Student presentations about technologies

J Oosterveld: APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY

History of the idea:
-conceived in reference to the Third World but should evaluate Western technology as well to move towards Conserver Society values
-Schumacher's Small is Beautiful (1973) popularized the concept
-warning of pursuit of limitless growth and technology controlling society rather than society controlling technology
-AT has not been a development fad rather, it has moved from an alternative to a mainstream choice with the support of United Nations, (some) big business and NGOs

Definition and Guiding Principles:
technology suited to the environment in which it is used (socially, economically, and ecologically)

generic term for various technologies and organizational forms characterized by more than one of the following:
-low investment cost per workplace
-low capital investment per unit output
-organizational simplicity
-high adaptability to a particular social or cultural environment or -changing circumstance
-sparing use of natural resources
-low cost of final product
-high potential for employment (localized)
-use local materials
-can be understood , controlled and maintained locally
-understandable technology so that those using it can make suggestions for further innovation
-collective decision-making body rather than top-down
-decentralized renewable energy sources (including bicycle)

Obstacles:
Problems of existence, efficiency and choice

Developing Countries:
AT must first satisfy basic human needs of the mass of poor without further destruction of local environment

Developed Countries:
AT must bring present lifestyle back to a localized scale dealing with
-worker satisfaction
-reductions in ecological damage
-increasing the popularity of renewable resources -work towards long-term sustainability
-continuous, substantial and systematic Research and Development

Source:
Carr, Marilyn (ed.). 1985. The AT Reader: Theory and pratice in Appropriate Technology. New York: Intermediate Technology Development Group of North America.

I am going to discuss the work of a man named William McDonough. Hw is heavily involved in sustainable architecture. He firmly beleives that the root of much evironmentally damaging behaviour is infrastructure. He has found a way to produce totallu recycleable office buildings and has produced a running factory whose outputs are cleaner than it's inputs. He's a very cool guy.

Plastic Wood Plastic wood is made out of recycled plastics such as used pop bottles. Plastic wood is used for mostly recreational purposes such as docks, park benches and playgrounds. I will be looking at why plastic wood is only used for these purposes and what opportunities exist to expand it's use. I will be focusing on the residential applications of plastic wood. I will be pointing out some of the reasons why plastic wood has not been used in the construction of homes.

Billed as 'sustainable architecture', integrated solar energy collectors in building components may lead to a new soft energy future. Rather than slapping a solar panel over traditional roofs and windows, innovative architects are building new structures with BIPV (Building-Integrated PhotoVoltaic) systems in roof tiles/shingles, skylights, and even vertical wall facades. These systems can offer a win-win situation to homeowners and power companies alike.

INPUTS: passive/active solar energy collectors for electricity & heat (ex. roof panels/tiles, vertical wall facades, skylights),

REDUCED OUTPUTS: heat recovery ventilation, high-integrity thermal/air/vapour envelope & insulation, R-8 glazings (usually R-2 or 3).

Using a utility-intertied inverter, the dc energy can be converted to usable ac (this is a new internalized feature for some PV), or sends it to the utility.

NET METERING: - an agreement committing the energy utility to debit or credit a user on a one-to-one basis for the power produced versus the power consumed. (ie. excess BIPV-produced electricity is 'banked' in the energy utility's system: NO ON-SITE STORAGE NEEDED and backup always available (thermal storage: use on-site radiant heat water tanks)

This technology is fundamentally DECENTRALIZING:
- modular & distributable
- land already available for energy use (roofs!)
- less capital and maintenance expenditures
- no one wants to live near a power plant
- solves transmission loss to small communities
But... REQUIRES INFRASTRUCTURE

BIPV technology SAVES $$$:
- replacing building materials
- general energy efficiency
- energy utilities get peak (daylight) surplus, and off-peak (night) demand
- avoid standalone costs (like batteries, backup systems, support structures)

But is is SUSTAINABLE???
- will PV technology be given to everyone?
- is it really feasible in 3rd World countries? (compared to modern/traditional methods)
- does it address excessive energy consumption?

Sources:
Stephen Strong, "Power Windows", in IEEE Spectrum, Oct. 1996 (pp. 49-55).
http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/wlord/index.html (all about a BIPV house in Maine!)
http://www.pvpower.com/ (anything you want to know about photovoltaics)
http://www.teleport.com/~solar3d/solar/links.shtml (3-D Software's BIG index page of solar architecture sites)

A new single-pass aerobic filtration system designed to replace the older sand and gravel-based systems for treating domestic wastewater. The biofilter is composed of an absorbent foam-like medium with improved flow characteristics such as ventilation, retention and the potential for increased pathogen removal through its microbial action.

Energy efficient windows.

Advances in Glazing Materials for Windows
- clear glass was the primary glazing material used in windows
- very little resistance to heat flow
- glazing technology has changed greatly in the last two decades

Current Options that Increase a Window's Energy Efficiency
- energy efficiency is represented in terms of their their U-values (conductance of heat) or their R-values (resistance to heat flow)
- If a window's R-value is high, it will lose less heat than one with a lower R-value. Or, if a window's U-value is low, it will lose less heat than one with a higher U-value
- types of advanced glazing systems include double and triple-paned windows with low-emissivity (low-e), spectrally selective, heat-absorbing (tinted), or reflective; gas-filled windows; and combinations.

Tomorrow's Options for More Efficient Windows
- "Superwindows"
- "Smartwindows"

Conclusion
- No one type of glazing is suitable for every application.

Industrial Hemp

Imagine a plant so versatile and useful it could be used to provide over 50 000 commercial products such as our food, clothing, paper, shelter, fuel, plastic, medicine and much more. Hemp is a fibre that has been deemed illegal in Canada and the US since the mid 1930's due to a large cover up involving large stakeholders such as DuPont, Gulf Motor Oil Company, Hearst Paper just to name a few. The focus of my presentation will not be the exciting cover up, instead we will examine the many uses that hemp can be utilized for, many of which people are unaware of. As well we will discuss hemp's role as a sustainable renewable resource.