New Civilization News: ideas please    
 ideas please16 comments
15 Apr 2003 @ 04:07, by Lydia Teo

does anyone out there in cyber~land have ideas and sites I can visit in regards to building an affordable energy efficient house suitable for a cool, dry climate in the southern hemisphere?


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16 comments

15 Apr 2003 @ 04:58 by jstarrs : Lydia,
..you may be able to get some info from here : http://citiesoflight.net/Milagro.htm  


15 Apr 2003 @ 05:35 by scotty : maybe this can help !

I had a look in google - there are tons of pages !
the last one on the first page looked interesting ! The Pallet-House http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=building+an+affordable+energy+efficient+house+suitable+for+a+cool%2C+dry+climate+in+the+southern+hemisphere%3F&btnG=Google+Search  



15 Apr 2003 @ 06:01 by newdawn : Milagro community
thanks for the link Jeff. Some items to look into here.  


15 Apr 2003 @ 07:11 by newdawn : thanks Chris
i wasn't able to get onto that particular site but there were lots of other interesting ones there. Just a matter of choice now.  


15 Apr 2003 @ 08:01 by bushman : Also
Think about underground housing. A few years ago, I was looking into buying an abandoned opal mine in Australia. Also, those shipping containers, are real cheep, and can be stacked and welded in any design. And very easy to line with insulation inside and out. You can bury them or put them on top of the ground. Shipping containers are very strong and can be mored to the ground making them tornado/earthquake proof. I will probably go with an underground home made from shipping containers. I have a drawing of an underground home I designed back when I was in HS, but at that time, I didn't know about shipping containers. In that design you entered the house through a plexiglass dome/greenhouse, in the center is an elevator/gazibo. The cost came out to around 1 million, but this house was huge, like 100ft x 100ft, 2 floors underground, and had filtered ventalation, and parascope windows in every room, rooms are pie shaped, and each bedroom has it's own bathroom. This house also had fire escapes in each room.

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I know about shipping containers but am drawn to something more aesthetically pleasing. Underground housing is more suitable for very hot areas and I also want to take advantage of the views. Out at Cooper Peady (opal country) most of the houses are underground and work very well in keeping an even temperature all year round. Thanks for your input.  



15 Apr 2003 @ 08:28 by jazzolog : Homesteading
A message board site that I really like---except for some of the political sentiments---is www.homesteadingtoday.com . While the hemisphere is different I really think these folks will tackle any problem with you. They're living all over the States and I've always heard we share similar climates...just at different times of the year. Read some of the posts, particularly at the first group, and if you find it potentially helpful just register and ask a question. It is extremely active---all day and night---and you should have a bunch of answers and suggestions in a matter of minutes. I think they'd welcome something new, like questions from another part of the planet.

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Thanks for the contact, jazzolog, I'll check it out.  



16 Apr 2003 @ 18:09 by spectragon : Ideas Please
I'm in the process of building a Geodesic dome that I designed myself to be a retirement home. Actually the plan is to have seven Geodesic domes total when I'm finished. I have already built the bedroom dome which is 16 ft in diameter and I am currently building the central dome which is 22 ft in diameter. The six smaller domes that surround the central dome will be bathroom, kitchen, shop, office, utilities, and, as mentioned earlier, bedroom. The plywood floor and shell for the largest dome will end up costing about a thousand US dollars. The entire frame cost under $400.00, so, finished the central dome will cost under $2,000.00. I'm using my disposable income to finance so when I'm finished I'll have no loan to pay. If you'd like more info let me know.  


16 Apr 2003 @ 20:34 by petavie : A few places to look
Have fun !

http://www.cobworks.com/explanation.htm

http://pathtofreedom.com/

http://www.networkearth.org/naturalbuilding/honey.html  



17 Apr 2003 @ 06:08 by newdawn : places to look
interesting sites. I haven't heard of a cob house before but I do like the look of it. Thankyou Petavie  


17 Apr 2003 @ 06:34 by newdawn : geodesic home
an interesting design, I had thought about a house made up of 5 or 6 walls . I will see what's available in Australia, thanks  


18 Apr 2003 @ 12:52 by petavie : more resources for your research

http://www.globalcircle.net/buildinglife.htm  



25 Apr 2005 @ 17:51 by Troy Ellis @61.246.180.153 : Underground Shipping Container Housing
I have a diverse background with Gold Coast resorts, japanese tourism, property, computers, law and the military (Inf + Intel).

For 5 yrs I have been working on developing an underground shipping container estate. The idea is such that it intimidated me in recent months. The more I look at it the logical it seems. The key obstacle I have is funding its development. It has been designed 2 b totally self sufficient. Isolated. 100% redundant. If it is handled as leasehold rather than freehold its potential is enormous. The design also allows continuous growth and upgradability during habitation. If this seems 2 good 2 b true then welcome to my current situation. I think I have designed something that will embarrass Governments worldwide as it becomes obvious that human habitation can cheaply be safe, sustainable, luxurious, upgradeable and peaceful.
If anyone has a connection in Microsoft - this would be an ideal investment back to the community. It requires seed money that may be as cheap as $US30K or less. My problem - I am in the computer hardware game - my first business and have bitten off more than I can chew. If you know anyone with an open mind and an interest in humankind then please add troy@i-central.com.au to your MSN.

This post represents a great moment for me. Coming out of a closet so to speak because of a perceived fear. Think about the demand for such a structure. Hospitals, military, universities etc... Please share it. Ideally interest a property developer because it's cheap with a very very healthy return. And it's solid. More solid than bricks and mortar.

I am an Australian who is currently in Delhi India suffering dysentery : ) - designing websites for China and India (Chindia)- The idea lends itself to any region but the more desolate the better. The more incompetent the Govt the better because they will become dependent for clean water- green pwr + data. I am currently building a model 1:58 - I am reluctant 2 put anything on the net because anyone can see merit in it once they are spoon-fed. I am looking for a genuine long-term agreement that may well last centuries. Yes. Centuries.  



28 May 2006 @ 14:54 by Darth Vader @192.114.86.48 : troy ellis
:D
i have never laughed so load in my life , the snake is on the run and the snake cather if after him
good luck troy, because we are commming to get you  



29 May 2006 @ 12:50 by newdawn : Troy

haven't been on new civ network for a while and life has moved on but re read your email about the use of shipping containers as underground housing. I have done some research since that was posted and have found out that shipping containers can't handle weight on top of them, they will actually collapse because they are reinforced only on their corners to carry weight.  



5 Aug 2007 @ 15:45 by John Locke @87.242.148.100 : I second NewDawns posting
I do have to find myself adding some considerable support to NewDawns comments about the roof of such containers being considerably weaker, than its flooring (usually hardwood quality planking). The military have an instant field expendable trick to this problem, they turn theirs upside down! That said, the military have got good access to some major field engineering "add-ons" for their own needs, such as a bunker constructed with a special Hesco Bastion kit.
I have some direct experience of installlation of about 3 "complexes" of such containers underground, 2 projects which I was involved in, engaged me as a consultant & the 3rd was definitely more hands on. As this projects took place in the UK, I will assure you that they are now distant memories & locations recollection COULD be VERY vague for me- I doubt that local planning officers too too much interest against new concrete pads on top of which large diesel fuel tanks now stand, could actually house or cover anything underneath of any size. The officers where very hot about compliance with run-off slopes to grease trap drainage for interceptor purposes. My main trick, which I give due credit from the old Underground Container web site, lay with the fact that they suggested 1cm thick angle cut & welded on the inside of the framework bracing the walling about 1/4 of each wall length run & allowing cross bracing to be welded as additional support parallel to each wall. You might have to consider cutting timber plyboard profiles to lock into & seal the tops & bottoms of the square corrugation profiles of the sheet walling itself (otherwise do not post that wet concrete started leaking inside the containers!). On 1 of these projects, 2 20 footer containers, where UPENDED to make vertical shafts to large heavy duty man hole lids (that you could happily run a D6 across ALL day without scarring the metal work finish).

You may well need to have a water tight cover legend for the work that your doing. If someone takes any pictures, you argue that your installing environmental monitoring equipment to observe much unseen, but essential changes beneath everyones feet. But if you gonna install windows, etc. then it could be described as lab where scientists will have to operate during normal daylight hours. Installing wind generators, solar panels, solar heating will all add to making such a field research lab be self sufficient for its needs. Remember to lay out a surface weather station to add some creadance to what you elect to do underground.

John Locke, from England.  



22 May 2010 @ 09:24 by Jesse @118.92.102.107 : This is so cool
Hi I'm Jesse I am 13 and I think this is so cool but how would you get in and out with out
bringing to much attion and also wouldn't it be very cold if so if you were to insulate it wouldn't it tack up to much room

Pleas email me !!!!!! Jessethejbugjames@gmail.com  



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