Gaia Education Design for Sustainability:
Week 3 - Ecological Design

27 October - 2 November 2012

Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design

This module will introduce the fundamentals of restoration ecology, ecological footprint of the built environment, regulatory environment, project planning - vision, values and principles, strategic objectives, performance targets (sustainability indicators), design specifications, delivery vehicles and monitoring.


Appropriate Technology Water

Natural wastewater treatment systems enhance the forces nature uses to reduce pollution by harnessing the metabolic processes of living ecologies to break down and digest organic wastes in water. Engineered ecologies provide a high degree of biodiversity, resulting in stable and robust processes. These processes involve establishing diverse life forms in new combinations of species within engineered settings to meet specific requirements. Nature is both mother and teacher.

Simple natural treatment technologies and construction methods will be explored, including recycling systems for treated effluent. Process calculations will provide sizing information. More highly engineered systems, which use less land than simple systems, will be explained.

Organic Agriculture and Local Food

This module explores the role of food in community, from the way we relate to the land on which it is produced, to the celebration of life that is eating together. We will discuss and experience different approaches to the production and distribution of food as shared from the experience of participants in the workshop. We will visit and participate in farming and gardening projects in the locality and will cook a meal together for which we will have harvested the vegetables ourselves.

Topics include:
The basic principles and practices of organic and biodynamic food production
How to build and maintain a mulch garden
How to create a Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) scheme
Food as nutrition and as a central community ritual
Urban growing and distribution integrated into the social fabric of the settlement
Composting of organic solid wastes


Appropriate Technology Energy

This module will provide an overview of methods using renewable energy sources and their practical applications and costs. We will compare and contrast renewable sources and conventional sources: costs, installation/running, benefits, disadvantages, pollution, carbon footprint, convenience and availability.

Topics include:
Requirements for appropriate technology
Renewable energy sources including -
Bio fuels and biomass
Solar energy
Wind power
Wave power
Hydroelectric power


Appropriate Technology Green Building

This module is an introduction to the principles of ecological building and retrofitting. It will provide enough information so that students will be able to evaluate building materials and methods in terms of environmental standards for energy and resource conservation.

Topics include:
The use of low cost indigenous construction techniques as well as conventional construction
Construction types - timber frame, straw bale, cob wall, rammed earth, breathing wall construction, adobe, earthships etc.
Simple ways of using nature's renewable energy sources

The Gaia Education Design for Sustainability is being introduced at this time to complement, correspond with, and assist in setting a standard for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014.

Please complete the Application Form and Enrolment Questionnaire to book online.
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Fees
Income related price for Week 3 only (click here for more information): £495 / £545 / £695
For the full four-week programme: £1735 / £1925 / £2395

Fees include the programme content, accommodation, vegetarian meals and field trips.

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