Can The Skin Be Used To Purify Water For Drinking?

Mycofiltrationis a technique that has been successfully used to treat wastewater in quantitiescomparable to the amount of sewage that would be produced from a singlehousehold. The method was developed byPaul Stamets for removing E. Coli from effluent and is able to achieve nearlyundetectable amounts of coliform in wastewater that has previously contained alevel of E. Coli that is higher than the legal limit. The process uses mushroom beds that arecolonized with mycelium fungus to trap and break down pollutants.

In additionto having the power to remove bacteria such as E. coli, studies on myceliumhave demonstrated the ability of the fungus to break down pollutants such ashydrocarbons, common oils, petroleum products, pesticides and PCBs. Certain fungal species can also capture cadmium,copper, lead, and mercury. Whilemycofiltration is currently used only for wastewater treatment, with newinnovations it may be possible to refine the filtration process so thatdrinking quality water will be produced. Mycofiltration offers a highly innovative system that can be naturallygrown, easily maintained, and highly effective at removing a large amount ofpathogens from potential drinking water.

With a layerof mycelium applied as a living roof, our structure could have a skin thatwould effectively catch and treat rainwater. The roof would be on a slight angle so that precipitation would notinitially run off, but would have time to slowly pass though the myceliumnetwork and be filtered into a collection device for storage.

Josh Van Wie

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:06PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 9

Rank: 2nd

How Many Ways can a Roof be Used?

How many functions can a roof provide?

shelter

fenestration

photovoltaic solar collection

domestic solar hot water

rain collection (roughly 14 gallons per square foot per year)

Direct and focus wind for power generation

The site for the farm lies near the crest of an escarpment: exposed to both prevailing Western winds and seasonal Chinook South winds.  Since  escarpments increase the pressure/velocity of wind near the crest, can we design a roof that will harmonize and enhance this natural phenomenon to increase the net power generating capacity of a wind turbine?

Possible limitations:  The farm is sited on the approach to Pullman/Moscow regional airport. What is the maximum height we can build a wind turbine to?   

And what about turbulence?  Would a structure that focuses wind flow create so much disturbance that the funneling effect would be negated?  

Could wind baffles made of piezoelectric material generate energy better than a conventional wind turbine?

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:08PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 7

Rank: 4th

Can we grow our house?

We looked at the concept of growing our house. We wanted to know if we could make a structure made from materials that we produced mostly on site. Our structure is composed of 4 basic components; Cottonwood trees, a thatch roof, straw bales, and earth bags. We will use the cottonwood as support for our walls, and materials for our roof. The straw bales and earth bags will provide our walls and foundation.

The Cottonwood trees (Souixland Cottonwood) seemed appropriate for this design because of their ability to grow quickly. They are also inexpensive to acquire and have little to no maintenance associated with growing them. Initially we will plant an outline of our outside structure and inner walls, as well as additional trees for extra timber. The timber will be used to make trusses for our thatch roof. The materials for our thatch roof can easily be grown on site.

Straw bale walls were incorporated because straw can easily be grown and harvested on site. It is a structure that provides excellent thermal ratings, which is appropriate for Pullman winters and summers. The straw walls are also easy to maintain in the event of compression from growing trees. Any cracks or dips in a wall can easily be cut out and replaced. The earth bags will be used to provide a foundation to keep the bales off of the ground. The bags are also a good tool because they will not need cement or other industrial products.

The overall point of this design was to build with materials that we have grown; we also wanted our building to be reusable and sustainable over time. When the building has outlasted its lifetime we can recycle parts of our structure to build a new structure.

Josh GileMisha Manuchehri

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:08PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: -8

Rank: 17th

Smart Shading System

Windows have very low thermal resistance values which makes them undesirable for thermal comfort. The Smart Shading System could reduce the impacts of windows when determining the heating and cooling requirements for a building. To analyze the amount of energy lost through a window compared to a wall section, I looked up the Washington state requirements for a wood framed wall located in Whitman County. The code minimum assemblies require an R value of 19.6 [ft² deg F/ (Btuh)] for a wall, and 3.13 [ft² deg F/ (Btuh)] for a window.

To quantify the conduction related heat loss through the minimum state required window and wall, I have compared a 4’ x 4’ wall and window area. The outside air temperature is assumed to be 100 deg F and the indoor air temperature is assumed to be 70 deg F. (note 1 W = 3.4 Btuh)

Applying the equation above to the code minimum window the amount of energy lost through a 16 ft² window is 45 [W/hr], where a code minimum wall at the same area would require 7.2 [W/hr]. As the equation shows as the temperature outside reaches lower temperatures the window areas require even more energy than the temperatures prescribed for the summertime example above. To reduce the energy lost through the windows, I propose a thermally insulated shade that is opened and closed based on a control system that determines the radiant heating potential from the window compared to the thermal conduction loss of the un-shaded window and opens and closes accordingly. A material similar to Aspen Aerogel’s Spaceloft insulation (R value of 10.3 per inch) at a thickness of 1.6” would make the window area have an equal R value to the wall area.

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:09PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 0 (neutral)

Rank: T8-14

Connecting Architecture and Food Production

Can living walls be an agronomical structure while still defining architectural spaces? Looking at the first principles of a structure and building skin we have elements like roof, walls, floor, comfort, protection, and aesthetics. Yet, how can we take that a step further to incorporate the context of the built environment? The architectural design should serve to promote the function of the organic farm in a physical and tactile way. The idea that the skin could produce food brings up the new concept of vertical farming. If we could take food production beyond just a live roof and had crops growing on the interior walls, it would open up the possibilities for a new relationship between building and site. Not only would it begin to redefine what food production means, but create a new symbiotic relationship between plants and building occupants. The room heat would extend crop cycles well into colder months, when frost and exterior temperatures begin to limit the planting seasons. Plants in turn would purify the air, and help create heat in a greenhouse effect that could then be used to decrease energy waste in terms of environmental controls. The location of the vertical-crop panels would not only begin to define the public and private spaces of the building, but would segue into a paneled, plug-and-play, system structure and skin. For example, crops would progress from being on the ground, to being a shade, to being interior vertical walls, to a green roof – all as public spaces progress to working areas and kitchens, then private living/sleeping quarters. With that, the skin can not only produce food, but redefine architecture's awareness with a new green-house.

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:10PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: -6

Rank: 15th

Miniature Solar Cells

The goal of our design is to increase the productivity of photovoltaic solar cells by dramatically reducing their size, and also by making each cell self sufficient.  Up to this point, solar cells are made in large systems, typically of 36 cells connected in series and parallel.  This design is largely functional, however, when even one of these cells is shaded, the whole systems power production decreases by up to 50%. 

Our idea is to reduce these losses by reducing the size of the solar cells, making each miniature solar cell completely self sufficient.  By connecting these much smaller cells in parallel, a shaded cell will result in only a power reduction from that one cell.  Because of this fact, these cells can be used to cover as much of the house as necessary.  This could mean the roof, part of the building, or all of the building.  It is important to keep in mind that to take advantage of the maximum amount of the suns energy, as many as possible of the solar cells should point towards true south.  Also, with smaller cells, when one nears the end of its life, it will be much less costly to replace.

Difficulties with this design idea are numerous.  The use of parallel connection results in a large amount of current, and a much smaller amount of voltage.  As a result the wiring used for the system has to be of a much greater gauge, and the power output of the system might be adversely affected (power is equal to voltage times current).  If there is not enough power, then the system is of little use.

Derek Welsh and Ryan Town

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:10PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 0 (neutral)

Rank: T8-14

Wall|roof|skin: can it (they) move|grow|live|change?

A roof that is growing a crop makes the on-farm building aproductive use of space, rather than a waste of arable ground. Green roofs also reduce the amount of heat-absorbing surface on theroof, making them the building below easier to cool, and thus more energyefficient. Green walls serve the same purpose, only instead of simply making up for arable ground lost bythe building, using their increased surface area as a growing medium actuallyresults in more productive area than there was prior to the building.

What benefits would a moving, changing, green skin bring? Askin that moves would enable the structure to expand its area to accommodatemore visitors, open walls when the sun shone, close them when the rain comes,the wind blows, or privacy is needed by the inhabitants. A structure that isonly as large as it needs to be, only as exposed as it needs to be, and only asopen as it needs to be doesn’t waste electricity heating and cooling areas thataren’t needed.

My concept incorporates the benefits of underground livingwith those of a moveable, changing structure, and a productive skin to make a building with the leastamount of impact on land, fossil fuel consumption, and the aesthetic qualitiesof the farm.

Alex VanTuyl

IDEX

Structure/Skin Assignment

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:11PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 0 (neutral)

Rank: T8-14

Reusing existing agriculture infrastructure

Update on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 2:24PM by Jason Parsley

In the drive for a new agriculture embodying local, and sustainable principles can we utilize the cast off materials and structures not from any source, but specifically from the large commodity based agriculture we seek to evolve agriculture from.  In the Palouse this means old barns, grain storage tanks, and cast off buildings left behind as agriculture shifts to ever bigger scales.  Looking at the different materials available I felt that grain tanks had the most possibility because of their long use life even after being recycled.

              By utilizing recycled grain tanks we are limited to a round building or a series of round pods connected together.  The round open spaces this would create are a effective in promoting communal dialogue in group settings, better communication between teachers  and students and a sense of continuity between people and the surrounding structure.  Additionally The shape of the structure would lend itself to greater energy efficiency from reduced wall surface area, and easier heating of internal spaces.  The round shape also would allow for a roof design to maximize solar collection incorporating a food producing greenhouse or unheated solar growing space.

Because of the low r-value of the steel pieces used in grain tank construction segue energy efficiency would be limited, however by using the varied sizes of grain tanks, multiple tanks could be nested within each other with a fill between the two tanks to provide insulation.

-Jason Parsley

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:11PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 5

Rank: 6th

Changing With The Seasons

The diagram of the structure symbolizes a roof that would be allowed to move with the seasons. In summer, the roof would be in its “down” position, which would allow the roof to be at a lower angle to more directly capture solar energy as the sun is more directly over head in the summer (~67º to the horizon). This would allow the roof to also provide overhangs to the building to provide shade to the windows to block excessive heating from the sun. In winter, the roof would be in its “up” position, which would allow the roof to again more directly capture solar energy as the sun is closer to the horizon in winter (~20º). The steep slope of the roof would additionally allow for a reduction in snow load from 21psf on a roof slope of <30º, to as little as 12.6psf with a roof slope of 45º, which would require less materials to construct.

The connection diagram symbolizes what I believe a reasonable connection would look like. Of course this is not the only solution, but what is shown is a pin or gear in the truss/rafter system that is moveable. To move this pin, two Organic Farm employees (one on each half of the building) would turn a crank that would spin sets of gears that would move the mobile pin up or down the truss/rafter system. The pin at the top could be the final gear in the gear system.

Danny Tappel

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:12PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 8

Rank: 3rd

Perennial Structure: Mycological Insulation

For a structure to be perennial, it needs to change withthe seasons. It needs to be able to adapt to changes in the environment,and to take advantage of those changes. One way to accomplish this is touse insulating material that can be easily removed and replaced with changesin weather. Mycological insulation, analogous to existing petroleum-derivedstructural insulating panels, is made from agricultural waste and themycelia of fungus. It is strong, hydrophobic, fire-retardant, has acompetitive R-value, and is extraordinarily simple to manufacture. Studentsof the organic farm could easily create mycological insulation from readilyavailable, local materials. In winter, multiple layers of insulating panelscould be used. Because the panels are non-toxic, antibacterial, and ‘baked’before fungal spores are produced, they may be exposed to the insideenvironment. When these panels are no longer necessary in summer, they canbe removed and broken down as mulch. This mulch may be used on-farm. Whenmore panels are needed, more may be manufactured in a week or less. If thedesired shape of the material changes, all that need change is the form thatthe material is grown in. Local wheat chaff, which is produced on thePalouse in abundance at the end of each growing season, provides the growingmedium. However, the medium need not be wheat chaff—comparable wasteproduced by the organic farm may serve as well. The module may take on anyshape; anyone may participate in construction.

-- Emily A. RudeSoil ScienceAgriculture and Food SystemsWashington State University: SeniorCell: 206.321.3613emily.rude@email.wsu.edu

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:12PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 0 (neutral)

Rank: T8-14

Hydrologic Pile Foundation

The use of the pile foundation has the potential to accomplish multiplegoals in our quest for a sustainable organic farm. First, using piles willeliminate the need to use concrete foundations, which is beneficial becausecement production is responsible for a considerable contribution of CO2 tothe atmosphere. Second, elevating the structure above ground will followLow Impact Development (LID) practices by introducing a minimal effect tothe normal flow of water into the ground. Third, instead of using a greenroof, we could implement a “green ground” underneath the structure, freeingthe roof for the use of PV arrays to collect solar energy or sky lighting toenhance the interior environment. The “green ground” concept simplyinvolves planting a food crop under the structure that grows in shade thatwill provide the same hydrologic and greenhouse gas capturing capabilitiesas the green roof. The final piece is the use of wood plastic composites(WPCs). Following the basic tenet that everything on the farm serve atleast two purposes, the pile foundation should be structurally integral withthe rainwater delivery system. As the rainwater is collected from the roof,it would be directed to the WPCs, which would route the water underneath thestructure to water the shade crop. Wood plastics are ideal for thisfunction because virtually any shape can be extruded; an internal vein withsmall openings at grade level could be manufactured.Tim Olson

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:13PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 10

Rank: 1st

Energy Generation from the Building

On site energy production is important for the success of the smartFARM.Solar and wind will be needed for the production of this energy, but whatabout the structures that uses all the energy? It is possible to generateenergy from the movement of the structures with piezoelectricity.Piezoelectric energy is generated from converting strain, caused fromdeformations, into electricity. The problem with piezoelectricity (just likesolar or wind power generation) is that some type of movement is needed tocreate the energy. For the piezoelectricity to work properly, the structureneeds to endure some type of strain from cyclic loading. Taking a wind stormfor example, we might already have wind turbines to generate electricity butwe can generate small amounts of additional energy from the loads on thebuilding that would otherwise be wasted.

Structures are designed to minimize the amount of movement so people insideof them do not notice the effects caused from loading. Take for example aceiling joist. They are designed to meet certain deflections requirements.These requirements come from material properties, but not only of the joistitself. The drywall that is attached to the system can only deflect so muchbefore cracking and looking like the ceiling might fall down. Also, if thereis too much deflection on a floor system, it can cause a wave like effectthat can make people feel seasick. The structure needs to be designed withconsideration for how people react to different situations, while maximizingthe deflections that cause strain. Other buildings, such as the greenhouseand barn can be designed without the human element being considered.

These structures should be able to handle more deflections and strainbecause people will not be in them during high wind events. They need to bedesign to maximum capacity and be very flexible to create higher strainswhich will generate more electricity for the farm. Like the drywall in theinterior of a building, the skin of the greenhouse needs to be consideredwhile designing the frame. If it deflects too much, it might cause theexterior to crack and break changing the inside environment that wassustained before the event. More flexible greenhouse skins (and interiorfinishes of the building) need to be used in order to generate the maximumabout of energy from the structure.

Kyle Holman

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:13PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 0 (neutral)

Rank: T8-14

Exterior Skin as Energy Producer/Recycler

The purpose of a structural skin is to provide a planer surface whichencompasses form and function. The form gives aesthetic value to functionand function provides structure and shelter. What we want to propose is astructural skin or at least part of it that can provide not only theaesthetic value, structure and shelter, but to further the value of the skinand provide us with energy to better serve the inhabitants and users on thefarm.

The way in which this system will produce energy is with algae through asystem called VAT or “Vertical Algae Technology”. The vertical elements ofthe structural skin will be comprised of bio reactor cells which form aradiator type movement, by the use of gravity, to develop algae into energyproducing bio diesel and bio waste. The bio diesel can be used on multipleenergy systems and the bio waste can then be converted into methane gasthrough composition or it can be used as a fertilizing agent on the farm.

The beauty of this system is that we can create a cycle. The VAT systemproduces algae, which is then converted to fuels. These fuels are then usedto produce combustion energy. The exhaust from the use of this energy canthen be fed right back into the beginning stages of producing the algae. TheCO2 that is put back into the system will not be released into theatmosphere and we will have the ability to apply for Carbon credits equalinga monetary gain.

Josh Colborne

Seth Saxon

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:13PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: -9

Rank: 18th

Re: Can the structure help prepare food

I forgot to put Jennifer Johnston's name.Christophe Parroco and Jennifer Johnston are the 2 names for that project

2009/9/23 christophe parroco

> We chose to tackle the question, “Can the structure help prepare food?” An> answer we came up with was to integrate a solar oven into the structure to> reduce dependence on gas or electricity to cook food. What we propose is> the implementation of a hybrid solar oven, which utilizes solar radiation as> well as gas or electric-powered heating elements to supplement when solar> radiation is lacking or to cook at a higher temperature (i.e. for roasting).> The solar oven design is an insulated assembly consisting of an angled> tempered glass top through which solar rays enter the oven and reflectors> that focus radiation into the chamber. Solar ovens having only one> reflector reach maximum temperatures of up to 150° C (300° F) but can cook> at temperatures as low as 90°C (200° F). This, with the addition of> electric heating elements, will allow for the preparation of any food just> as with the use of a conventional oven. Since the optimum angle for the> glass is the latitude of the location (Pullman’s latitude is 47° N) plus> 10°, the angle for our oven top should be 57°. Since the rooftop is> generally angled to begin with, we determined the south-facing roof would be> an ideal location for the oven. For further optimization, the reflective> panels are designed to change angle as the sun position changes. A> photoelectric eye will be used to determine the angle. A solar panel will> power the photoelectric eye and the movement of the panels. Incorporating a> solar oven into the design of the building will help reduce the amount of> energy required for cooking, hence contributing to our making the farm more> sustainable. So, to answer the question of whether our structure can help> prepare food, we offer a resounding “Yes!”

-- Please consider the environment before printing this mail.

Can the structure help prepare food

We chose to tackle the question, “Can the structure help prepare food?” Ananswer we came up with was to integrate a solar oven into the structure toreduce dependence on gas or electricity to cook food. What we propose isthe implementation of a hybrid solar oven, which utilizes solar radiation aswell as gas or electric-powered heating elements to supplement when solarradiation is lacking or to cook at a higher temperature (i.e. for roasting). The solar oven design is an insulated assembly consisting of an angledtempered glass top through which solar rays enter the oven and reflectorsthat focus radiation into the chamber. Solar ovens having only onereflector reach maximum temperatures of up to 150° C (300° F) but can cookat temperatures as low as 90°C (200° F). This, with the addition ofelectric heating elements, will allow for the preparation of any food justas with the use of a conventional oven. Since the optimum angle for theglass is the latitude of the location (Pullman’s latitude is 47° N) plus 10°,the angle for our oven top should be 57°. Since the rooftop is generallyangled to begin with, we determined the south-facing roof would be an ideallocation for the oven. For further optimization, the reflective panels aredesigned to change angle as the sun position changes. A photoelectric eyewill be used to determine the angle. A solar panel will power thephotoelectric eye and the movement of the panels. Incorporating a solaroven into the design of the building will help reduce the amount of energyrequired for cooking, hence contributing to our making the farm moresustainable. So, to answer the question of whether our structure can helpprepare food, we offer a resounding “Yes!”

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:20PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: -7

Rank: 16

Deployable Skin

Can the skin respond to its environment?

 Using thermal expansion and contraction to regulate solar heat and light gains,the skin becomes a flexible system to accommodate climate changes. When it iswarm, the skin expands providing more shading for the structure. This willallow the structure to maintain cool temperatures and diluted, ambientlighting. When conditions are cool, the skin contracts to allow for optimumsolar heat and light gains.

Scale becomes an important factor; changes in size and shape are exponentialwhen changing scale.  At a small scalethe difference may only be noticed at the molecular level. Therefore, a largescale may be needed for the entire system of materials to change substantially.The movement of the skin can also be directed to certain areas where it isneeded the most (ie. around windows).

Linear expansion or contraction is small in comparison tovolumetric expansion or contraction. Assuming a material is isotropic innature, a linear expansion of 10x, becomes a two-dimensional expansion of 100x,becomes a volumetric expansion of 10000x. These properties could be used tohelp amplify expansion and contraction in the building skin.

Bimetallic strips show that by pairing materials with different thermalexpansion coefficients, desired shapes and sizes can be designed for differentconditions. The example shown uses iron and aluminum to demonstrate thedifferent reactions of the materials. This could be used to make the skinencase the building or open up to the environment in different temperatures.

In these ways, the skin can effectively respond to itsenvironment, making the system more energy efficient and improving usercomfort.

Jessica Fuller

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:21PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 6

Rank: 5

Growing Food in and on the Structure

 

The primary purpose of agriculture is food production but concern for other objectives (eg wildlife, conservation, biodiversity, recreation and scenery) have a long history and are of increasing importance in society.

Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and perennial agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies....however:

Can the insulation be organic? biogradable?

Organic materials require little energy to manufacture - non toxic and easy to install. Rated by embodied energy (the degree of energy conservation as an insulator vs. the energy used in the manufacture. The lower the embodied energy the better.

Sheeps Wool

breathable which allows it to absorb moisture. This helps to reduce condensation particularly in winter months, and in summer the moisture is released as the material warms - which also helps as a cooling property.

wool is non-flammable

naturally resistant to decay and fungal attack

durable: life expectancy of 50 years or more

biodegradable??

Flax batts and rolls

- low embodied enegy

- recyclable

Safe to handle and easy to install

High natural content

biodegradable

Straw

low embodied energy

recyclable

renewable resource

biodegradable

100% natural content

susceptable to fungal decay - unless treated with boron

very heavy, needs to be kept dry to avoid swelling (needs dry climate)

Self Healing/Living Structure

Self healing materials are materials capable of autonomously repairing internal damage, like cracks and pores in a structural environment.

The incorporation of a self-healing capability....

Foundation Idea: 

digging out some of the earth, dumping in some gravel and covering gravel with boards of naturally moisture resistant black locust.

Main structure:

a rectangular shape allows for more storage per square foot

Roof:

living roofs are great insulators and provide space on which plants and animals can grow 

most roofs are flat..except in Greenland and Iceland for snow removal.

most living roofs use a waterproof petroleum-based liner. Bentonite clay is a natural alternative which swells to several times its normal size when wet. A layer of the clay serves as a self-sealing membrane..if a hole pricked it it will quickly close after water is applied. 

After about 5 years the roof has a strong potential to leak..This could be an experimental place to house a generator and or battery

Even if we built a temporary structure it should still be water and air tight

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:21PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 4

Rank: 7

Structure for Energy

Is it possible for the structure to be made with components that provideelectricity? For example, these wind panels could become part of thebuildings and they could also be used as windbreaks. Each panel would bemade up of micro wind turbines to generate electricity. They could be placedin optimum locations on the site to take advantage of the prevailing winds.The moderate slope of the site would amplify the wind speeds and the slopedroofs of structures would do the same. The “wind shadow” that the panelcreates could be used to plant crops that need protection from the wind. Thegoal is for each element to have multiple functions. In this casestructure, energy and protection.

Jonathan Follett

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:22PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 0 (neutral)

Rank: T8-14

Can Structure + Skin be seasonal?

Update on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 11:51AM by Blaine Neu

We first asked the question, “How can Structure + Skin be seasonal?”  “Of course!” being the answer, a new question arose;  “What does it mean to be seasonal? First, it must change, as do the seasons. There are different requirements for ventilation, sunlight, and insulation. In the warm summer, there must be greater ventilation, less direct sunlight, and less insulation.  In the winter, there is less of a need for ventilation, and a greater need for direct sunlight and insulation. These were the parameters on our way to our solution.

We began with the concept of panels growing and shifting, expanding or shrinking according to the seasons. Several layers, perhaps, that changed to address all the parameters of seasonal differences.  We took a step back.  Radical? Absolutely! Possible? Maybe later down the road.  “How can we make this same solution more practical?”

We then arrived to our current solution. The structure would most simply be the panels that don’t move.  The exterior panels then slide to adapt to the seasons. Opened allows for ventilation in the remaining space now uncovered.  Sun shelf’s provide the shade in the now vulnerable structure/skin opening to allow a wash of indirect sunlight to penetrate into the space, while blocking direct sunlight.  Along with the additional ventilation, it shifts the R-Value of the structure into a singular panel, in essence doubling the R-Value, but with the system, the insulation is only as great as its weakest location (being the opening).

In the cold winter, the panels close.  Ventilation is not needed, and is lost (though there are potential exceptions).  The closing of the envelope provides a homogenous insulation.  The windows are kept to a small area so as to not weaken the R-Value to much, but allow for as much direct sunlight as possible. The double/triple glazed windows would be shifted from one glazing to the other at an angle according to the winter sun, blocking direct summer sun but allowing direct winter sun.

Some possible progression has been made that brings in some of the previous ideas earlier lost, but keeping it practical as well.  The idea is customization with each panel within the panel to be opened, moved, closed, removed, replaced.  As there are colors in the simple diagram to the right (which shows on our notecard but not here), each could potentially respond to a different seasonal parameter, borrowing from the idea of layers from our first idea. Red responding (opens and closes) to the sun, Blue responding (remove and replace) to ventilation, etc.

Blaine Neu and Andrew Kracht

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:22PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: 0 (neutral)

Rank: T8-14

--Christina Duncan

Update on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 2:08PM by Christina Duncan

Bamboo will be the majority of the skin and structure of the building.  Bamboo, a grass, is very prolific in proper growing conditions.  With over 400 varieties, bamboo has adapted to growing in colder regions similar to that of the Palouse.  Giant Gray Henon (30-40ft), Makinoi (60ft) and David Bisset Bamboo (23ft) are only a handful of those we could consider.  These varieties are running bamboo, making them ideal for creating a screen or in our case a wall, because they grow straight and tall and can be planted very close together without impeding its growth.

The structure has the capability to continually regenerate itself because each spring new culms grow.  These culms have many potential uses.  If the skin was complete or if the culms were spreading too far from the structure we could prune them.  Second, as the older culms started dying the new culms would grow to replace them.  Finally, the culms could grow just enough to be harvested and then given away to be planted or eaten as another crop of the farm.

Bamboo can be used from cradle to grave.  The main use of the culms is the creating the skin and structure.  Later, they can be used as a fuel source on the farm or made into bamboo flooring.

There would be minimal disturbance to the site during construction.  The only resources used in the making of this structure are water, sunlight and adding mulch or compost to the soil to increase the nutrients.

Update on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 4:22PM by Jessica Fuller

INTUITIVE Rankings for STRUCTURE submissions through the lens of WATER:

Grade: -10

Rank: 19