Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Building with super-integrated energy and water systems, uses a Living Machines setup for water treatment, solar panels, etc. I want a house like this!

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2009/07/ocsl ... lding.html

Dave:
I can design you one!
Our house in the outskirts of Brisbane, Queensland in Aus, has been designed (and built by me!) to be almost self sufficient in water, power and food as well as leisure facilities.
It has a 1.5KW PV cell installation for grid interactive power supply ( we even got a cheque from our power supplier for what we put back into the Grid last quarter!), rainwater harvesting and collection (but we still pay water rates because the mains passes our property), composting toilet, planned natural swimming pool (not constructed yet), Chooks and Muscovies for eggs and meat, AP system for herbs and salad greens, garden plot for vegies (to be converted to AP system in the near future) and it is not air conditioned nor otherwise artificially cooled or heated. All water taps and the like are maximum star rated for efficiency and I have designed and built our own waste water system which re-uses treated water for outside use and vegetable gardening.
The courtyard is designed as a large evaporative cooler by the use of a water feature, all external cladding materials are no maintenance cedar siding and mini-orb corrugated iron with oiled local hardwood structural members. All windows are energy glass fitted, air tight and lockable louvred windows (which are the only window which can acheive a 100% opening!). We have a bushfire shelter planned (now that the Government has released a long awaited Standard on fire resisting construction after the bushfire devastation in Victoria recently) that also provides "prep" for other "disasters".
We have used bamboo flooring throughout, 'Modwood' (recycled timber and plastic composite) for decks and veranda flooring, local plywood ceilings, LED lighting (240V GU10 fittings, no power hungry 12V transformers!) and very efficient 'Sycamore' ceiling fans to both bed rooms and outside deck areas.
We have planned an outdoor cooking area with a wood fired 'pizza' oven (hand built, not a commercially bought unit), solar oven for bread making etc and light weight structures for vines etc.
I have a small distillation unit for 'essential' oil production and an earth coupled cellar area. Our 1 hectare block has not been cleared of the native scrub but "her in the garden" has created a mini-rain forest with her green thumb skills for about 2000 square metres! We have minimum lawn, not watered!: and her garden is designed for nil watering.
All in all, I believe that we have designed and built, a comfortable, energy efficient and environmentally responsible home without compromising on aesthetics or good design principals. We are not "Greenies" or environmental activists by any measure, but we do have a concern for the way we treat our ambient environment and what we can leave to our grandchildren (who love coming to Nana's "farm").
I also have an underlying desire to provide responsible residential design without "going over the top" for modernity or "trendy" design.
Whilst I admire some of the underlying responsible principles in the design and construction of the Building depicted in the link, I wouldn't like to live in it!! To me, it is a "trendy" attempt to promote short lived politically correct and commercially motivated environment fads without a genuine commitment to it's perceived goals.
Wow, I almost scared myself with that little diatribe!!
So, if you lived down under, in Queensland and had the desire to live in a functional, comfortable and environmentally responsible custom designed home . . then I'm your man!

Cheers IanK

Thanks for the info Ian. You know what they say: "Pics or it didn't happen" haha Seriously pics would be cool!

Dave,
Sure thing: will get some pics on the W/E to show you.
I've been building our place for about 4 years now (I only get week ends to work on it) and it is still only about 75% complete! Have only used contractors to do the stuff legally required to be done by our building regulations; that is; Electrical (wiring only, because I have made most of my own light fittings), roofing, hot and cold water supply (I didn't mention previously that I'm about to fit a 450 Litre solar HWS with 3 solar collectors) and a floor and wall tiler (My wife wouldn't let me do the tiling!! She reckoned it wasn't rocket science but it was out of my skill range!!) Other than those blokes, I have done everything else myself, with help from my 3 sons on the odd occasion! and a fabrication shop for some structural steel members for the cantilever deck.
Anyway, enough for now, pics to come!

Cheers IanK

Cool!

Nice post Dave, nice kinda comercial place but only seems to address power, shelter and water.
But since I joined this forum I've learned there is so much more.
Really looking forward to what Ian built for himself and the Mrs.
My youngest has 3 more years of high school and 1 year of college but under my control before I let her go live in a dorm. After which I am looking at getting a place a little further out in the country. And renting this place.
Much confidence in Ian's design abilities, looking forward to the pics.

Wow, its an "earth ship", but built with more conventional materials. I hope to build something similar. Some day.. Some day..

Baton MAKE Sure he designs it OPPOSITE ,, bloody Northern Hemisphere and the sun all WRONG:)
I always wondered why I got lost so easy when travelling in Asia ,, finally the penny dropped I thought I was heading North ,, which in reality was SOUTH:) Vietnam and Philippines added extra problems driving on the WRONG side of the road:)

My South African friends say the same. Problem worsens with beer!

Had a great deal of difficulty with a client in Dubbo years ago, who had a design he really liked in a book from Denmark. I tried to tell him that the "Southlights" in the roof of the book design should really be "Northlights" here in Oz . . . but do you think I could convince him of that!!
He reckoned that they had them to the South so that the sun couldn't get in . . . and I was trying to tell him the exact opposite. It tooks months before the penny dropped on his head!
And Chappo I know what you mean about being a moth. . . had great fun in (Blarney) Ireland, walking and fishing, in natural forest, towards the sun, thinking I was going North as well!! Ended up about 8 km South of where I should have been!!

Cheers IanK

sun still sets in the west?

Baton ,, come for a visit to Aus ,, the same will happen to you.
Most people instictively know where North is ,, and that is from the sun being lower in horizon in it's arc . That is opposite in Northern hemisphere and is extremely off-putting.
It's a very weird feeling.

Rough way of finding North.... point the 12 o'clock position on your watch at the sun (hold flat)... bisect the angle between the 12 and the current hour hand...

Of course this wont work with a digital watch...

O.K. BRB, DD et al. even you Chappo! here are some annotated photos of our 'Bush Hut' in Brissie. It is about 75% complete and I only have W/Es to work on it.
AP fabrication has put a bit of a hold on work on the House for about 2 months now!But seeing as I finished the GB's and started on the FT last W/E, I'll be back at it shortly.
I'm not sure what the attachment limit is per post (3?) but I will keep posting until I run out of Pics. They are in no particular order.

Cheers IanK