Our House Julie Cross, Eddie Weiss, Cara Scatena

Composting Toilet How does it work? Under the toilet there is a special ‘drawer’ of soil When you take a #1 it simply evaporates from the soil. A #2, the excrement goes into the soil drawer and you remove the drawer and place the mixture into the garden! why? The compost created will be able to fertilize Robins Parks many gardens saves money on the water and plumbing bills.

Low Emission Windows How do they work? They have gas in between their panes which causes them to reflect heat while also insulating the inside. Why? Our building will be made up of many glass windows and extra insulation will be helpful. We hope to use this building through all the season therefore we need a moderate temperature. They’re moderately priced, but will benefit us in the long run with the heating and cooling system

Straw Bale Insulation How does it work? Straw placed in the shape of the wall. Straw gets plastered so animals don’t eat it. Why? Keeps wind out, and a constant temperature. Slightly expensive but a good investment, because it will avoid carpenter bees.

Sustainable Flooring Cork flooring Uses recycled material Does not attract carpenter bees Lasts longer than hardwood Benefits outweigh the risks

Rain Barrel How does it work? Collects rain water from the rooftop through a gutter system. Why? We will attach a hose to bottom, and use that water to tend to plants. Will reduce the amount of water wasted.

Tidal Power Plant How does it work? A dam is built across a tidal basin. Which includes a sluice That is opened to allow the tide to flow into the basin the sluice is then closed, and as the sea level drops, traditional hydropower technologies can be used to generate electricity from the elevated water in the basin 2 types : Wave Energy and Tidal Energy Wave : wave rises into a chamber, rising water forces air out of the chamber. This powerful air spins the turbine to power a generator. Wave goes down and process is repeated. Power smaller systems Tidal : when the tide comes to shore it can get trapped in reservoirs behind dams, as the tide drops the water is let out. (like regular hydroelectric power plant)

Tidal Power Plant ADVANTAGES It is very cheap to maintain There is no waste or pollution Very reliable (most plentiful) We can predict when tides will be in or out DISADVANTAGES It changes the coastline completely habitats that birds or animals live on are destroyed Initial building cost is very expensive Water is not replenished, it cannot flow away so any dirt or pollution lingers around the coast much longer Needs a very big piece of sea to be cost effective Not many sites suitable for this kind of power generation