courses in construction of walls
Courses in house construction
* Can be built up to three works
simultaneously
This course is designed to train trainers
alternative construction materials, allowing
work as an instructor in the art, with the support and
Ecotec advice. In the same works are developed
as classrooms, community centers, housing,
retaining walls, among others.
Duration
Four (4) to (12) months
Courses in construction of walls
Courses in construction of houses
* Can be built up to three works
simultaneously
--- End ---
Ambientales
Bioconstrucción con botellas PET, tierra y escombros
Ecotec es una empresa creada en el
2002 por Andreas Froese, que ofrece
servicio de consultoría integral en el
manejo y aprovechamiento de residuos
sólidos, donde a través de propuestas
innovadoras se lleva a la comunidad a
descubrir la amplia posibilidad de
aprovechamiento de los mismos.
"Será muy difícil resolver los problemas a los
que nos enfrentamos hoy si utilizamos la
misma forma de pensar que teníamos
cuando los creamos"
- ALBERT EINSTEIN
¿Quienes somos?
ANDREAS FROESE
Herford, Alemania
Mobil
andreasfroese@yahoo.com
De nacionalidad alemana, es el inventor de la técnica ECOTEC. Andreas es ecologista, dedicado a la
bioconstrucción y el ecodiseño. Se desempeña como consultor internacional y viaja por diferentes partes del
mundo multiplicando su saber y su amplia experiencia en aprovechamiento innovador de residuos sólidos
domiciliarios; bioconstrucción, compostaje y lombricultura.
NORMA RIAÑO MOLINA
Bogotá, Colombia
Mobil 3108682140
ecotecsoluciones@gmail.com
Estudió antropología y se especializó en manejo y transformación de conflictos. Ha trabajado con organizaciones
no gubernamentales e instituciones del Estado en Colombia en temas de conflicto ambiental y étnico;
conservación de fauna, y en implementación de tecnologías alternativas apropiadas.
!
¿Cómo trabajamos?
Trabajamos desde la metodología del aprender-haciendo, a través de la
construcción de una obra útil a la comunidad, buscamos incentivar el
trabajo creativo y práctico de los estudiantes; pensando en una
modalidad que se centra en el alumno, permitiendo enfrentar problemas
reales, al tiempo que se estudian alternativas de solución y se evalúan
sus implicaciones, desarrollando su sensibilidad frente a la utilización de
tecnologías alternativas.
¿A quién está dirigido?
Instituciones gubernamentales, ONG´s, y empresas e instituciones que
manejen soluciones de infraestructura, optimización de procesos de
reciclaje, así como ecoturismo.
¿Cuáles son los requerimientos para realizar un proyecto de
capacitación local en la técnica ECOTEC?
La técnica fue desarrollada para mejorar condiciones sociales,
económicas y ambientales de comunidades en estado de vulnerabilidad.
Desarrollada como una técnica de autocontrucción que encuentra uno de
sus pilares fundamentales en la participación comunitaria. Es por esto
que las capacitaciones deben contar con un proceso previo a la
capacitación en consientización, educación y sensibilización ambiental,
así como la recolección de botellas y escombros.
Nuestro aporte contra el calentamiento global
Inversión
Ecotec envía un instructor y un asistente de obra. Los honorarios
semanal de éste equipo son de 2500 dólares, libres de impuestos y
viáticos.
Cuando el proyecto lo requiere contamos con personal calificado en
diseño arquitectónico, ingeniería, paisajismo, así como educación
ambiental, abordaje social y construcción de paz. Los costos de
estos servicios profesionales dependerán de los requerimientos del
proyecto.
Taller de introducción a la técnica de construcción con botellas PET y
escombros*
Duración
Un día
Metodología
Teórico - 2 horas
Práctica - 5 horas
Grupos de 10 a 15 estudiantes
Inversión
Ecotec envía un instructor y un asistente de obra, el costo
total del curso es de 700 dólares libres de impuestos más
viáticos.
Introducción a la técnica ecotec
Reutilización de escombros origen minero y
demolición usando tecnología de pala
Realización de diferentes tipos de mezclas utilizando
tierra, arena y escombros
Transformación de botellas PET en ladrillos para
obras civiles
Amarre de las botellas desde los principios de la
biomimética
Construcción de pilares
Construcción de esquinas
Cimentación
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Contenido
*Puede ser realizado durante la ejecución de obras.
Talleres y cursos en construcción de tanques de almacenamiento de agua
TALLERES
CURSOS
Tanque 10000 - 25000 litros
Duración
Tres (3) semanas
En todos los casos el tanque se entregará
terminado.
Contenido
Tanque 1000- 3000 litros
Duración
Una (1) semana
En una semana pueden realizarse dos
talleres con grupos de diez (10)
estudiantes.
Tanque 3000 - 10000 litros
Duración
Dos (2) semana
En dos (2) semana pueden realizarse
cuatro talleres con grupos de diez (10)
estudiantes.
Introducción en la técnica ecotec
Reutilización de escombros origen minero y demolición
usando tecnología de pala.
Cimentación
Realización de diferentes tipos de mezclas utilizando tierra,
arena y escombros
Transformación de botellas pet en ladrillos para obras civiles
Amarre de las botellas desde los principios de la biomimética
Construcción de cilindros de doble muro
Instalaciones hidráulicas
Acabados
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
!
Cursos en construcción de infraestructura
Valorar el sitio y los recursos locales
Abordaje social y ambiental en terreno
Diseño con botellas
Logística de la obra
Transformación de escombros
Producción de ladrillo PET
Cimentación
Levantamiento de los pilares y otras esquinas constructivas
Levantar los muros
Amarre de las botellas desde los principios de la biomimética (la tecnología que
imita a la naturaleza)
Construcción de la solera superior
Instalación de redes hidráulicas y eléctricas
Instalación de puertas, ventanas y anclaje de techo
Revoque y acabados con materiales naturales y convencionales
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Construcción de cabañas y estructuras pequeñas (15 á 25 m2)
Cabañas, baños secos, kioscos, depósitos de basuras, son algunas de las
obras que dejamos implementadas en estos cursos.
Duración
Dos (2) a cuatro (4) semanas
Contenidos
Este curso esta diseñado para formar formadores en
construcción con materiales alternativos, permitiendole
trabajar como instructor en la técnica, con el respaldo y
asesoría de Ecotec. En el mismo se desarrollan obras
como aulas educativas, centros comunales, vivienda,
muros de contención, entre otros.
Duración
Cuatro (4) a (12) meses
Cursos en construcción de muros
Cursos en construcción de casas
* Pueden construirse hasta tres obras
simultáneamente
Este curso esta diseñado para formar formadores en
construcción con materiales alternativos, permitiendole
trabajar como instructor en la técnica, con el respaldo y
asesoría de Ecotec. En el mismo se desarrollan obras
como aulas educativas, centros comunales, vivienda,
muros de contención, entre otros.
Duración
Cuatro (4) a (12) meses
Cursos en construcción de muros
Cursos en construcción de casas
* Pueden construirse hasta tres obras
simultáneamente
--- End ---
Environmental
Bioconstruction PET bottles, dirt and debris
Ecotec is a company created in
Andreas Froese 2002, offering
comprehensive consultancy service in
waste management and utilization
solids, where through proposals
takes innovative community
discover the extensive range of
use them.
"It will be very difficult to solve the problems
we face today if we use the
same thinking that we had
when we created them "
- ALBERT EINSTEIN
About us
Andreas Froese
Herford, Germany
Mobil
andreasfroese@yahoo.com
A German national, is the inventor of the art ECOTEC. Andreas is an ecologist, dedicated to
bio and eco-design. He serves as an international consultant and travels to different parts of
world by multiplying its knowledge and experience in innovative use of solid waste
home, bio, composting and vermiculture.
RIAÑO NORMA MOLINA
Bogotá, Colombia
Mobil 3108682140
ecotecsoluciones@gmail.com
He studied anthropology, specializing in management and conflict transformation. He has worked with organizations
NGOs and state institutions in Colombia on issues of environmental and ethnic conflict;
wildlife conservation, and implementation of appropriate alternative technologies.
!
How we work
We work from the methodology of learning by doing, through
construction of a work useful to the community, we seek to encourage
creative and practical work of students, considering a
modality that focuses on the student, allowing coping
real, while alternative solutions are studied and evaluated
implications, developing his sensitivity to the use of
alternative technologies.
Who should attend?
Government institutions, NGOs, and companies and institutions
manage infrastructure solutions, process optimization
recycling, and ecotourism.
What are the requirements for a project
local training in the art ECOTEC?
The technique was developed to improve social conditions
economic and environmental communities vulnerable.
Developed as a technique that is one of autocontrucción
fundamental pillars of community participation. That is why
that training should have a pre-process
consientización training, education and environmental awareness
and the collection of bottles and debris.
Our contribution against global warming
Investment
Ecotec send an instructor and an assistant work. Fees
week of this team are $ 2,500, exclusive of tax and
per diem.
When the project requires, we have qualified staff
architectural design, engineering, landscaping, and education
environmental, social approach and peace building. Costs
these professional services will depend on the requirements of
project.
Workshop technical introduction to the construction and PET bottles
debris *
Duration
One day
Methodology
Theoretical - 2 hours
Practice - 5 hours
Groups of 10-15 students
Investment
Ecotec send an instructor and an assistant work, the cost
Total course is $ 700 tax-free
per diem.
Technical Introduction to ECOTEC
Reuse of debris from mining and
demolition using blade technology
Realization of different types of mixtures using
soil, sand and debris
Transformation of bricks for PET bottles
civil works
Tie cylinders from the principles of
biomimetics
Construction of pillars
Construction Corner
Foundation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Content
* Can be done during the execution of works.
Workshops and courses in construction of water storage tanks
WORKSHOPS
COURSES
Tank 10000-25000 litros
Duration
Three (3) weeks
In all cases the tank will be delivered
finished.
Content
Tank 1000 - 3000 litros
Duration
One (1) week
In a week may be two
workshops with groups of ten (10)
students.
Tank 3000-10000 litros
Duration
Two (2) week
Two (2) weeks may be
four workshops for groups of ten (10)
students.
Introduction in the art ECOTEC
Reuse from mining and demolition debris
technology using a shovel.
Foundation
Realization of different types of mixtures using land
Sand and debris
Transformation of pet bottles bricks for civil works
Tie cylinders from the principles of biomimetics
Construction of double wall cylinders
Hydraulic
Finishes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
!
Courses in infrastructure construction
Assess the site and local resources
Addressing social and environmental field
Bottle design
Logistics work
Transformation of debris
PET brick production
Foundation
Lifting the corner pillars and other constructive
Raising the walls
Tie cylinders from the principles of biomimetics (the technology
imitates nature)
Construction of Upper Sill
Installing water and electricity networks
Installation of doors, windows and roof anchor
Plaster and finished with natural and conventional materials
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Construction of cabins and small structures (15 to 25 m2)
Cabins, dry toilets, kiosks, trash deposits, are some of the
works that we implemented in these courses.
Duration
Two (2) to four (4) weeks
Contents
This course is designed to train trainers
alternative construction materials, allowing
work as an instructor in the art, with the support and
Ecotec advice. In the same works are developed
as classrooms, community centers, housing,
retaining walls, among others.
Duration
Four (4) to (12) months
Courses in construction of walls
Courses in house construction
* Can be built up to three works
simultaneously
This course is designed to train trainers
alternative construction materials, allowing
work as an instructor in the art, with the support and
Ecotec advice. In the same works are developed
as classrooms, community centers, housing,
retaining walls, among others.
Duration
Four (4) to (12) months
Courses in construction of walls
Courses in construction of houses
* Can be built up to three works
simultaneously
--- End ---
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Plastic Bottle House
This is another site with even more photos and images: there to see all the photos.
A Better Place
Inspiring Construction with Plastic Bottles
January 22, 2010
These houses were built in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
The walls are built with plastic bottles, mortar, sand, clay, rubble, water and lots of community work emoticon. The concept is similar to the adobe construction technique.
The bottle walls are very strong and have also been used in Honduras and Bolivia to build water reservoirs for as much as 20.000 litres.
The bottles are filled with sand, soil or debris and are tied to each other with a nylon thread.
Bottle wall construction
Image from www.eco-tecnologia.com
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
The corners are built with rows of 11 bottles laid in circle.
Image from www.eco-tecnologia.com.
Bottle construction
Image from www.eco-tecnologia.com.
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
The Ecologic House was built using some 8,000 PET bottles.
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
Bottle Construction
If you are interested to try this technique give a look at How to Construct Houses with Plastic Bottles !!
View Isabel Barros's LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/isabelbarros
----
Posted in Environment, Architecture |
1 Comment »
The URI to TrackBack this entry is: http://abetterplace.blogs.ie/2010/01/22/inspiring-construction-with-plastic-bottles/trackback/
1.
Love it… can’t wait to test this out at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala where I live part time. This could help the survivors of Hurricane Agatha so much, who lost their houses and all their possessions recently in June. Thanks for posting more instructions than I have found most places online. How do I get more details about mortar mixes and techniques? Thanks, CatherineTodd2@gmail.com
Comment by Catherine Todd — August 11, 2010 @ 2:48 am
Plastic bottle construction for Houses
Searched for: mortar for plastic bottle construction house:
Bottle wall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A building construction style which usually uses 1l glass bottles (although ... This is used as the mortar to bind the bottles. It is thickly spread on the ... The house is a remake of the Rhyolite Bottle House replicated from photos .... "Building a Plastic Bottle Greenhouse." Blue Rock Station Publishing, 2008 ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_wall
How to Construct Houses with Plastic Bottles !!
Apr 19, 2009 ... Waste bottles for construction? Yes, it is difficult to think of a bottle as a brick. ... house constructed in Honduras using some 8000 PET bottles, in the ... Are you only using dried clay as a mortar? If so, how do you ...
www.instructables.com/.../New-Innovation-in-Construction-using-Waste-Plastic/
Green Home Building: Recycling Glass Bottles
I have seen other walls with a minimum of mortar and more bottles. .... using the PET bottles in say panel type construction and then covering with a .... As for using plastic bottles to trap air for insulation, this does seems to be a ...
www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/recycle/bottles.htm
House built with plastic and glass bottles
Jan 14, 2010 ... The dead air space in the plastic bottles makes it great insulation. With the bottles, one uses less mortar and there is no need for ...
www.instructables.com/.../House-in-Mexico-built-with-plastic-and-glass-bottl/
Building with Bottles | greenopolis recycling rewards
Aug 4, 2010 ... Bottle Wall Construction uses glass bottles mortared together with adobe, sand, cement, stucco, clay, plaster, mortar or any other compound to join them for ... One last bottle house deserves mention, if only because it uses plastic ... In 2008, Jay and Annie Warmke built a plastic bottle greenhouse ...
greenopolis.com/goblog/joe-laur/building-with-bottles
(and much, much more...)
Bottle wall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A building construction style which usually uses 1l glass bottles (although ... This is used as the mortar to bind the bottles. It is thickly spread on the ... The house is a remake of the Rhyolite Bottle House replicated from photos .... "Building a Plastic Bottle Greenhouse." Blue Rock Station Publishing, 2008 ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_wall
How to Construct Houses with Plastic Bottles !!
Apr 19, 2009 ... Waste bottles for construction? Yes, it is difficult to think of a bottle as a brick. ... house constructed in Honduras using some 8000 PET bottles, in the ... Are you only using dried clay as a mortar? If so, how do you ...
www.instructables.com/.../New-Innovation-in-Construction-using-Waste-Plastic/
Green Home Building: Recycling Glass Bottles
I have seen other walls with a minimum of mortar and more bottles. .... using the PET bottles in say panel type construction and then covering with a .... As for using plastic bottles to trap air for insulation, this does seems to be a ...
www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/recycle/bottles.htm
House built with plastic and glass bottles
Jan 14, 2010 ... The dead air space in the plastic bottles makes it great insulation. With the bottles, one uses less mortar and there is no need for ...
www.instructables.com/.../House-in-Mexico-built-with-plastic-and-glass-bottl/
Building with Bottles | greenopolis recycling rewards
Aug 4, 2010 ... Bottle Wall Construction uses glass bottles mortared together with adobe, sand, cement, stucco, clay, plaster, mortar or any other compound to join them for ... One last bottle house deserves mention, if only because it uses plastic ... In 2008, Jay and Annie Warmke built a plastic bottle greenhouse ...
greenopolis.com/goblog/joe-laur/building-with-bottles
(and much, much more...)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Make Your Own Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
Make Your Own Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
© Copyright MakingYourOwn 2000-2010
So why on earth would you want to make your own greenhouse out of plastic bottles?
Well, we all know that the British weather can be less than reliable. So for green-fingered Brits, a greenhouse tends to be a vital piece of kit if you want your growing endeavours to prove successful. And although the price of a greenhouse has become more affordable in recent years, they can still be expensive to maintain. A night of strong winds can cause havoc, and even replacing the cheapest horticultural glass isn't particularly economical.
There's also the issue of the environmental cost of manufacturing and producing a greenhouse kit. Although it is possible to buy greenhouses second hand, or acquire them through schemes such as Freecycle, they tend to be a bit like gold dust and are quickly snatched up.
So the perfect frugal solution is making your own plastic bottle greenhouse. The majority of the structure is, as you might expect, made from recycled plastic bottles. Because you will need a lot of plastic bottles, it's a perfect school, youth club or community project.
Children can be involved in the collection of bottles, and will then be able to see their materials put into 'action' to create something entirely new. Being involved in the process at all levels can encourage children to think creatively about new uses for otherwise disposable materials.
Making Your Own Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
First Step - Collecting Materials
What You'll Need:
* Around 1500 plastic bottles. These should be as uniform in size as possible. 2 litre sized bottles are ideal.
* Soapy Warm Water
* Scissors
Once you've collected all the bottles, they'll need washing in warm soapy water to remove the labels (vital for letting as much light into the greenhouse as possible). All the bottles will then cutting into shape so that they can stack together. This means cutting off all bottle ends - hard work but vital! If children are participating, make sure that they are careful of any sharp edges.
It may take a while to collect enough bottles to make the greenhouse. During this time, it might be an idea to prepare the greenhouse base. This can be done by levelling out the ground on the site of the greenhouse, and putting down a layer of builder's sand and paving slabs. Alternatively a weed-suppressing membrane covered with shingle or gravel could also be used.
Next Step - Making the Frame
What You'll Need:
Corners
* 4 timber 4" x 4" 8ft (approx. 210cm) Corner Posts
* Post Fix Cement
* Screws
In each corner of the greenhouse base, you'll need to erect a corner post. These should be secured in place with appropriate post fix cement.
Sides
* 4 timber 2" x 2" 8ft lengths
* 4 timber 2" x 2" 6ft lengths
* Screws
Using the 2"x2" timber, create two side panels. Ideally these should have mitred corners, to maximise on strength and durability. Do not erect these frames yet.
Back Frame
* 4 timber 2" x2" 6ft lengths
* Screws
The back frame is simply the 4 lengths of 6ft 2"x2" timber screwed together with mitred corners.
Front Panel and Door
* 4 timber 2" x 2" 6ft lengths
* 6 timber 2" x 2" 6ft lengths
* Brass Hinges
* Screws
Initially the front panel will need to be constructed in the same manner as the back panel. However, in addition to this, the door will need to be constructed to hang off this frame, so will need to be constructed to fit just inside the front panel frame, taking up roughly half of the width of the front panel.
Roof
* Roof Sides 4 timber: 2"x2" 8ft lengths and 4 timber 2"x2" 5ft lengths
* Roof Central Roof Beam: 1 timber 2"x2" 8ft length
* Roof Top Gables: 4 timber 2"x2" 5ft lengths and 2 timber 2"x2" 6ft lengths
* Roof Supporting Beam for Gables: 2 timber 2"x2" 4ft lengths
* Screws
Again, using mitred edges, these lengths need to be screwed together to make the greenhouse roof. The slope of the roof can be altered, but the lengths listed above will need to be altered accordingly.
Replacing the Greenhouse Glass
What You'll Need:
* Approx. 140-150 6ft bamboo garden canes
* Approx. 300-400 Fence Staples
The plastic bottles will replace the need for greenhouse glass. To make the clear panels, you'll need to take a bamboo cane and slide a bottle end the 'wrong' way down the cane. This will act as a stopper for the other bottles. Obviously make sure that all bottle tops have been removed at this point. You can then slide and stack the bottles onto each bamboo cane. The final bottle on the end of the cane should again be placed the opposite way to the others, creating another stopper.
Make sure that enough bamboo cane has been left at either end, as these are then fixed to the greenhouse frames with fence staples. Make sure that before you start stapling, all the bamboo canes are lined up and jiggled about so that there are no large gaps in between the bottles.
Once the bottles have been fixed to the side, back, front, door frames and gable frames, these can then be erected and fixed to the corner posts. Once the gables are in place you may find that you need an additional central timber support in each gable. The last component to be added should be the door - it may not be a perfect fit, but as long as there are no gaping holes, it will do! After all, a greenhouse needs plenty of ventilation!
Build Your Own Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
Build Your Own Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
Written by Ariel Schwartz
Published on December 26th, 2008
8 Comments
Posted in Recycling
Greenhouse
Do you have tons of plastic bottles lying around your house and excess backyard space? If so, you might want to look into building a plastic bottle greenhouse. The greenhouse idea was devised and brought to life by Blue Rock Station. For $5 (the electronic version is $4), you can buy instructions to build one yourself.
>> Interested in solar power? See if group discounts are available in your city
Make sure you have plenty of tires for the rammed earth foundation, at least 1000 2-liter plastic bottles, straw bale, and two 55 gallon rain barrels. A hefty load of starting materials for sure, but nothing compared to what you would need for a traditional greenhouse. And what better use is there for plastic bottles (besides energy-intensive recycling)?
Blue Rock Station’s greenhouse booklet discusses design creation, site prep and drainage, wind issues, orientation, insulation, and more.
Photo Credit: Blue Rock Station
Recycled plastic bottle sheds
Photos on website:
http://www.shedworking.co.uk/2008/10/recycled-plastic-bottle-sheds.html
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Recycled plastic bottle sheds
If you're really keen to go down the green shed route, here's an ambitious project for you - build it out of recycled plastic bottles. Above is an example belonging to Crafty People's Sister C at the historic St Anns Allotments. Built around a timber frame, the bottles were collected from friends and family before being cut to size (there's a good explanation of how that's done on her site). Alternatively, try doing one without any timber at all like Jane Burt's installation below. Her ‘Green Green House’ was made with more than 1,000 recycled plastic bottles collected from friends and the local recycling centre. The roof is self-supporting and the bottle bases were sewn together to make a stained glass window over the front door plus bead curtain for the entrance. Here's what she says:
"The green house has a wonderful fluidity and luminosity whilst creating a harmonious link to its natural surroundings. In this climate of enhanced conservational awareness, it is exciting to bring a practical element to recycled materials whether it be inspirational, educational or regenerative. I trust I have demonstrated that trash can be transformed into a beautiful building that sparkles and shimmers in the sun while conserving heat and rainwater."
Posted by Alex at 12:30 PM
3 comments:
bituin said...
hmmm interesting! nice job there. never thought of plastic bottle as a building material. now i can add that to my list on how to re-use plastic bottles. thanks.
11:11 PM
Anonymous said...
By cutting and splitting then holding flat and heating to modest temperatutes (boiling water) flat sheets can be fabricated from soda bottles!
5:30 PM
Rosie said...
wow! it's so great! recycling those bottles, even in your own little way, helps save the environment.
How to build your own Recycled Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
See photos on website:
www.reapscotland.org.uk/reports/greenhouse%20v1.pdf
How to build your own Recycled Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
REAP-CSV 177 Mid Street Keith AB55 5BL 01542 888070
Build your own Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
How to make one in eight easy steps...
1. Gather heaps of used plastic bottles. The 2 litre bottles are ideal and around
1,500 are needed for a large sized greenhouse.
2. Wash the bottles and remove the labels. This can be done in a bucket of
soapy water. Remove the bottle tops and cut off the bottoms of the bottles with a sharp pair of scissors. Be careful as the scissors and the cut bottles can be sharp. Remember this has to be done up to 1,500 times so can cause blisters and be time consuming.
Done by kids with minimum supervision.
3. Fix 4 posts vertically into the
ground. Treated 4” x 4” posts cemented a couple of feet into the ground works great. These are for the corners of the greenhouse. Put slabs or mulch around and inside to suppress weeds.
Best done by adults.
4. Make a frame for each side, roof,
door etc. These are best done with treated 2” x 2” timber made into frames with mitred corners screwed together. Best done by adults and older kids.
5. Stack the bottles one inside another with
a garden cane supporting them through the middle. At one end reverse a bottle so it faces the opposite way from the rest and fit it inside. This will to make a long tube with the ends of the garden cane sticking out of the tops of the bottles at either end.
Place the bottles and canes onto the frames to be attached at the top and bottom of the frame.
Done by kids with minimum supervision.
6. Using fencing staples
attach both ends of the cane onto the frame. The frame will keep the bottles squashed up. Staple as many rows as possible until the frame is filled. Done by kids with minimum supervision.
8. The roof can be flat or
sloping. If making a sloping roof it is best to make two triangular frames for the gables. Staple bottles onto these frames as before.
7. Screw completed frames onto uprights.
Screw the triangular gables to the posts and include a top beam and vertical supports (from the top of the gables to the top of the front and back panels). The sloping sides of the roof can be made out of similar panels as the walls. These can then be screwed onto the top beam, gable ends and top of the side panels.
The door can be made of a smaller frame hinged to a larger frame making up the front wall. Make the door smaller than the inside of the frame to allow it to open freely even if it sags. Best done by adults and older kids.
.... then start growing your flowers, veggies etc
Greenhouse Shopping list (for greenhouse of 6ft by 8ft and 6ft high)
Materials:
!4” x 4” posts: !2” x 2” timber:
4 @ 8 foot long (for corner posts sunk 2 ft into the ground)
Side frames
Back frame Front frame Front wall and door Roof sides
Top beam Top gables
4@8ft 4 @ 6 ft 4@6ft 4 @ 6ft 6@6ft 4@8ft 4 @ 5 ft * 1@8ft 4@5ft * 2 @ 6 ft 2@4ft *
Gable support *To be cut to length depending on slope and therefore height of roof.
Total 240 ft
!Garden canes 6 foot x 140 (approx)
!Hinges for door
!Screws 4” for fixing timber to posts x 40 (approx) 3” for making frame x 100 (approx)
!Fencing staples x 300 (approx) !Postcrete x 4 bags !Gravel / slabs / mulch matting !Plastic bottles x 1,500 (approx)
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