My First Week at the Centre for Alternative Technology for my MSc Architecture- Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies.
Wales is beautiful but the area surrounding C.A.T. is especially beautiful. That is only one of the factors that made this experience so worth it. I didnt know what to expect, I obviously had an idea, but in reality nothing could have prepared me for it.
The centre is located on an old slate quarry, in the middle of beautiful mountains and valleys that are beaming with wild life. It can be quite humid and cold sometimes but it was also sunny and the stars came out at night. In the morning I could enjoy the birds and look at the valley & mountains from the Eco-Cabin where I was staying.
Staying at the Eco-Cabins is an experience in itself, learning how to manage your energy your waste, and ultimately living in a sustainable environmentally correct way. The cabins have its own power source, from solar panels, wind generators, and water generators. There are battery banks to hold the electric energy and there is a monitoring board of the whole system so you are aware of how much you use and so you can manage it in a sustainable way. The heating of the cabins is done with solar water heating panels as well as with a wood burning stove with a boiler incorporated.
The waste water from the toilets and kitchen is treated on site and tested by the environmental agency, this is done through a series of reed beds with different filters and micro-organisms which I hope to learn more about in the future.
The roofs of the cabins are green turf and odd plants so the building fits with the surrounding environment, and sits on the mountain slope beautifully.
It would be impossible for me to completely paint the picture on all the beautiful buildings and different technology used throughout the site. From the water powered railway to the gigantic wind turbines on the top of the mountain and a huge solar roof and all the amazing constructions taking place on site, it is breath taking.
The people on the course are all like-minded, and we all shared a common interest, but there was more than just a common interest to keep us entertained. These people are actually, in their majority quite alike, they want to be part of the change for a better future and so there is lots of energy in the air. This combined with the mountain air is a powerful potion, and I couldnt explain it in words.
The Course is lots of work because it is a very technical course, but not even the complicated maths, physics, or chemistry managed to drain my courage. It is exiting to be pioneering in this field, to have the opportunity to be involved in the policy making for renewable energies, learning all about nuclear power, all about building ecologically and in a sustainable way, about how to recycle materials and about how much embodied energy(energy involved in producing) there is in a certain material used. Amazing innovative ideas are concentrated in this place, like using roof tiles made out of recycling tyres etc ect
I had to write a 1000 word report on a practical which I did on Solar and Skylight indicators & Solar radiation. This was all about using a method to plan where a window should be placed, how big or small it should be, what materials and glass should be used, so that it is as efficient as possible.
I have leaned this and much more, I was involved in exiting discussions on Nuclear Vs Renewable energy, and generally talked about everything I am interested about in the world at the moment
Finally got to meet some of the residents and these are the real people whose life style is for me a bible. Some of them live in impressive self built houses, they plant their own organic food, they run their vehicles of bio fuels and plan their journeys carefully. They might eat meat, but only if it is road kill (plenty in Wales). They use composting toilets, recycle in a beautiful way and generally live o a low footprint. They live in the future.
This is just a taste for me and for you, I have to go write my 1st 2000 word essay. Being back in London feels wrong in the way that I breathe fumes and have a bigger footprint on the environment even if I try hard, but on the other hand I am looking at every building in a different way and really enjoying my critical thoughts. I want to build better buildings incorporating new technology, new designs, and eco-friendly-recycled materials. I am building a geodesic dome in my garden as my first project. More on that once I start. Peace Love
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