The earth is a natural organism that is alive in every way. It’s rivers act like blood vessels and its oceans are giant filters. It is growing new parts of its body all the time. It expands and contracts as it breathes. Man is but one organism living on the earth, each of us acting like a cell in a massive system. The human cell can be detrimental to the earthly host in the same way that the cancerous cell is detrimental within man. Using our resources in the most thoughtful, compassionate, and even useful way will allow us to progress as a species, in unity with the earth.
The earth has certain zones within it, in nearly all locations. Man can best utilize the natural topography and technologies that the earth has in place and minimize his impact on the system, thereby making it more whole. In order to accomplish this, he must allow certain places within the earth to remain pristine, so that they may function by design. Following are tips for working within each of the earth’s 8 main functional zones.
Showing posts with label Early Release Chapters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Early Release Chapters. Show all posts
Southwest Vernacular Zone
The Southwest Vernacular Zone is composed of the southern Rockies, the Mohave and Sonoran deserts, and Southern California. The semi-arid to arid environment of the southwest makes for bitter cold winters and sweltering summers. The earth forms include plateaus, mountains, valleys, plains, and canyons.
Arid & Mediterranean Climatic Zone Design Specifics
Weather
Temperatures in these zones range from 10 degrees to 120 degrees F. Sunshine is predominant, with over 85% of available hours bathed in clear skies and sunlight. The highest wind velocities are most often in afternoons during spring and fall. Winds over 20mph may be dust-laden. Night winds are often cooler, coming down from the mountains as the cool air is heavier and prone to behaving like water, flowing downhill. This can be used to advantage for nighttime cooling of structures if the buildings are at the base of mountains or within valleys. These areas are prone to afternoon precipitation in summer “monsoon” season of June through August, if at all. Average yearly rainfall is usually under 20 inches, except in mountains, where snow is likely in winter. Water conservation, greywater use, and rainwater collection are vital. Low humidity allows for unique solutions in evaporative cooling.
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