Csaba Zagoni REBE CAT 0941436 - Module 2.

Assessment (2009)

Working with Nature Towards a Truly Sustainable Human Habitation

Csaba Zagoni

Centre for Alternative Technology REBE

16 November 2009

1. Introduction
The environmental impact of construction, maintenance and operation of commercial and
residential buildings is leading to significant irreversible changes in the global climate and
ecosystem. According to the UNEP/Earthscan GEO-3 report (2002), if no radical change happens
in current patterns, over 70% of the natural habitat on Earth will be destroyed or seriously
disturbed by the built environment by 2032.
The environmental impact can be greatly reduced by careful selection of construction
materials, greatly reducing operational energy requirements and reusing building components at
the end of a dwelling’s lifetime. This paper aims to investigate going beyond mere reduction of
impact, by examining the principles of working with nature rather than against it and intends to
thereby demonstrate a truly sustainable approach through general design guidelines for a simple
rural habitation.

2. The global present: working against nature

Today’s profit oriented consumer societies are based on constant economic growth. The
over-production of items intentionally designed to be disposable or ephemeral, results in excessive
amounts of waste being incinerated or sent to landfill, their valuable materials lost forever. Other
side effects of present human activity include depositing massive amounts of toxic materials into
the atmosphere, the waters and the soil; some of them so dangerous that future generations’
vigilance is necessary. Unsustainable rates of energy and raw material consumption lead to
depletion of natural resources. Overall, the complex biosphere is being altered in an unpredictable
way with global warming and loss of biodiversity being the first noticeable consequences (WWF,
2008).
At the present the impact of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by the
building sector is alarming in both OECD and developing countries. The commercial and
residential building sector consumes about 30% of primary energy in OECD countries and it is also
responsible for about 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions of these nations (UNEP, 2007). In
developing nations 70% of the energy consumed by the residential sector is provided by
unsustainable biomass use (fig. 1, p. 2) resulting in deforestation and desertification (IAE, 2002).
The building sector is also responsible for 30-50% of waste generated by OECD countries, 80% of
which is recycled, however, most of the materials are “downcycled” into road foundations etc.
(UNDP, 2003).
Regulations do little more than accept the failure of design and provide a “license to
harm” (McDonough and Braungart, 2002b). The response to regulations is increasing efficiency in
minimizing impact, while slowly exploiting and poisoning the planet, which can be even more
devastating on a global scale than a sudden collapse of the ecosystem in so far as the planet’s
capacity to recover is concerned. Not looking at the source of the problem, as the population and
the economy keeps growing, the overall outcome can be growth of impact notwithstanding.
Humanity has separated itself from nature in that it has seriously altered energy flows and
opened up the loops of natural biogeochemical cycles, treating resources as infinite and producing
incompatible output. Unless human activity is finely integrated back into the natural cycles,
humanity will soon have to face having to substitute “free” natural resources by costly technological
solutions as nature disappears from Earth.

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Figure 1. Share of Traditional Biomass in Residential Energy Consumption, 2000. (IAE, 2002)

3. Working with nature: a truly sustainable approach

The Brundtland Commission report of 1987 defined sustainable development as
“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”. Conventional sustainable design in architecture focuses
mainly on energy efficiency and environmental responsibility (e.g. materials, water, landscape),
aiming to minimize impact. While the ambition of this approach ― to reduce harm ― is good, as
less energy is consumed and less pollutants and waste is produced by each design, it is still
inappropriate as it doesn’t fit into natural energy flows and biogeochemical cycles (fig. 2, p. 2).
Genuine sustainable development should have the intention of enhancing the well being of human
culture and nature while providing economic value. (McDonough and Braungart, 2002b.)

Figure 2. Biogeochemical cycles (Hobbish, 2009)

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3.1. Integration with natural cycles

Ecosystems are immensely complex interdependent systems, with every member fitting and
filling a niche in the whole organization. The concept of “waste” doesn’t exist as the output of any
process serves as the input of others. The subsystems are finely balanced and self-regulating
controlled by negative-feedback loops. Single elements of the subsystems can be highly
ineffective, what really matters is the overall system performance and equilibrium. (Biogeochemical
Cycle, 2009.)

The basic concept of a sustainable building design is to find an ecological niche for the
project by a site-specific approach. This means an onsite analysis of climate, vegetation, hydrology
and landscape, as well as assessment of energy flows, evaluation of daily and annual sun, water,
wind, vegetation and wildlife patterns (McDonough and Braungart, 2003). By creating a symbiotic
relationship between the building and nature, it is possible to reconnect with the natural energy
flow and biogeochemical cycles.

3.2. Materials as nutrients

By understanding how ecosystems work, materials can be treated as nutrients in biological

or technical cycles. Water, organic food waste, human waste and safely biodegradable
construction materials can be part of the biological metabolism eventually enriching soil.
McDonough and Braungart (2002b) show how other materials can be seen as valuable
technical nutrients which can be endlessly reused in the technical metabolism instead of having to
safely dispose of them, or recycle them into a less useful product before eventually being sent to
the landfill. Products need to be purposefully redesigned for easy disassembly and reuse,
rewarding the manufacturers with getting their valuable nutrients back at the end of the products
determined lifetime. High-tech materials (e.g. polymer membranes) could be employed in domestic
products where otherwise they would be too expensive if not regained after use.
According to McDonough and Braungart (2002b), dangerous and highly-toxic materials need
to be banned from the list of technical nutrients if they are potentially unsafe for the environment.
However, if an otherwise toxic material is considered safe during normal operation (e.g. cadmium
telluride in photovoltaic panels), as they are reused in a closed-loop cycle by certified bodies, they
could be temporarily utilized until a better alternative is found.
To make sure that these substances remain in the technical cycle and to reduce consumer
responsibility, products composed of technical nutrients could be leased instead of bought, the
manufacturers providing a full lifetime service and eventually safely reusing them. This approach
eliminates the concept of waste, reduces manufacturing costs, and prevents valuable and finite
resources of being lost forever in landfills. It also calls for a trustworthy, long-lasting product as
opposed to the often unreliable and forthwith obsolete designs of consumerism. (McDonough and
Braungart, 2002b.)

3.3. The energy flow

According to the UNEP report (UNEP, 2007), more than 80% of the total energy consumed
through a building’s entire lifetime is used during the operational phase (fig. 3, p. 4). Existing
knowledge and technology allows a design of net energy exporting buildings by utilizing renewable
energy systems. Overall, the operating impacts can be lowered to such an extent that the carrying
capacity of the site is not exceeded. However, the impact of construction usually goes greatly
beyond site capacity. (Olgyay, 2004.) By using life-cycle assessment (LCA) to sum all the
embodied energy used in the construction of the building (including transportation and the
components and replacements of the renewable energy system), the net energy exporting rate can
be set to be in balance with the total energy requirement, aiming for a zero or negative overall
impact throughout the building’s lifetime (Chwieduk, 2003).
Figure 4. (p. 3) compares the energy consumption of an average building and a sustainable
building over an estimated 60-year lifetime. Maintenance and replacements are included in the
operating energy, and it is assumed that renewable energy technology is developing in terms of
efficiency in the next 60 years.

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Figure 3. Energy used during construction, operation and demolition phases of a buildingʼs entire lifetime

Figure 4. Energy consumed over the 60-year lifetime of an average and a sustainable building

4. General design guidelines for a simple sustainable rural habitation

The basic model is taken from Pereira (2009) and extended and modified for the purpose of
the design concepts previously discussed in this work.
In the model suggested by Pereira (2009), the main structure is designed following passive
solar design guidelines to take full advantage of the local climate. The materials chosen are locally
sourced natural non-toxic materials with very low embodied energy and are ideally reused. The
building has very good insulation (e.g. strawbale) and has sufficient thermal mass (e.g. rammed
earth or adobe).
The ratio of green roof to rainwater catchment is determined by the abundance of water on
site. The collected rainwater is stored in a cistern after going through adequate filtration, and is
mainly used directly for drinking/cooking purposes.

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Solar photovoltaic panels provide energy for high-efficiency LED lighting and low-power
appliances (e.g. digital amplifiers, laptops). The energy is stored in valve-regulated lead-acid
batteries. The whole system is leased from and serviced by a reputable supplier, who reuses the
materials at the end of the system’s determined lifetime.
A simple solar domestic hot water system supplies the low-flow shower and tap for hand
washing. No detergents or other chemicals are allowed in the system except for natural
biodegradable soaps.
A high-efficiency wood stove provides backup heat for space heating and solar cooking. The
fuel crops are sourced from a certified sustainably managed source.
The composting toilet collects urine separately, which is diluted and used in garden irrigation
and also acts as a natural fertilizer. The rest of the human waste is properly composted (at a given
carbon to nitrogen ratio the temperature raises and kills all pathogens) and the resulting hummus
is used in the garden to improve soil fertility. By doing this, the need for sewers is eliminated and
waste is reintroduced into the natural nutrient cycle.
Greywater is pre-filtered and directed to a mini-marsh with local plants (e.g. reed) before the
cleaned water is used in the irrigation of the garden. (Pereira, 2009.)
Further improvement over Pereira’s (2009) model, which recommends an organic garden, is
setting up a permaculture garden. This is designed with great care to create wildlife corridors and
to support biodiversity and soil fertility, aiming towards a natural landscape with complementary
human presence. All fuel crops are ideally grown on site (e.g. short-rotation coppice). (Fairlie,
2009.)

Figure 5. Energy flow and nutrient cycle on site (Pereira, 2009)

Figure 5. shows the energy flow and the nutrient cycle on site. Energy is acquired from solar
radiation and/or other renewable sources available on site. Water enters the system in the form of
rainwater and it joins the nutrient cycle through cleaning/washing and irrigation. Solid organic
nutrients are also circulated in the forms of food/human waste/garden compost between the
cooking facility, the greywater marsh, composting facilities and the organic garden.

Sewage and waste are totally eliminated in the conventional sense. Depending on the
ecological state of the site previous to the design, the nutrient cycle resulting from human presence
and the organic/permaculture garden can create a net increase in ecological services. By
increasing the amount of moisture, increasing soil fertility and creating/improving wildlife habitat,
the design can aim to have a restorative/regenerative effect, enhancing the ecological productivity
of the land. (Olgyay, 2004)

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5. Conclusion
5.1. Summary

The current human activity on the planet is unsustainable, causing depletion of natural
resources and seriously damaging the ecosystem. Regulations only aim to reduce the impact but
they are not providing a solution to the source of the problem. For a shift towards sustainable
development humanity need to reconnect with the planet’s energy flows and biogeochemical
cycles.
By using life-cycle assessment, buildings can be designed to be net energy exporters not
only during operation but if looked over their whole life-cycle as well. Sustainable development can
have a restorative ecological effect aiming for a human habitation where nature and human
presence are complementary.

5.2. Limitations of the essay

• lack of relevant data - because of the complex environmental, economic and social
implications, the benefits of sustainable development such as the design presented in
section 4 are hard to quantify

• overall evaluation methods to analyze a timber frame, strawbale, rammed earth self-build
were unavailable

• available ecological footprint calculators are not flexible enough

• only general guidelines are discussed here, major modifications might be needed for
specific climates

• the design assumes a very simple farming lifestyle probably not satisfactory for the majority
of people of developed nations

5.3. Implications for existing orthodoxy

• consumerism encourages a design of disposable short-life products

• regulations only aim to reduce impact

• conventional architecture looks at natural resources as infinite, and considers producing

pollutants and waste as unavoidable

• economy-driven decisions don’t consider social and environmental aspects

• it is not widely acknowledged that the consumption of garden produce fertilized by

composted human waste is safe

5.4. Future research

• life-cycle assessment of a building suitable for a specific climate

• calculation of typical energy consumption of a given lifestyle in a sustainable home

• sizing of renewable energy system to meet the calculated energy consumption

• comparison of ecological footprint of the given design and an average rural home in the
same area

• evaluation of the restorative potential of the design on agricultural land using monoculture
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6. References
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Nov 2009)

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Chwieduk, D., 2003. Towards Sustainable-Energy Buildings, Applied Energy, vol 76. pp. 211-217.

Fairlie S., et al., 2009. Low Impact Development, Self-Published under Creative Commons license,
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Jones, D., 1998. Architecture and the Environment, Laurence King Publishing, London

McDonough, W., Braungart, M., Dale, D., 2002a. A Building Like a Tree, A Campus Like a Forest,
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McDonough, W., Braungart, M., 2002b. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, 1st
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McDonough, W., Braungart, M., 2003. Toward a Sustaining Architecture of the 21st Century,
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Olgyay, V., Julee, H., 2004. The application of ecosystems services criteria for green building
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Pereira, T., 2009. Sustainability: An Integral Engineering Design Approach, Renewable and
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UNEP, 2003. Industry and Environment, Sustainable Building and Construction: Facts and Figures,
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UNEP, 2007. Building and Climate Change: Status, Challenges and Opportunities, Available from
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