The Case for Eco-Domes
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Transcript of The Case for Eco-Domes
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THE CASE FOR ECO-DOMES
AS A SUSTAINABLE HOUSING ALTERNATIVE
Final Project for:
Principles of Sustainability IGlobal Sustainability Certificate
University of California Los Angeles
Prepared by:
Mauricio Jaramillo
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March 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.
Objective3
II. Background3
III. Stakeholders...4
IV. The case for Eco-Domes ..6
V. Statistics11
VI. Resources..12
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I. Objective
The objective of this final project is to present the case for eco-domes as a sustainablehousing alternative; more over this final project presents a real project as example and
explore the role of its stakeholders and the three basic principles of sustainability
(Economic Vitality, Social Equity, and Ecological Health).
II. Background
Back in 2008 a group of friends, all professional Civil Engineers interested in their social
responsibility and learning more about sustainable design. They decided to help a small
nursing home in Baja California-Mexico; the needs over there were many but it wasidentified one in particular that required immediately attention. The manager of the
nursing home was leaving in substandard conditions and the group decided to build a
home for him next to the nursing home and the eco-dome was the most feasible structure
to meet the groups interest and the economic constrictions.
Before we attempt to make the case for eco-domes as a sustainable housing alternative
we need to define sustainability and establish a methodology to assess the sustainable
qualities of eco-domes.
Sustainability is the long-term maintenance of responsibility, which has environmental,
economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of stewardship, the
responsible management of resource use. In ecology, sustainability describes howbiological systems remain diverse and productive over time, a necessary precondition for
the well-being of humans and other organisms.
Human sustainability interfaces with economics through the voluntary tradeconsequences of economic activity. Moving towards sustainability is also a social
challenge that entails, among other factors, international and national law, urban
planning and transport, local and individual lifestyles and ethical consumerism. Ways of
living more sustainable can take many forms from controlling living conditions(e.g., ecovillages, eco-municipalities and sustainable cities), to reappraising work
practices (e.g., using permaculture, green building, sustainable agriculture), or developing
new technologies that reduce the consumption of resources.
Methodology this final project tried to use the Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) rating to assess the eco-domes sustainable qualities but it was
unpractical since LEED is design for more conventional homes. In this way we opted for
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UCLA Students Experimented with new construction techniques and learned
principles of sustainability that complemented their school programs.
Volunteers- Undergraduate students from UCLA
IV. The case for Eco-domes.
The first thing to do if we want to create a sustainable building is to eliminate the use ofany toxins. Eco-Domes are built using the earth itself as material. No chemicals or toxins
are used, just lime stabilized in bags, and sometimes cement is added in wetter climates.
The end result is a very pretty and stable house that meets strict earthquake requirements.
Traditional shelters of this type seemed much more in tuned with the earth energies thanour modern boxes of today, with their sharp corners and cold atmosphere, sealed
windows and recycled air.
When you enter a round structure that rises directly up from the earth yet remains
connected to it, you enter the very womb of Earth herself. Immediately, you feel "home,"
you feel protected, you feel the love of the place.
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Eco-Dome at its final construction stage
We are unaware of the damage to both our health and nature, caused by conventional
construction methods.
Why Eco-Domes?
They are built with the sun, wind and shade in mind for passive heating andcooling
Built using the earth itself as material (90% of the material used is dirt) Minimum carbon foot print Affordable
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Volunteer digging dirt that later is use to fill the plastic-fiber tube
Volunteers preparing a plastic-fiber tube to be fill
with dirt on top of the last row on the eco-dome
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Picture from above showing the floor frame for the second story
Application of a second layer of adobe to the exterior
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Finishing of the first floor using adobe-concrete
View of the first floor with final stucco on the walls and ceramic title in the floor
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VII. Statistics.
Cost distribution
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Number of students vs. professional that volunteer in the project
Number of Female workers vs. Male workers that volunteer in the project
VI. Resources
www.calearth.org
http://youtu.be/mpz5Gq1plhM