subject: Homes, Public Spaces Made from Sustainable Materials [print this page] Homes, Public Spaces Made from Sustainable Materials
The construction industry has earned a brown reputation for generating thousands of tons of trash each year. As the green building movement has gained traction, much of the waste generated is reused or recycled. Before you send another tire, wine barrel, shipping pallet or glass bottle to the landfill, read on to see what some resourceful individuals have created with trash.
FROM TRASH TO HOMES
Shelter is a basic human necessity, yet every day people face a struggle for adequate housing. According to Habitat for Humanity International, over 40 percent of the global population will need access to housing by 2030.
Many of those in dire need of basic housing include the urban poor living in slums and refugees and displaced people living in temporary shelters.
To address this problem, San Diego-based 4 Walls International has developed a sustainable, Earthship-type solution. "At 4 Walls International, what we do is we take something that nobody wants and we turn it into something that everybody needs: shelter, water, food, sanitation and comfort," said founder Steven Wright at the 3rd Annual Summit on Peace and Prosperity through Trade and Commerce: Innovative Products for Sustainable Societies conference in September at the University of San Diego.
Working in Mexico along the California border, 4 Walls transforms discarded bottles, cans and tires into building materials. Combining sustainability with local building knowledge, the organization teaches communities to build homes that encourage self-sufficiency.
The homes are designed with the ecosystem in mind and utilize basic concepts of green buildingfrom energy independence to rainwater catchment systemsto meet the resource needs of the home dweller.
The organization provides training to the local community members so that the sustainable construction process can be continued in perpetuity long after 4 Walls has left the area. According to Wright, "Our impact is tremendous. We not only create a stable workforce, we reclaim waste and litter and use it to build, we increase sanitation services, decrease the cost of a home, decrease the burden of utilities and infrastructure, decrease the human impact on the environment, increase productivity and opportunities for individuals, but most notably we are creating a never before seen housing market. We're opening a completely new housing market to businesses."
Ultimately, the organization seeks to redevelop the slums into independent, sustainable communities and neighborhoods.
FROM TRASH TO PUBLIC ART SPACE
Located in the Southwark borough of London, the Jellyfish Theatre is touted as the city's "first fully-functioning theatre made entirely from recycled and reclaimed materials" on the Oikos Project's website.
Designed by architects Kbberling and Kaltwasser as a whimsical statement about sustainability in the time of climate change, the theatre is comprised of reclaimed wood from construction sites as well as over 800 discarded pallets, front doors and school furniture.
Chances are, if you've built anything in London over the last year, the salvaged debris went on to play a pivotal role in the development of the Jellyfish. With seating for 120 people, the structure is fully compliant with local building and fire codes.
From August to October 2010, the theatre is the home of two eco-themed plays. After October, the theatre will be taken apart and its components will be recycled or reused again.
Bryan Savory, producer for the Red Room film and theatre company told the Guardianin August, "It's not just materials we got for free, but the time and skill of unemployed architects, along with carpenters and people who've walked off the street during their lunch hours.
"According to the Guardian, 81 volunteers spent 4,200 hours of service over nine weeks building the temporary structure and work of art.
FROM TRASH TO BEAUTIFUL FLOORING
Repurposing materials isn't just for activists, artists and treehuggers; putting discarded materials into constructive use can create beautiful interiors as well. Fontenay Woods, a leading manufacturer of flooring, countertops and furniture, has a collection of high-end wood flooring made from reclaimed oak wine barrels.
For many winemakers, oak barrels are only good for a decade or less, when they must be replaced. Fontenay collects the discarded barrels and mills them into three separate collections that use the oak from the top, inside and outside of the barrels. While one type still bears the stamps of the barrel, another type features staining from Bordeaux or Cabernet that called it home during the fermentation process.
The use of reclaimed materials in construction sparks innovation, improves structural integrity and enhances interior spaces.
