CAMP: Projects 2) MICRO POWER STATIONS FOR EVERYONE The majority of technology that currently
possibilities. For example, the “Copenhagen
in touch with nature. This is how the American
Wheel” developed by the MIT generates energy
architect Michael Reynolds has been working for
while its user rides a bike.
more than 40 years in the desert of New Mexico.
produces energy is proprietary, i.e. owned and
His “Earth-Shops” adapt to any climate zone and
“protected” by patents that prevent open source
allow an autonomous “off-grid” life: energy, fresh
development. A hardly known fact is that “solar concentrators” produce 5 kW of electrical or
water, sewage treatment and disposal are as
3)
integrated as passive heating and agricultural
40kW of thermal energy, enough to power the average energy demand of 10 people. Another
spaces. The open source project “Wikihouse” DIY SUSTAINABLE HOUSING
project could be the refinement of the open-
has a different angle: Standardized components enable the building of wooden houses with open
source “SHPEGS” (Solar Heat Pump Electrical
Self-sufficient houses with a closed materials
construction plans and drawings. This has also
Generation Systems), tower-like structures
cycle are highly efficient solutions to reduce
attracted a global and very active community.
using natural the air movement between the
energy and resource consumption. Recycled
Both approaches can be implemented almost
cold earth surface and warm air to generate
construction material and simple instructions
entirely autonomously, and combining them
power. This could be augmented by a variety of
to autonomous self-made houses can reduce
would make sustainable, resource-conserving
small, practical mechanical energy generation
the initial costs and enable more people to live
housing for everyone possible.
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