This document provides an overview of sustainable construction and compares PermaConstruction and BioConstruction approaches. It discusses key concepts like bioclimatic architecture, using local and natural materials like lime, wood, and plastic in innovative ways. Examples highlighted include cave houses, hobbit domes made from recycled materials, and living constructions like vine bridges that are integrated with nature. The document emphasizes designing buildings according to permaculture principles to meet social and environmental needs rather than just personal preferences.

1. + PDC
Module 4 of the PDC+++
+ +
Energy & EcoTechnology
We dedicate this Module to the Mother &
Class Father of Integral Permaculture: Dana
Meadows & Howard Odum, two original
M4.7 pioneers who helped humanity make
Perma great strides in understanding systemic
thinking, in all four quadrants.
Constru
-Action This class provides a solid introduction of the science & technology of the
home, covering bio-climactic principles as well as choice of materials, location &
design context.
But we also question the great emphasis which is put on more & larger
construction by the alternative movement these days.
BioConstruction or EcoBuilding are terms which technically mean 'construction
which promotes life' or 'ecological building', not something which is centered -
yet again - on consumerist values: putting human whims & comfort above all
else.
How or when are these 'bio' & 'construction' terms used in contradictory ways?
Do we need to coin a new 'perma-construction' term?

2. M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction,
& How many Types Exist?
PermaConstruction vs.
BioConstruction Direct link to this
chapter in the e-book:
BioClimatics www.bit.ly/Perma
Construction
• Lime, Wood & Plastic
• Innovative Examples

3. M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction,
& How many Types Exist?
PermaConstruction vs.
BioConstruction Direct link to this
chapter in the e-book:
BioClimatics www.bit.ly/Perma
Construction
• Lime, Wood & Plastic
• Innovative Examples

4. PermaConstru-Action is
one which follows
Construction PermaCulture Ethics,
Principles & Guidelines
& takes into
account BioConstruction
ALL
quadrants
Perma
Construction

5. Class 2.5 of the PDC+++
¿How do we ensure optimal resource use & best
choice of materials, interventions & technologies?
This is something so basic that it is quite common to fall into old
habits, simply copy what others have done or (even worse) use the
materials 'we like', those we are familiar with, or technologies we
find pleasant instead of those which do, in fact, best fit the criteria of
sustainability.
In this class we look at the importance & thinking behind the
hierarchy of resources & the scale of interventions, two tools
amongst various which we use to ground our designs.

6. Guidelines for Integral Design
1. Make a sketch of your habitual design PROCESS
(e.g.. of the last thing you designed)
Individual
2. Observe how it differs from the Design Frameworks
(shown in class M2.4)
1 6 4
3. Analyze your Design Motivations (see class M2.3) &
if it fits well with your Vision & Mission 5
2 3
4. Are there other designs that could represent a better
use of resources (that YOU control) for
sustainability?
5. Make a list of the various designs you could make (a
brainstorming) & then a PMI analysis of each one. Collective
6. Present this in your Design Portfolio!
The objective is to create systems that are ecologically sustainable,
economically viable, that satisfy needs, don't exploit or contaminate & that
are self-sufficient in the longer-term.

7. COMMON HERITAGE
Energíes coming into our Forests, water, soils, air, seeds
… 0) cause pollution if NOT
system – used, all our 'junk'
Sun, wind, rain, people … PEOPLE
work
1) INCREASE by modest use,
CLASSIFICATION - For analysis of USE - RESULTS
Cut-&-come-again salads,
information, creativity
ENERGY ACCOUNTING
living components
And technology 2) UNAFFECTED by use
Returned water (hydroplant),well
managed ecosystems, a view,
good climate …
Some RESOURCES
are Useful Reserves 3) DISAPPEAR/ DEGRADE if
needed RESOURCES Too much = pollution not used waste water, crop
failure, fish-escapes
to keep
the trade
4) REDUCED by use
system Use 4 y 5 only natural forests, coal, oil, poorly-
to create managed marine and forestry
Surplus = YIELD conserve resources
infrastructure
5) POLLUTE if used pesticides,
nuclear, oil, scorn, contempt ...
Managing resources - regulate all uses to create a
sustainable harvest

8. A sustainable system produces all the energy and resources that
it needs for its maintenance and growth.
physical What remains is the “harvest”
Legal / social
administrative
Input energy < Maintenance energy + HARVEST
biological
cultural
spatial “HARVEST”
of a system is
theorically unlimited
- IMAGINATION -
temporal Considers „upstream costs‟
(input enegy) &
„downstream costs‟ (e.g. health)
Cicles
technical Niches in
time
“catching the flow”
ENERGY
ACCOUNTING
preservation (Sustainability)

9. physical
Legal / social
administrative
biological e.g. Short-Life Housing Coops
cultural
spatial “HARVEST”
of a system is
theorically unlimited
- IMAGINATION - - Legalization of squatters -
temporal lots of alternative people
together!
Input energy < Maintenance energy + HARVEST
technical
A sustainable system produces all the energy and
resources that it needs for its maintenance and growth.
What remains is the “harvest”
preservation

10. “May you live in interesting times”
see class 5.10
we are destroying 200
species per day - all being designing with Myth
The tranformed to human
biomass extinction of
External biodiversity
right now are alive 3/4 of the
65+ year olds that have ever
& lived. A fundamental problem
Collective the gray wave
of the 21st century.
moves ALL
the other
2000 CLIMATE
quadrants PETROL PEAK
2020 CHANGE
monetary
instability
&
in the last 20years, the 500
the information
largest firms in the world revolution ... things are a lot more
increased their production &
sales by 700% whilst REDUCING interesting than we
their labour force usually imagine ...

11. Can we INCREASE
in Complexity
while LOWERING
energy consumption?
Only if we become MORE intelligent :)
... & fast...
hystorical transitions are accelerating

12. Take into account ALL these factors!
BioConstruction vs. PermaConstruction
Design
Is born from a personal Is born from a motivation
or institutional wish real social need M2 (M2.3)
Resources
“Natural materials” used Materials used following
Resources Scale
Scale
following whims, trends…
M2.5 y M4.2
Ethics &
Consumist culture Activist culture Principles
M1 y M5

13. M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction,
& How many Types Exist?
PermaConstruction vs.
BioConstruction Direct link to this
chapter in the e-book:
BioClimatics www.bit.ly/Perma
Construction
• Lime, Wood & Plastic
• Innovative Examples

14. Bioclimatic architecture consists in the design of buildings taking into account the climatic
conditions, making use of the available resources (sun, vegetation, rain, winds) to reduce the
environmental impacts, trying to reduce energy consumption,
based on principles intertwined with the local culture.
Hórreos in Galicia, Spain
Vernacular
architecture:
localized needs
& materials
reflect local traditions
evolves over time
reflects environmental,
Swiss Chalet cultural, technological,
in the Vaud Alps & historical context
Animals downstairs, warm floor
Straw upstairs, warm roof Cool & Dry
Snow protection Rodent protection
Cave houses
in Granada, Spain
Cave effect:
warm in winter
& cool in summer

15. Most of house underground: high insulation
High thermal mass easy to heat in winter
Shaded in summer (also with plant shade)
Summer
sun
Isolating cover
Thermal Winter
mass sun
Atmospheric temp
soil layer
Thermal
mass Intermediate temp
soil layer
Constant 14ºC soil layer

16. Isolating cover
Thermal
mass
Atmospheric temp
Thermal soil layer
mass
Intermediate temp
soil layer
Constant 14ºC soil layer
Heat accumulated in daytime released at night
(ideal for desert climates: hot days, cold nights)

17. M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction,
& How many Types Exist?
PermaConstruction vs.
BioConstruction Direct link to this
chapter in the e-book:
BioClimatics www.bit.ly/Perma
Construction
• Lime, Wood & Plastic
• Innovative Examples

18. Qualities
• air purity
• hygrometric regulation
• transpirability
• thermal isolation
• natural temperature regulation
because of progressive carbonatation
• no radiation
• no additives

19. The Lime Cycle
Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)
Mortar, Render, blaster ... Quarried Limestone
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Using & Drying
Water (H2O) Lime Burning
Calcium Oxide (CaO)
Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)
Lime Slacking QuickLime
Lime putty
Water (H2O)

20. M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction,
& How many Types Exist?
PermaConstruction vs.
BioConstruction Direct link to this
chapter in the e-book:
BioClimatics www.bit.ly/Perma
Construction
• Lime, Wood & Plastic
• Innovative Examples

21. Wood is one of the oldest building materials (& multi-purpose)
Structure
internal &
external fittings
laminates
carpentry
in structures &
exteriors
floors, etc
Advantages:
• low cost (lightweight & low energy
consumption needed for production &
processing)
• inexhaustible natural resource (with
sustainable production: endless solar enegy)
• more resistant than steel
•& concrete
• can be cut and worked with using simple
tools and machines
• strong in tension, compression & flexible

22. also very
easy to
recycle
Carbon
sink

23. M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction,
& How many Types Exist?
PermaConstruction vs.
BioConstruction Direct link to this
chapter in the e-book:
BioClimatics www.bit.ly/Perma
Construction
• Lime, Wood & Plastic
• Innovative Examples

24. Transforming
Rubbish
Needs lots of imagination
... & personal growth (apparently)
into Dreams
Help us invest in a healthier world for the future generations

25. A Big Challenge for All of Us
Urgent social need
❖ In Spain we generate
more than 550kg of
rubbish per person
per year
❖ In the Canaries 750kg
per person per year
(3/4 of a ton)
❖ In each square kilometer of the sea there are floating
18,000 plastic remains ...
❖ ... killing many animals every day

26. The Plastic Problem
Urgent google Great Pacific Garbage Patch
environmental need
❖ Soft plastic and plastic
fibers‟ decomposition
time is between
20 & 50 years
❖ Hard plastic‟s
decomposition time is ❖ Two huge floating plastic dumps,
more than collected by Pacific currents
500 years
❖ Bigger than the USA in area

27. The Plastic Problem
Health, environment, social problem…
dump in Graciosa Island - Canarias
❖ If it‟s burnt in dumps, the problem might be worse:
❖ DIOXINS, some of the most toxic known substances, are
generated … & nowadays found even in mother‟s milk

28. Let‟s Transform
PROBLEM
... Beyond Recycling ...
into SOLUTION
with some compassion, creativity & imagination

29. The Resources Scale is a tool used in Permaculture Design
0) cause pollution if NOT
used, all our 'junk'
¿Which ❖ We always
1) INCREASE by modest use,
use the Cut-&-come-again salads,
Materials & highest
information, creativity
possible
Resources types in this 2) UNAFFECTED by use
Returned water (hydroplant),well
managed ecosystems, a view,
Resources good climate …
will be used Scale that…
3) DISAPPEAR/ DEGRADE if
in a really
(classified by use consequence)
not used waste water, crop
failure, fish-escapes
Sustainable These > > > > > >
4) REDUCED by use
natural forests, coal, oil, poorly-
managed marine and forestry
Society? ONLY if highers can’t be
used & to create structures
resources
5) POLLUTE if used pesticides,
to harvest the others, the nuclear, oil, scorn, contempt ...
most sustainable resources

30. We Create “Hobbit Domes” "
Creating the future environments: where it‟s possible to live WITHOUT generating
rubbish, recycling everything
small (for 1 person or mini-homes in
couple) a new EcoVillage
in the Canaries
95% rubbish: plástic,
cardboard,
newspapers & tires
iron support
super-isolated from
cold and heat
& very cozy
when plastic is protected from heat light & the weather, it stays inert, hygienic & long-lasting

31. That will become
Invisible in the Landscape
covered by trees and
blended into climbing vines
Nature
100% invisible
more isolation
surface for plants
+ very beautiful
This is the first prototype ... it can‟t be seen anymore: trees & vines cover it completely

32. Dome BioClimatics
super-isolated (air, “Living in a little
house” is an
plant shadow) important personal “inner
development bioclimatics”?
air circulation phase
very important
thick papier-mâché
layer “breathes” inside
(painted with lime)
absorbs humidity (for
respiration) in winter

33. M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction,
& How many Types Exist?
PermaConstruction vs.
BioConstruction Direct link to this
chapter in the e-book:
BioClimatics www.bit.ly/Perma
Construction
• Lime, Wood & Plastic
• Innovative Examples

34. Spiral Richard
Island Sowa

35. Michael Reynolds (Garbage Warrior)

36. Dan Phillips
all
recycled

37. Bio = Life
Living Constructions
=
BioConstructions

38. The Vine Bridges in the Iya Valley, Japan

39. Really BIOlogic
The Root Bridges in India

41. M4.7 * What is Sustainable Construction,
& How many Types Exist?
PermaConstruction vs.
BioConstruction Direct link to this
chapter in the e-book:
BioClimatics www.bit.ly/Perma
Construction
• Lime, Wood & Plastic
• Innovative Examples