Biosphere II

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Biosphere II
-"planet in a bottle"
-Project begins in 1973, funded from oilfield
giant Edward Bass.
-John Allen, known to some critics as a cult
leader, created Biosphere 2 in 1984.
- Cost about 236 million, the mini Earth had
self-contained biomes a mini-rainforest,
savannah, desert and coral ocean and was
stocked with 3800 species.
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Map of Biosphere II
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Biosphere II

• 4 men and 4 women entered on September 26, 1991
  for two years.
• Many problems infestation of ants and morning
  glories collapse of many animals populations,
  including honey bees and humming birds.
• Crops failed, O2 levels decreased and CO2 levels
  increased due to oxygen-using bacteria produced
  from organic composting.
• Social problems team split into 2 groups and
  hoarded food. However, they managed to stay
  entire 2 years.
• 6 months later, a second crew entered, but again,
  social problems occurred. Two members were
  arrested for a protest against a change in
  management in which they opened the sealed
  enclosure to let in outside air.

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Biosphere II-today

• Columbia university took it in 1996, changed it
  into a more campus-like facility.
• Project change from survivability to
  sustainability.
• Scientists were allowed to come in a study, until
  1996, when Columbia pulled out.
• Now, it is now a tourist attraction.

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Living Space
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Water
-900,000-gallon ocean
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Sky City- Japan
http//dsc.discovery.com/convergence/engineering/s
kycity/interactive/interactive.html
-Japanese architects approach to urban crowding
living in the sky, a skyscraper that would house,
entertain and employ hundreds of thousands of
people. Can it be done?
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Ostratornskolan, Lund, Sweden Building ecology
first principles for a sustainable built
environmentby Peter Graham

• School designed using eco-cycles, relationship
  between building and the social, economic, and
  environment at each of its life-cycle phases.
  p.241
• Adhere to laws and principles of ecologically
  sustainable building, and takes advantage of the
  effectiveness of natural systems. p. 241
• Create systems that consume max energy-quality.
  p.255
• Use energy in a large number of small steps, not
  is a small number of large steps. p. 255
• Minimize waste, consume resources no faster than
  the rate at which nature can replenish them. p.
  256

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Examples of Reusing and Recycling

• Use of 22 secondhand windows and 200,000 bricks.
• Use of crushed concrete and brick as aggregate,
  base-course, drainage, and foot paths.
• Designing few layers in the structures.
• Using no composite materials
• Use of durable, easy-to-maintain materials.

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The Food Eco-Cycle
-food grown is stored in an on-site earth cellar
that maintains a constantly cool year-round
temperature.
-food and food-related waste is reused and
recycled. Non-biodegradable materials used in
cooking, serving food. Food comes from local
farmer
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Energy Eco-cycle
-use of shade from facades, natural light, and
low-energy light fittings to minimize heat.
-subsurface air used to heat air in winter, and
cool in summer. Solar chimney to move air upward.
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Solar Energy
-solar energy to provide hot water.Entire roof is
solar collector and heats water. Its passed
through a heat exchanger in the basement to heat
water for use.
-Energy is in the system longer and reduces need
to purchare energy for heating water.
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Eco-water Cycle
-rainwater is toilet water. Two separate holding
tanksone for urine, the other for feces. After
fermentation, sold as fertilizer to local farmer.
-grey water is used for basins and showers,
filtrated in root zone.
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References

• Highfield,R. (January 23, 2004) Trouble in the
  bio bubble. The Age. Retrieved January 25, 2004.
  http//www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/22/10747
  32535189.html
• Extreme Engineering Living in the Sky.
  http//dsc.discovery.com/convergence/engineering/s
  kycity/interactive/interactive.html
• Graham, P. (2003). Building ecology first
  principles for a sustainable built
  environment.Melbourne Blackwell Science.