WEBSITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Respectful and in Symbiosis with the Local Environment and it’s Resources

 

Maintain and restore the Earth’s diversity and ecological vitality:

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• Avoid disturbance to ecologically sensitive areas such as wetlands, floodplains, estuaries, natural forests etc. Preserve as much virgin land as possible. 

• Protect existing natural vegetation. This is vitally important for protecting bio-diversity. Natural vegetation plays a critical role in our environment by providing habitat for wildlife, assisting in regulating the climate, retaining moisture and preventing drought and desertification. 

• Ensuring no overall loss to vegetation cover. Plants generate oxygen, cleaning the air and absorbing excess C02, thus helping to offset the effects of pollution and global warming. As development clears vegetation for roads, parking areas, buildings etc. development needs to off-set the loss with the planting of trees and climbing creepers as well as building planters, roof gardens, living roofs etc. 

• Restoring degraded land. Natural features, roadway designs and run-off are manipulated for erosion control and on-site storm water catchments for the watering of vegetation. 

• Protecting soils. Soils need protection to avoid erosion. As such, all site work needs to take measures to avoid soil erosion and be as sensitive in ones disturbance as possible. Valuable agricultural land is not taken out of production. However where this is in part unavoidable, the topsoil should be saved for use elsewhere. 

• Protecting natural watercourses. Protecting natural watercourses.Prevent disturbance and pollution to all sources of water.

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Maximize the beneficial use of locally available resources:

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• Sun – is an abundant free source of energy and is used for lighting, heating and cooling purposes. It can be harnessed both actively and passively i.e. with passive solar design and solar water heating systems photo-voltaic cells. 

• Wind – it can be harnessed for cooling and natural ventilation as well as providing a source of renewable energy. 

• Vegetation – gives protection from the elements and is an excellent climate moderator, purifying and humidifying the air, providing wind shelter, shade, etc. It also provides sustainable resources such as thatch, timber, firewood and food. 

• Landforms – both natural and artificial can channel or divert winds, provide shade, reflect heat etc. Their features can be capitalized on for storm water management, erosion control, and roadway design as well as in passive solar systems. 

• Water – can be sourced, as well as re-used locally. By tapping the Earth’s free sources of water - rainfall and dew, and reusing wastewater with grey water recycling systems - our reliance on large dams and expensive infrastructures are reduced. 

• Locally available building materials – stone, clay, straw, thatch, reeds and timbers, scrap, etc should be utilized in preference to imported, manufactured products.  

• Existing buildings and infrastructure – are respected and should be restored and adapted for reuse, or elements recycled and material reconstituted to provide useful ‘new’ materials.