Eco~Architecture & Eco~Living: 2013

Friday, November 29, 2013

$1,000 Foldable Solar Powered House - IS THIS FALSE ADVERTISING?

NOTE: The more I look at this design and the cost, and see that it's really nothing more than a cheap "tent" on a cheap metal pole frame, the more disgusted I am. $1,000.00 and call it "refugee shelter?" You can buy a better tent from any camping outfit and get a better deal and something that actually might make people feel at home instead of in a prison or living in a storage shed. Would I live in this? No, and I wouldn't expect anyone else to either.

And they have the nerve to call it a "solar powered house" when it actually lights one small light bulb. Talk about false advertising! Look at that one tiny window... the whole thing makes me sick. I wouldn't want to live there... why should we subject "poor people" to such indignity? And then act like you are helping to "shelter" human beings who have lost everything? IKEA should be ashamed of itself.

I'm not taking this down because I'm sure people are initially interested in the design as I was, and I will be posting other comments I have received from real architects who care about real disaster housing. In the meantime, please send me anything you find out about this IKEA style design. I think it stinks.

Everyone is getting into the act now that we have so many "natural" (man-made) disasters.
Greed has once again entered the ring.

_______

Also See IKEA on Inhabit.com: http://inhabitat.com/ikeas-solar-powered-flat-pack-refugee-shelters-offer-easily-deployable-emergency-housing/ikea-refugee-shelter1/?extend=1

by Off Grid World on November 29, 2013 Leave a Comment

IS THIS FALSE ADVERTISING? This is not a real "solar powered house" outside of running one small light bulb, nor is it anything more than a folding metal chicken shed. See my notes above.

$1000 Foldable Solar Powered House Designed by IKEA To Provide Shelter For Refugees

IKEA has teamed up with UNHCR* to create and provide a solution for refugee housing. A $1000 fold-out house.

*UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency
www.unhcr.org/‎

The new IKEA/UNHCR shelters will make their first appearance in Ethiopia next month, where locals will give the solar powered huts a test drive.

More photos and slideshow on their site: http://inhabitat.com/ikeas-solar-powered-flat-pack-refugee-shelters-offer-easily-deployable-emergency-housing/ikea-refugee-shelter1/?extend=1

Now, with IKEA’s help, these displaced citizens will not only have privacy and comfort, but the dignity of having their own place- that can last for three years. The makers of the furnishings in your first “grown up” apartment, IKEA, have turned their easy assembling sensibilities out of the urban apartment and onto the global village.

via: http://inhabitat.com/ikeas-solar-powered-flat-pack-refugee-shelters-offer-easily-deployable-emergency-housing/
via: http://www.ikeafoundation.org/News-Details?NewsID=NEWS-02112012121319
IKEA FOUNDATION http://www.ikeafoundation.org/
via: http://weburbanist.com/2013/10/27/deconstructing-the-1000-ikea-flat-pack-refugee-shelter/
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/photo-gallery-ikea-shelters-for-somali-refugees-fotostrecke-102954-3.html

23 Surprisingly Gorgeous Homes Made From Shipping Containers

Because shipping containers are like Legos for adults. posted on October 15, 2013 at 5:56pm EDT

Kristin Chirico BuzzFeed Staff

This is a shipping container. It’s used to transport large amounts of goods on boats and on trains. By itself, it’s pretty boring.

Via renaissanceronin.wordpress.com

But with a little imagination, the shipping container becomes a cheap, reliable building block that can be used to build chic little getaway homes and castles of majesty alike!

1. Like this adorable guest house:

Via homedit.com

Look at those wood floors. Just look at them.

Via homedit.com

There’s even a garden on top!

Via homedit.com

2. This bright and modern Redondo Beach home…

Via interiorholic.com

…which is even bigger than you think.

Via money.cnn.com

And if it’s a lovely evening, you can lift up the wall and bring the evening to you.

Via money.cnn.com

3. This amazing New Zealand beach house is like the perfect sun porch during the day…

Via onekindesign.com

…and the coziest little party house at night.

Via onekindesign.com

It even has a fireplace!

Via onekindesign.com

4. This shipping container has literally been turned into a treehouse.

Via containerhome.info

5. This is the woodland cottage of your dreams.

Via shippingcontainerhousedesign.com

6. This shipping container house actually has another house built INSIDE it!

Via homedit.com

See?

Via homedit.com

7. This hobbity home is able to blend into its environment.

Via interiorholic.com

8. This painted fancy pad by Brazillian Architect Marcio Kogan doesn’t try to hide the containers.

Via homedit.com

Instead, it lets them be the fun little Legos that they are.

Via homedit.com

9. The Ecopod can be on or off the grid, and is entirely made from recycled materials.

Via thedailygreen.com

Even the floor is made from recycled car tires!

10. The Kalkin House in Vermont knows how to make an entrance.

Via Flickr: rt48state

This house doesn’t even make you decide whether you want to be outdoors or in.

Via swipelife.com

11. This adorable snow fort in Quebec took seven shipping containers to make.

Via ottawacitizen.com

12. This delightful cabin was the first shipping container home in Colorado.

Via archdaily.com

13. Would you even guess that the Beach Box, a beach house in the Hamptons, was made from shipping containers?

Via beachboxit.com

It makes for instant detailed ceilings!

Via beachboxit.com

14. This bright and light little prefab home is like a Barbie Dream House come to life.

Via treehugger.com

15. The Manifesto House in Chile was built for only $118,000.

Via mnn.com

That staircase looks almost like it’s floating.

Via archdaily.com

16. This two-story American Dream embraces its shipping container roots, as well.

Via tstf.co

17. The Boxcar Child in you wants to live here so badly.

Via inhabitat.com

18. This Mojave Desert home almost makes you want to live in the Mojave Desert.

Via homedsgn.com

19. This contemporary home was built from only five containers, and while it may seem dark…

Via homedit.com

…inside it’s all roominess and textures and WINDOWS!

Via homedit.com

20. This in-your-face Chilean hillside house turns up the drama.

Via containerhome.info

21. This little cabin is practically a playhouse for adults.

Via bhousedesain.com

22. This Sri Lankan holiday cabin was built on an army base, and was made from a shipping container and other reclaimed materials, including old weapons boxes and timber from old bunkers.

This Sri Lankan holiday cabin was built on an army base, and was made from a shipping container and other reclaimed materials, including old weapons boxes and timber from old bunkers.

Via containerhome.info

23. This San Jose home has a slanted roof on top to let hot air out and sunlight in.

Via treehugger.com

It cost only $40,000 to build.

Via treehugger.com

But it has million dollar views.

Via treehugger.com

Monday, August 26, 2013

Bottle School in the Phillipines - How To Build

http://www.inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-schools.html

Bottle Schools

Pepsi partnered with the My Shelter foundation to build this school house made of 9,000 plastic bottles in San Pablo, Philippines. Thousands of volunteers recruited by Pepsi -- collected the used bottles, helped to raise awareness of the Philippines classroom shortage and participated in building the structure. Pepsi's clean-up campaign website, sarapmagbago.com and lots more photos here: facebook.com/pepsisarapmagbago
Photo © Kristel Marie Fuentes Gonzales.

plastic bottle school

After the 9,000 bottles were collected each 1.5 and 2-litre bottle was filled with adobe (sand, clay, and water with a bit of straw, twigs or manure thrown in). This machine made the filling much easier. Pic: 1.bp.blogspot.com Video: www.youtube.com

plastic bottle school

The filled bottles set out to dry...

plastic bottle school

The building process begins. Pic: www.micealiling.com

plastic bottle school

String is used to keep the bottles in place as the adobe is being applied.
Pic: www.micealiling.com

plastic bottle school

Ran out of caps...

plastic bottle school

A bit more cement will be applied and smoothed out.
Photo © Kristel Marie Fuentes Gonzales

plastic bottle school

Photo © Kristel Marie Fuentes Gonzales

plastic bottle school

Almost there. The roof is made of compressed tetra packs.
Photo © Kristel Marie Fuentes Gonzales

bottle school

One wall is made of glass bottles.
Photo © Kristel Marie Fuentes Gonzales

The inside walls were whitewashed.
Pic: campaignbrief.com www.bottleschoolproject.org

plastic bottle construction

Photo © Kristel Marie Fuentes Gonzales
www.bottleschoolproject.org

On the other side of the planet:

In Guatemala, volunteers with the help of the community, build plastic bottle school houses using a construction method pioneered by non-profit Pura Vida. The first plastic bottle school in Guatemala was started by volunteers in the Peace Corps and when they ran out of resources they called on Hug It Forward, an NGO that has now helped build numerous plastic bottle schools accross Guatemala. www.hugitforward.com

First, the students and volunteers stuff the plastic bottles with insulating trash. Each student is asked to collect and fill at least 20 bottles. They stuff each bottle with plastic waste, such as styrofoam, snack wrappers and plastic bags - the more compacted, the sturdier the building blocks and the less garbage remaining on the streets. www.flickr.com

plastic bottle construction

Hugitforward builds bottle schools a different way.
www.hugitforward.com

plastic bottle construction

The stuffed bottles are tied with string to keep them in place. Pictured is the 5th Hug it Forward school, under construction in La Cereza, finished July 2010. www.hugitforward.com

plastic bottle construction

Bottles strung to chicken wire on one side. Now the chicken wire will be placed on this side as well. www.flickr.com

plastic bottle school

Students stuff waste plastic in between the bottles. www.flickr.com

plastic bottle construction

The older students are called in for the higher work. www.flickr.com

plastic bottle construction

Applying cement to the inside of the building...
Students help sift the sand, mix and then apply cement that was donated. www.flickr.com

plastic bottle construction

And on the outside... Three layers of cement are applied. www.flickr.com

plastic bottle construction

Neater job = better trowel...
This is the 5th Hug it Forward school, under construction in La Cereza, finished July 2010. www.hugitforward.com

plastic bottle building

This school used metal frames instead of cement posts.
www.hugitforward.com

plastic bottle building

This one with a thatched roof. www.flickr.com

plastic bottle building

The final look - you would never know the main ingredient if they did not leave cutouts... www.flickr.com

plastic bottle construction

A cutout. Just a reminder...
www.hugitforward.com

plastic bottle construction

Outside -- under construction. A bench surrounding a tree. www.flickr.com

Bottle Construction ‘How-to’ By Laura Kutner, Peace Corps/Guatemala
Source: www.peacecorps.gov

1. Make sure your community is involved and that you have a safe/approved location to build.
2. Make sure you have a budget and enough funding.
3. Collect and stuff bottles and gather lots of inorganic trash. Each bottle and all of the stuffing material has to be clean (rinsed in water) and dried. If anything is wet or dirty it will become moldy and start to smell. Organic trash, such as paper, cardboard, dirt, and rocks, cannot be used.
4. Set up a frame, foundation, and roof comprised of either wood, metal or cement columns.
5. Start putting chicken wire on the outside of the frame, then work on the inside in sections, putting in the bottles while you slowly connect the inside layer of chicken wire to the outside, securing the bottles tightly.
6. Continue section by section, until bottles are placed, then stuff all empty leftover spaces with inorganic trash.
7. Test the cement mixture (no limestone) to make sure it sticks. Then start placing the first layer of cement.
8. When this dries, start a second layer.
9. Finish with a third layer then lay the flooring.
10. Inaugurate and celebrate!

Hug it Forward's
"The Bottle School Manual" a step-by-step guide to building a bottle school, complete with pictures and diagrams of each stage of the construction process. www.bottleschools.com

Another organization working with plastic bottles in Latin America: www.longwayhomeinc.org
A plastic bottle latrine with composting toilet: catorcekt.wordpress.com

See IG's Plastic Bottle Homes page as well... inspirationgreen.org/plastic-bottle-homes

Hug It Forward - 3 Months of filming compressed into a 3 minute video. This is a good overview of the hard work, dedication, win-wins, and excitement surrounding Bottle Schools.

Share this page... http://www.inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-schools.ht

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Keyhole Gardens

This sustainable gardening method uses kitchen and garden waste and gray water (or wash water) as food for your vegetables.

Moon Gates

A threshold between worlds, (or garden features).

Dry Stone Walls

Constructed without mortar or cement. The art of the waller.

Wattle Edging

Ancient as gardening. Wattling is fun and attractive.

Wattle Fence

Since Neolithic times we have fenced our sheep and vegetables in this easy to make (albeit time consuming) wooden fence.

Earth Sheltered

The earth-house uses the ground as an insulating blanket that efficiently protects it from temperature extremes, wind, rain and extreme weather events.

Modern Underground

Underground homes with a modern bent. A large thermal mass stabilizes inside temperatures, giving you free heat in the winter, free cooling in the summer.

Pit Greenhouses

For those in northern, high altitude or windy climates who wish to grow their food year round. Take advantage of the insulating properties of the Earth.

Stacking Firewood

Ingenious ways to stack firewood.

Rocket Mass Heaters

The rocket mass heater works on similar properties as a masonry heater. A fast, high heat and oxygen-fed fire burn up the volatile gases and particulates, leaving very little pollution, and turn almost every ounce of wood fuel into energy.

Masonry Wood Cookstoves

Masonry heaters can incorporate cook stoves. And cook stoves can act as masonry heaters for small homes.

Masonry Heaters with Ovens

Bake ovens can be either white (the fire is in another box, usually below the oven) or black (the fire is in the same compartment as the food being cooked).

Masonry Heaters

Heat, not pollution. The cleanest burning wood stoves have been around for centuries, yet have taken a backseat to metal wood stoves and other polluting energy sources for far too long. Time for a revival!

Indoor Pizza Ovens

If you live in a cool climate, you might as well investigate adding a masonry heater along side your pizza oven. Or at least understanding them so that you might take advantage of exhaust heat.

River Rock Fireplaces

Although lots of mass and beautiful, most heat goes straight up the flue. Build a conventional fireplace for beauty alone, build a masonry fireplace for heat.

Container Homes

Somewhere around 30 million steel shipping containers exist today. 8 feet wide by 8.5 feet high, and either 20 or 40 feet long, they have been the globally standardized transportation module since 1956.

Insect Hotels

Call them bug condos, insect hotels, insect habitats, wildlife stacks, insect boxes, insect houses, insect walls, wild bee walls, insect accommodation, wild bee houses, solitary bee walls or wild bienenhaus. Wildlife habitat is rapidly disappearing. Building beneficial insects a special habitat will help your garden and the bugs.