EdenSpace Arcologies: Helping Humanity to Re-link to the Solar Economy
Scientists tell us that human activity is reducing the capacity to produce natural resources at the very time when we most need those resources to support not only our increasing numbers but increasing consumption as well. Specifically there is the issue of decreasing fresh water supplies and desertification which is caused by the degradation of the land through overgrazing and overfarming.
Einstein is most famous for his formula E=MC2. The formula that describes the process of the sun radiating energy to the earth is a two-part bi-directional equation where by matter is basically a concentration of energy that is bounded up with the atomic structure as the cage that keeps the atom from being released and dissipated into energy. The same relationship applies to the solar economy and its relationship to the most basic ingredients to life water, carbon and nitrogen. Since all these ingredients are present in the atmosphere, with the proper technologies we can now make many parts of the world that were previously seen as unproductive agriculturally and uninhabitable, productive and habitable through integrated highly intensive and concentrated agricultural systems.
There is enough sun so that mechanical heating using fossil fuels becomes unnecessary. The recharge of heat storage is only one part of this process. So what will become the challenge is what to with the surplus heat that will be stored in the ground via ground source geothermal system? What we propose is experimentation to determine the viability of converting what little moisture there is in the desert air through a systems by this surplus heat is used to force condensation to create dew which can then be collected and stored in tanks and cisterns for future use.
Maximize the synergistic properties of the project
Water availability
Proximity to populated areas
Alternative energy potential (wind solar)
Proximity to forest resources
Land aesthetics (tourism)
Cultural compatibility (are people in the area open to what we are doing?)
Desert and water depleted environments are ideal to demonstration the advantages of a properly designed and fully enclosed IBS system. Otherwise barren lands could be harnessed to produce resources on a highly efficient and productive level.
Provide a working prototype of a minimum size sustainable community which in an indefinitely sustainable manner provides for the physical and intellectual needs of the residents.
Provide an environment to develop and demonstrate methods and technologies whereby humanity can continue to grow in knowledge and develop technologically while reducing our impact on the natural environment.
High desert rainfall is sufficient for the native species, but is not adequate to maintain current industrialized farming systems, but we have to depart from these systems anyhow they are unsustainable. Rainwater catchment in the desert can coupled with recycling of water via enclosed growing structure can afford sufficient water for a subsistence existence without the use of ground water. However with the addition of dew collection and biomass conversation strategies that involve the importation of waste from regional urban environments to create value added agricultural products as well as energy and fertilizer. In such a configuration, the Integrated Biomass System basically converts waste materials from the mainstream society into valued added products and services that are associated with the overall mission of the project. The addition of the fuel cell and greenhouse complex are important because they allow us to take these waste materials from surrounding urban areas and extract not only the nutrients but to create biogas that then can be used to power fuel cells which create heat and electricity. However the synergistic properties of this design allow us to use what is now considered to be one of the most troubling pollutant in industrialized society CO2 into a valuable resource to accelerate plant growth. Additionally the exhaust contains vaporized water that results from the chemical reaction in the fuel cell. Further experimentation may prove that this vapor can be used to irrigate crops in the greenhouse or can be condensed down into potable water.
The shift we need to see is towards agricultural systems designed to maximize soil regeneration and plant growth and even grow plants through hydroponics integrated with aquaculture systems which have the double benefit of providing food for human consumption as well as fertilizer for the plants. The heat water, and CO2 all work parallel in the greenhouse complex where we these resources interact with each other in various feedback loops to maximize the conversion of heat gain towards not only plant growth but also as part of a process to collect dew.
Today we live and work in structures with a short useable lifespan, and with no "roots." Our built environment has no connection to our human cultures and communities and the natural world.
This model has several advantages:
More frugally uses resources thus reducing our ecological impacts allowing us to become a part of a real alternative to current thoughtless patterns of resource consumption
Gives people a sense of connection in relation to community and nature through the integration of the spa back into the public space
Provides some level of protection from disaster whether natural or man-made
Promote practical working models of sustainable, super energy efficient, eco-friendly built environments that can be easily designed and constructed but also done in a way that reflects the cultural and social diversity of the world