Waterpod™ and Lonny Grafman's Humboldt State University Engineering Class 215
Waterpod™ has been imagined as a realistic alternative to traditional living spaces. It is a floating sculptural structure that will travel the New York waterways in the summer of 2009 and act as a home for 6 visual artists. At its most basic it is a commercial barge that is currently being converted into a mobile art exhibition and living space that will showcase sustainable technology. Lonny Grafman of Appropedia, the sustainable wiki, and his Humboldt State University Engineering Class 215 have been working on innovative sustainable projects in order to make life aboard Waterpod™ what we dreamed. The New York Waterpod™ contingent has been acting as the green client and helping teach the class via a webcam in exchange for their priceless experiments. Initially we looked at our essential energy needs, survival and attainable comfort and translated that into a list of potential projects for the aspiring engineers. From that wish list they chose to tackle the following:
SUSTAINABLE LIVING PROJECTS BY HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING CLASS 215
Human Powered Water Pumping for Pumping of Water Around
Limitations: Could be fresh or brackish water.
Rain Water Purification to Purify the Captured Water (2 teams)
Limitations: NY Watershed common pollutants, gravity fed systems
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The Pod People
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FBD
Bike Electrical Power for Powering Extra Loads, Such as the Stage (2 teams)
Limitations: We would want to make a system that we could hook up to bicycles already here.
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Team Jack
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Team Lorax
Picohydro for Extracting Energy from the River
Limitations: The barge surface is 12’ from the water, it will be docked in different locations, and we may need to be able to move the picohydro to where the best water motion is in relation to the different parts of the barge. There is very little head available.
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PIE Through Design
Composting Toilets for Processing the Waste of the Occupants
Limitations: Must be able to take waste from six people on average per day. Humanure compost usually takes more than 6 months to process.
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Green Turds
Rocket Stove for Cooking Efficiently
Limitations: What will the fuel source be.
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Team Mel Brooks
Solar Cooking (More than a Solar Box, e.g. Parabolic System) for Supplemental Cooking Needs
Limitations: Solar access.
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MSB
Groundless Food Systems
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Prestige Worldwide
Simple Hydroponic System for Growing Some of the Food Needed by the Occupants
Limitations: No power, we would like to use recycled materials, can we work this with solar/heat?
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Green Apple
Chicken Living Systems
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Team x 86
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