Become both more environmentally sustainable and resilient! Follow my weekly series and learn step-by-step how to design your own home and garden using permaculture design. I'll release a new video every Saturday evening though the first few months of 2024. #learnpermaculture #permaculture #permaculturedesign #aranya #growyourownfood #foodforest
We need to start with observing many things about our site - to help us to make the right choices later. Which of our supply lines are vulnerable? Where do we already have some resilience?
Make yourself a base map of your site - it can be quite simple. You could trace around an aerial image to get a reasonably accurate map or use some other basic mapping data if you have access to some. I've used OS data as a starting point. Add your hard structures to this to create a base map that you can photocopy or scan and print. You'll need three copies this week.
On your first copy draw in the soft structures on your site. These will mainly be made of wood - sheds, fencing, steps, raised bed edging, pergolas etc.
On your second copy make a note of the sectors and microclimates on your site. Which directions do the prevailing and coldest winds come from? Which areas are sheltered and which are exposed? What comes with the wind? Rain? Are there any rain shadows behind buildings and other structures? Pollution? Noise? Does cold air flow downhill across your site in winter? If so, where does it get stuck - are there any frost pockets? Where are the sunniest spots and where is the deepest shade - particularly in winter when the sun is low? How does the path of the Sun changes from winter to summer and back? If you don't know, the Sun compass can help...
Learn how to use the Sun compass here:
• The garden planner's S...
On your third copy note how big your roof(s) are. Here's the formula for working out how much rainfall you could catch:
Roof area (in square metres) x Annual rainfall (in metres) x roof material run-off coefficient.
An example. For a house 5 metres by 10 metres:
5 m x 10m = 50sqm.
If annual rainfall is 800mm (0.8m):
50sqm x 0.8m = 40 cubic metres per year = 40,000 litres per year.
If the roof material is concrete tile, the run-off coefficient is around 0.85. So:
40 cubic metres per year x 0.85 = 34 cubic metres per year that runs off.
(6 cubic metres per year evaporates).
Most roof materials have run-off coefficients of around 0.8 (e.g. tile) to 0.9 (sheet metal). The main exceptions are flat roofs, thatches and green roofs, all of which are around 0.5.
Finally, consider where your water comes from and what happens to it after you've used it. If your mains water supply stopped working do you have a back up? How much water do you use each day? If you don't know, start measuring. How much do you drink? How much to wash - yourself, your clothes and your dishes. How much flushes away down the toilet each time you use it? Add these up and come up with a figure.
Be curious, and kind to yourself about your current situation.
And please let me know in the comments what you learn and if anything surprises you.
Join me next week for the next part of your site survey.
Or sign up for the full course here:
www.learnperma...
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