Planning Résumé
In order to reflect one more time on the fundamental changes proposed in the project, concerning the ways of dealing with energy, water and construction material, I would like to ask myself a simple question.
What is really the benefit for Sitio Joaninha from all the ecological measures in comparison to conventional solutions?
By means of a direct comparison between the two different approaches, I want to give the reader the chance to judge by themselves.
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Water
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Conventional
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Ecological
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Source:
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Water supplied by lorry or pipe network | Water collected within the village and directly distributed |
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Infra-structure:
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Resource intensive distribution networks transport the water over long distances | Water catchment areas trough re-forestation, filtering and storing in the village, small distribution network |
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Ecological impact:
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Centralized water exploitation disturbs the water tissue levels and the plant growth in the area, extensive water treatment plants become necessary to control water quality, a big amount of water is unnecessarily moved from one place to another, energy costs are substantial. | Water is used where it falls from the sky and appears out of the ground, a lot of energy for treatment and distribution is saved, site specific minerals are consumed by the inhabitants of the site, due to rainwater retention the groundwater tissues are raised and the plant growth positively influenced. |
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Sustainability:
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The size of the water supply systems heightens the danger of pollution and makes the use of chemicals necessary. When the water has gone through the cycle of sewage plants and treatment plants the quality of the water gets worse and the use for chemicals becomes more eminent | The water helps to re-create a natural environment, which again helps to clean the water and enriches it with minerals and oxygen |
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Sewage
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Conventional
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Ecological
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Source:
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Yellow, grey and black water are treated together | Yellow water is treated separately from grey and black water. |
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Infra-structure:
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Sewage is transported over long distances to centralized sewage treatment plants / or are treated in individual septic tanks with underground dispensers. | Yellow water is stored in the village and used as natural fertilizer, grey and black water is treated in septic tanks and in phyto clarification plants, only small dispensing networks are necessary |
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Ecological impact:
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In centralized sewage treatment, necessary water and nutrients are extracted from the area and the groundwater level will fall, the soil is impoverished, if improperly cleaned, nutrients will pollute the waters and damage the aquatic ecosystems, the use of chemicals for cleaning is often necessary, pipe leakages are difficult to determine | Sewage water is kept on the site and released directly after cleaning onto the surface of the environment. There is no need for nitrogen or phosphor elimination as these elements are needed for soil fertilization. The nutrient cycle is closed within a very small space. No artificial fertilizer is needed. |
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Sustainability:
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The movement of water is very big and the losses on the way very high, uncontrolled nutrient exchange is a result and the efficiency is low. Despite the cost intensive system the environment suffers from nutrient losses. | The nutrient cycles will be closed within the site and no water is extracted. There are no risks of losses |
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Stormwater
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Conventional
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Ecological
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Source:
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An average of more than 1500mm/m2/a rainfall has to be estimated. Rainfalls with more than 120mm/m2/d are known | An average of more than 1500mm/m2/a rainfall has to be estimated. Rainfalls with more than 120mm/m2/d are known |
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Infra-structure:
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No special care is taken right now, conventional drainage systems will guide the water as quick as possible from the site | The water is held back on the site for as long as possible, terraces and other retention devices support percolation |
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Ecological impact:
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Erosion prevention, the groundwater level will fall, nutrients are washed away | Erosion prevention, the water off/flow is reduced in speed, therefore stronger percolation and a rise of the groundwater level, nutrients are staying on the site, plants will grow easier and stronger |
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Sustainability:
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Impoverishment of the soil, artificial nutrients will be necessary to support plant growth |
The soil has a satisfying nutrient balance, slowing down the exchange processes and matter movement helps natural self-healing processes to happen
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Energy
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Conventional
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Ecological
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Source:
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80% hydro power plants, 20% fossil fuel power plants | Landfill gas combustion plant, solar energy |
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Infra-structure:
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Huge distances, many transformation plants, resource exploration and transport | Movable combustion plant, direct and small distribution network, individual solar collectors, preparation of the landfill site, no resource transport |
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Ecological impact:
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Great disturbance of existing ecosystems through water dams. enormous C02 emission through fossil fuel plants, exploitation of not renewable resources | Pollution reduction of landfill gas by factor 21 through combustion. 0 emission trough the use of solar energy |
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Sustainability:
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Growing energy demand makes blackouts more likely in the future, more plants have to be build and the ecological impacts will worsen. |
Equipment for gas exploitation is temporary and can be reused on other sites, village infra-structure can easily adopt to other energy sources like the change to wind energy as planned for 2024.
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Materials
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Conventional
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Ecological
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Source:
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Often valuable raw-material, manufacturing processes like firing, etc., transport over long distances, no control over pollutant substances | Whenever possible use of locally available material, no energy intensive manufacturing processes, non polluting material, recycle ability, |
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Infra-structure:
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The building material industry with its fully developed infrastructure | Manufactured whenever possible on site, use of raw-material with full control over pollutant substances |
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Ecological impact:
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Often energy intensive production, distribution network very energy intensive, Recycle ability often limited | Generally low energy input (human force), control over environmental damages, recycle ability pre-planned |
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Sustainability:
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Resource exhausting production and distribution, materials can contain uncontrolled additives and pollutants |
Great recycle ability, economic way of building, transport can drastically be reduced
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