Ecotecture: Sustainable Architecture Mini-Course

Eco-tecture is back, with even more building!

In this week long course learners will be introduced to the concept of sustainability and how sustainability relates to architecture. Each day we will cover a new element of sustainable architecture: alternative buildings, alternate fuel, alternative materials, and grey water. We will design a room in our eco house and do a small building project based on the concept of the day. On the last day, students will build a prototype of their sustainable from recycled materials found around the house. This course will use slides/video clips, lecture, hands-on building activities, and group discussion.

Alternate Buildings
We will draw a basic blue print of our current home. We will discuss alternative buildings that are eco-friendly. We will build a small geodesic dome from newspaper. 

Alternate Energy
We will redesign our kitchen with alternative fuels. We will explore multiple types of alternative energy sources: solar, water turbine, biodigestor/methane gas and build a solar oven and/or dehydrator to make brownies or dried fruit. 

Alternate Materials
We will redesign a bedroom/living space with alternative materials. We will examine alternative building materials that are easy to replace (cob, trash, etc) and build our own trash bricks. 

Alternate Plumbing
We will redesign our bathroom to use a grey water system. We will discuss grey water systems and the challenges of cleaning contaminated water. Learners will experiment with different filtration options for cleaning dirty water. 

Building Day
Today we will put it all together! Students will revise plans for their new eco-house and build it from recycled materials and/or other building supplies around the house.