WHAT IS AN ECOVILLAGE

WHAT IS AN ECOVILLAGE?

When we speak on our project recently, which was revived in the last month, we are often having to explain what an ecovillage is.

Sometimes spelled, eco village, an ecovillage is officially defined as  "a community whose inhabitants seek to live according to ecological principles causing as little impact on the environment as possible." What we hope that looks like is what we have been planning to create these last couple of years. 

Our ecovillage aims to follow the ecological principles of permaculture while providing homes for no more than forty families. It will be a source of refuge, a place to learn, a source of food and so much more.

The inhabitants, also known as the ecovillagers, will have a united view on ecological, social-economic and cultural values. As green-minded people, the ecovillages will consciously seek alternatives to the lifestyles that are wasteful or contribute to the destruction of our natural habitat.

Our ecovillage will be a deliberate  community of middle class Kenyans that will use the space as a rural home built to be a green example for others willing to learn a new regenerative social and environmental option in Kenya. Where the desert creeps forward, the ecovillage aims to create an oasis that will greenify the dry landscape of Kajiado County as it matures.

The different ecovillages around the world may operate differently, some are a solution for orphans, and others have created a barter system or their own currency, but are solidly rooted in the some, if not all, the principles laid out in Robert & Diane Gilman's Ecovillages and Sustainable Communities.

We aim to value and practice community living by not only finding solutions that meet our needs (water, food & shelter) we will be a source of green knowledge to the communities near by. So, as a planned community, we will generate sources of income for the village, e.g. selling our produce, offering classes, but also ensure that especially in the early years, each owner contributes to the planning, progress and infrastructure as part of a team as well as part of a collective financial source.

With any luck, you will see our ecovillage be the sustainable community that we want our children's children to be able to take part in. With the principle in place, it is a reality ready to happen.

Learn more about our plan! Email us today!

THE BIGGER PICTURE

VISUAL CONCEPT



They say, "it takes a village..."

I am one of the dreamers, one of the creators of the EcoVillage.


Then we have...
Lawyers
Accountants
Financial Advisers
Architecht
Interior Designer
Permaculturists
Landscape Designer
Energy Engineers
Water Engineer
Biogas Specialist
Agriculturists
and you, the owners

As we get closer to confirming our plans, we first get clear with the bigger picture. 

Here it is.

Tell us what you think.

A HOUSE IS A HOME

What makes a house a sustainable home? A house that uses the materials at hand, a house that shrinks away from materials that have a negative impact on the environment and instead reach for designs that conserve energy and reduces waste and choose materials that are locally available.

A sustainable home looks different for every one. There are so many choices these days. 

Here are just a few.

COB BUILDING:

In Europe, cob building dates hundreds of years ago. In our continent, African have been and still build with mud and straw. These structures are described as monolithic, that is, the material, straw and mud, is worked layers after layers to create a massive form. It is not like laying bricks! But the art is in shaping the material to wall that are as thick as three feet or less.

ADOBE - EARTH BRICKS:

Did you know that about a third of the world's population live in a adobe houses. Similar to cob building, adobe structures are energy efficient and the bricks are extremely durable. Adobe is mostly made from a mix of clay and sand.

RAMMED (COMPACT)  EARTH:

is a method of building where a mix of earth is compacted in layers between forms. Each layer tends to be approximately fifteen centimeters thick. With a small amount of cement in the mix, a wide range of soil types can be used in this method.

BAMBOO HOUSES:

As an alternative to timber, bamboo is an eco-friendly alternative. Sturdy, the hollow tube in the bamboo has been proven to make the bamboo a strong material that is also not favoured by termites - a bonus! Bamboo builders, who seem to be artisans as well, look at their bamboo homes as a natural flow from form and function.

With a little imagination one could design the perfect space for a small or large family. We at Ecovillage Project Kenya plan on creating a home for its residents. We want to feel at home while care for the environment we plan to leave for our children!