REPLENISHABLE RESOURCES

Much of the destruction wrought on the planet by industrial civilization derives from the use of unreplenishable sources for energy and building materials. To live more gently on the earth we need to use the non-depletable ambient energies of the sun, wind, waves and gravity, and use constantly replenished materials such as woods from sustainably managed sources, or near inexhaustible materials such as mud, clay (for bricks) and sand (for glass). Much of the energy consumed by buildings might soon be generated from un-depletable sources, with electricity from wind farms, hydroelectric, geothermal or biomass (vegetal waste) burning plants and wave or tide-driven generators. Yet it could be that less of such power is needed, because buildings themselves will harness the ambient energies around them. After all, a building only uses a tiny percentage of the energy that impacts upon it in the form of sunlight and wind. Already with today's technologies, it is feasible for buildings in much of the world (and most of the United States) to be self-sufficient in energy terms, or even energy exporters. It would be very difficult for most buildings to be made totally of replenishable materials. Yet a far greater proportion of each building could be made from such materials, as well as those that have been recycled or lend themselves to recycling.

Buildings: Gotz Headquarters, Mont Cenis Training Center, Slateford Green, University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus, Cotulla Ranch House, Howard House, Palmer House, Westcott/Lahar House