THE EIGHT STAGES OF ECOVILLAGE BUILDING
0. Create the Intention
Research, travel, reading, talking, meeting people. Attend a training through the Global EcoVillages Network. www.gaia.org
1. Establish a Vision
Clarity, forming a group, outline ideas.
Commitment # 1 - to form a group to create a community
Work out ways to run meetings, to celebrate, to bond as a group.
Work out ways to deal with conflicts. US list: Pets, parking, pesticides, firearms, wood stoves, smoking.
2. Form a Legal Structure.
Commitment #2 – to take the time for meetings, to build your community
Coop, corporation, non-profit society. Chris Hanson advice. What will the local banks or credit unions accept, for a mortgage?
3. Search for the Right Land
Needs clarity on goals, ideas, dreams
Ready to put money down to secure an option to buy
Commitment #3 – $1,000 - $5,000 per household, to finance the process.
4. Buy the Land
Need to spend money on feasibility studies, engineering.
Need to think about need for zoning, allowed and potential density, ALR, size of houses, neighbours, suitability for earning a living, etc
Commitment #4 – Commitment to a specific site.
5. Engage in the Planning Process
50% research, 50% relationships.
For the planners: density, design & overall approach ("does it make sense?")
For the engineers: water, sewage, roads, fire access, setbacks
For yourselves: overall design, agriculture, forestry, permaculture; types and style of housing, clustering, alternative energy; water, sewage, local economy.
Legally – (a) Rezoning; (b) Development Permit; (c) OCP changes.
4 Readings, + Public Hearing.
Relationships (a) with staff on Islands Trust, & CRD; (b) with neighbours; (c) with Salt Spring CRD Directors
Commitment #5 – Commitment to hiring professional help
6. Detailed Building Plans
Eco-building – host of issues.
Wood/straw/rammed/earth. Reclaimed wood.
Passive solar, energy efficiency, windows, walls
Solar, wind, ground-source heat, zero-energy design. BEDZED
Renewable & recycled materials
Non-toxic building materials. Plastics.
Building permits - Cost issues
Development Permit –
Commitment #6 – Commitment to construction financing, loan packages
7. Construction Starts
Commitment #7 – Commitment to regular payment
8. Moving In
Commitment #8 – Commitment to be ready to have your house sold, to move in, and to pay your new mortgage.
TLHOLEGO, SOUTH AFRICA
www.sustainable-futures.com
1990, north-west South Africa. 35 members, aiming at 60 – 100
Traditional 2000-year-old Tswana designs using earth and thatch as well as buildings constructed from large earth-filled bags with fired-brick dome roofs. Locally available and recycled materials were used for foundations, walls, floors and roofs. sustainable building systems with natural waste treatment and the permaculture approach for designing food self-reliance. This includes using modern techniques of unburned mudbrick, passive solar design, appropriate technologies of rainwater collection, compost toilets, grey-water irrigation and solar water heating.
CRYSTAL WATERS, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
www.permaculture.au.com/Crystal_Waters.html
1987; 83 lots, over 20% of the 259 hectares. Many businesses; ecovillage design courses; 200 people; 30 businesses; Goal – 250 –300 people. ‘home occupation’ zoning
Basic human needs (clean air, water, food, work, social interaction, spiritual freedom, recreation, shelter) are interconnected ,not artificially separated.
Wastewater is utilized on site
Rainwater is collected on site
Energy saving is part of policy, not an add-on
Careful choice and use of materials
Clustering of housing to enhance social interaction
Planning takes economical and environmental sustainability as the basis for design.
"When we first put our ideas to the local authority the legal framework and political climate were unfavourable. The accepted wisdom was that rural areas should not be subdivided below 40 acres (16 ha). In Queensland new villages were not permitted (although exceptions existed for mining companies). The combination of agricultural, residential, manufacturing, educational and recreational use of land was discouraged.
However, by patient negotiation and discussion with the local authority we were able to work through these issues, and we have shown that people and agriculture are a healthy combination and are actually interdependent. We have learned that ‘no’ need not be the last answer and that politicians can be convinced with well researched arguments.
LEBENSGARTEN, North GERMANY
www.lebensgarten.de
1986 – 44 houses that were workers residences at an old arms factory
Retrofitted, using building biomethods
70 adults, 40 children
Much community share activity, celebration
Car-share coop, community kitchen
TORRO SUPERIORE, ITALY (near French border, by the Mediterranean)
www.torri-superiore.org
Medieval stone village, uninhabited for ages. 14th century
1989 – restoring the 166 rooms. Non-profit society
Educational centre, ecovillage training
50% community owned, 50% privately owned
12 adults, 5 children. 30 members.
AUROVILLE, south INDIA
www.auroville.org
1968 1500 people, 40 different nations 100 communities of varying sizes
HUEHUECOYOTL, MEXICO
1982 – travelling artists, travelling theatre group
