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| VectorWorks rendering - top view |
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| VectorWorks tutor - Justina Peregrin |
This image is a first attempt at deeper learning of the VectorWorks design program. The scale of the tanks is accurate ( literally
traced from a google map ) The ATRIUM is much more massive than what I imagened. This is a first draft. The final atrium structures
will be more like the 2-D image below.
| A more pragmatic proposal |
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| THIS SIDE FACES MAGNETIC SOUTH |
the red lines illustrate the valleys of the atrium structure.
Each section runs about 110' north south.
The south facing galzing is 30 degrees from horizontal -
the north, 60 degrees.
Friends,
The few times I've been to Moon Island, I've paid notice to and really appreciate the work, and crafstmanship that went
into the construction of the 1900 era metropolitan area sewage holding tanks. The stone walls are massive! ( go to LINKS below
for Moon Island information and google maps )
I'm a long term sustainability advocate ( becoming more of an activist ) and I'm hoping to realize that site being brought
back to life in a vital and radical way and would love to become part of a group with similar interests. I've been envisioning
a model for sustainable communities being designed and constructed on the site, utilizing the existing massive stone walls
to support an atrium structure that would include clerestory / greenhouse glazing, photovoltaics, solar thermal collectors
etc.
The atrium truss structure should be designed and engineered to be capable of supporting a variety of solar collectors
and possibly water storage tanks at the peak area ( as high a head as possible ) - INSIDE to facilitate ease of installation,
protection from the elements, ease of maintenance and replacement.
Systems that may be included:
various PV panels - solar water collectors - medium / high head water storage ( pumping water after charging the greenest
available chemical batteries with "off peak" excess power may be economical - and would power turbine / generators.)
The space within the atrium could include experiments in organic aquaculture, permaculture, abodes built with strawbale
- cobb - other organic - modern building materials, and in the spirit of the sites history - recycling and reclaiming of
ALL waste generated within the facility.
Proper ventilation and conditioned atmosphere transfer - striving and designing for ZERO OUTSIDE ENERGY use.
Rainwater collected and held in elevated tanks / cisterns.
Massive sub terra thermal water storage for heating / cooling.
Adjustable modular louvers for atrium solar control.
appropriate provisions for venting combustion and make up air including counterflow heat exchange
I would love to be in conversation with people in academia, government, parks to find out if there is any possibility
of seeing this abandoned historic facility resurrected and recreated as a model of sustainable culture for the future of a
peaceful, healthy world.
you may find a satellite image / map at GOOGLE maps. Moon Island is in Quincy area. The TANKS are really a striking image.
The Boston Police firing range is adjacent to the site to the east, and the Fire Academy is at the northeast shore.
Please respond with any feedback, criticism, ideas.
Additional thoughts on systems and components:
The following paragraphs are "under construction"
I could sure use some help in defining sequencing and editing what WE feel and think and believe is necessary to sustain
our comfortable life here in the northeast, while striving for zero use of fossil fuels and nuclear power, and eliminating
"waste water" (MWRA style).
My vision is not attached to Moon Island - I realize how far fetched this scheme is. I will - however - dedicate this
"essay" to Moon Island, based on it's history. It may be the facilities KARMA, the possibility of being resurrected
as a north east sustainable community prototype/ model / breadboard - that would discharge ZERO waste water into Boston Harbor.
Im hoping to find interested professors, teachers, students in local schools, universities and colleges and sustainable
professionals who share this vision.There will probably be a very involved design process with, hopefully, many skilled and
talented people working together. Who will live in the facility and for how long? What will we discover about what does and
doesn't work, in the physical facility and in the community of people that will design it and and live there?
I would love to be involved in this and any other project which utilizes the idea of sharing a large atrium combined with
human habitat.
I WOULD MOVE IN TOMORROW ! ! !
There are a number of questions, concerns and problems related to the Moon Island site that will need to be addressed
if a proposal for this use of the site is approved.
There may be toxins in the soil.
There may be restrictions regarding modifying or attaching to the existing stone walls.
The Solar "situation" is odd. It would have been really nice to have the stone walls run solar east / west.
The existing conditions on Moon Island provide challenging engineering / architecture / design problems.
The walls run NNE - SSW. The Atrium framing should be oriented for optimum solar gain.
I'm a firm believer that pleasing functional form may be designed and produced around accessible, maintainable, mutable
/ malleable function. Function more important - form follow.
Integrated Simple Systems - as passive as possible - active when needed.
ATRIUM:
| A winters sun at noon view |
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| this end faces Magnetic South |
The atrium truss structure should be designed and engineered to be capable of supporting a variety of solar collectors and
possibly water storage tanks at the peak area ( as high a head as possible ) - INSIDE to facilitate ease of installation,
protection from the elements, ease of maintenance and replacement.
Systems that may be included:
various PV panels - solar water collectors - medium / high head water storage ( pumping water after charging the greenest
available chemical batteries with "off peak" excess power may be economical - and would power turbine / generators.)
A multiple peaked atrium / greenhouse structure, with peaks running east west (solar) would become the roof. They would
be designed to be able to support not only a temporary snow load ( more on snow and ice later ) but would support, internally,
many systems including photo voltaics panels, solar water and air collectors, louvers for solar control, water storage ( for
domestic and regenerative gravity battery use )
They would be appropriately penetrated for ventilation and flue installation.
Framing truss construction:
rigging for work platforms - accessibility for installing / removing components - standardization in dimension and rigging
features - to find agreement with suppliers of solar utilities
Glazing:
proper glass - proper assembly - ( I've been thinking that for double / triple glazing, using glass spacers rather than
extruded aluminum would provide a much more reliable seal ) . Silicone and glass love each-other.
Rain-ex or similar products may help with exterior maintenance and cleaning.
WINTER:
We want to be able to easily keep the atrium clear of snow and ice. This problem provides another design challenge. One
possibility is an opening ( trap door / gutter ) in "valleys".
Reflective panels could redirect solar to maximize gain where needed.
SUMMER:
selective shading provided by adjustable solar control panels.
Spring and Fall:
Moderation - - -
PERSONAL SPACE:
What do we each consider is necessary in our private spaces? A comfortable bed - a commode - wash area - cooking and food
storage provisions - natural day light - air quality comfort level - isolation - electricity - water -
VENTILATION:
To maintain air quality in the atrium a simple, effective system must be designed and built.
It should include passive and active components which will provide positive and negative pressures and a counterflow temperature
and vapor exchanger.
The "ducting" could be built along the base of the walls with "cobb" or other earthern or "green"
materials
A series of "paper" membranes could be placed horizontally in the duct, seperating it into two ducts.
A series of caps could then be placed over the "duct walls" to allow easy access for inspection, cleaning, maintenance
and membran replacement. Appropriate lengths could be determined by testing performance - ducts would be modular and would
be easy to block, tap into anywhere along the length and would incorporate air quality exchangers ( dry / humid ) which could
be experimented with - optimum length / performance - if shorter lengths work optimally, they could be run in parallel. Different
types of membranes could be easily exchanged to experiment with air quality exchange performance and component durability
- maintainability.
The direction of airflow and upper / lower ducts could be exchanged depending on wind direction and seasonal vapor exchange
needs.
My theory is that in the cold dry months the warm inside air and water vapor would be exhausted through the lower plenum,
as cold dry air is fed in through the upper duct. The water vapor in the warm moist inside air being lighter than air and
would rise through the horizontal permiable membrane.
In the warm wet months, the outside air would be inlet through the lower duct allowing the vapor to more than likely join
the exhausting inside air.
Black Stack - natural convection - solar heated stack would create "draft" during sunny periods.
Counter-flow air quality exchangers integrated with Hot / Cold stone thermal storage ( new alchemy style ) reverse flow
for heating or cooling.
Water Resourses:
DOMESTIC:
Gray water reconditioning - please go to Ecological Engineering link at the bottom of this section.
HYDRO:
Pumped water used as "battery"
THERMAL:
Hot - Cold storage for heating / cooling
AQUACULTURE:
Tilapia, Cat Fish, Frogs, and all the right vegetation.
I've been communicating with David Del Porto, who owns Ecological Engineering Group. Please visit his website to learn about
what is possible in the field of local, organic water treatment.
Ecological Engineering Group
FIRE:
All combustion requires make up air and effective exhaust ( flue )
COMBUSTION MAKEUP:
FLUE VENTING:
social / ceremonial : Each area should have a central fire pit - with make up and flue venting provisions.
heating:
personal space combustion
cooking:
common cook stoves and common ovens
controlled environments - make up / combustion / heat exchange and distribution
COMBUSTION EXHAUST:
Penetrations for modular flue through Atrium peak above walls and possibly in the center of each area for fire pits and
other use of fire. Switchable positive / negative pressure "cows" ( passive stack mounted component )
SOLAR:
passive: Trombe walls - other mass - stone - phase change salts etc.
Active: PV - thermal water collectors - reflector ovens / driers / glazing in internal spaces
control: Shading / louver / concentration - reduction -
WIND:
There's lots of it on Moon Island - A turbine or a few would also provide power for the Boston Police firing range and the
Fire Fighters Training facility. I hope they would welcome us as good neighbors.
EARTH:
The "floor" would include personal spaces (habitat with commode) , common kitchen and bathing areas, perma agri
and aqua cultures (ecologically engineered gray and black water treatment ), composting / methane generation, and a modular
ventilation system, capable of being easily modified, for testing different system components and configurations.
FECES, URINE, AND OTHER ORGANIC WASTE
FECES:
Most of us are pretty disconnected from our own shit. We sit on a porcelain toilet, do the dump, wipe our butts and flush
a valuable and useful resource down the drain, usually accompanied by a few gallons of another valuable resource - water.
In our community, we would take responsibility for safe ecological local disposition of our own shit, without the use
of flush toilets.
In china, night soil is a sought after commodity. Farmers are grateful to passerby's who use their facilities, and deposit
their organic fertilizer.
There are pathogens in feces which I've heard can be neutralized by pasteurizing.
This process can be accomplished locally, using passive and active solar. I don't know the details, but the temperature
is around 170 Fahrenheit for a relatively short time period The "clean" product may be safely composted, or digested
to produce compost and methane, a combustible gas which may be used for cooking, heating, and fueling engines.
a Google of human feces compost netted a lot more than the list below - -
interesting articles on feces / pasteurization and composting - also covers urine
http://www.haywired.com/microfarm/writings/eco-san_01.html
http://www.weblife.org/humanure/chapter8_1.html
http://bettinazzi.m.tripod.com/whattocompost.htm
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04248/373164.stm
http://www.weblife.org/humanure/chapter6_4.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost
http://www.deatech.com/natural/waste/toilet.html
URINE:
why not mix urine with some gray water and use directly as fertilizer?
ORGANIC VEGETABLE COMPOST:
lots of articles available
LIQUID GOLD ! ! !
THIS IS NOT THE END!
There is MORE coming - soon -
OTHER PERTINENT LINKS:
John and Nancy Todd - OCEANARKS
Google satalite / map
ecological-engineering
The Boston Harbor Islands
Solviva
The Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area - - - - - - - - - A Partnership Park
Moon Island Facts
the island alliance
Bioremediation
U.S. Geological Survey on Bioremediation
What Is Bioremediation?
Environmental Inquiry, Cornell University and Penn State University
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