Autonomous building

An autonomous building is a building designed to be operated independently from infrastructual support services such as the electric power power grid, municipal water systems, sewage treatment systems, storm drains, communication services, and (in some cases) public roads.

Related Topics:
Autonomous - Building - Infrastructual - Electric power - Sewage treatment - Storm drain

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

British architects Brenda and Robert Vale have said that, as of 2002, "It is quite possible in all parts of Australia to construct a 'house with no bills', which would be comfortable without heating and cooling, which would make its own electricity, collect its own water and deal with its own waste... These houses can be built now, using off-the-shelf techniques. It is possible to build a "house with no bills" for the same price as a conventional house, but it would be (25%) smaller."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Advocates of autonomous building point to numerous advantages, ranging from environmental impact to cost efficiencies. (Often these cited advantages relate to different aspects of green building, not independence per se; see below.) Off-grid buildings do not rely on civil services, and are therefore safer and more secure because they are more resilient against civil disaster or military attacks.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The process of going off-grid potentially may bring intangible benefits, such as an examination of personal responsibility, a conscious decision about one's relationship to society, and the psychological virtues of independence.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Most of the research and publication of autonomous building is about residential homes. In the 1990s architects such as William McDonough and Ken Yeang applied environmentally responsible building design to large commercial buildings, such as office buildings, making them them largely self-sufficient in energy production. One major bank building (ING's Amsterdam headquarters) in the Netherlands was constructed to be autonomous, and artistic as well.

Related Topics:
1990s - William McDonough - Ken Yeang - ING - Amsterdam - Netherlands

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~