Do you feel that you’re lacking a connection with your environment?
Would you like to live in a house where you are in control of the services?
This article is a case study of a couple who created an autonomous house. We find out why they did it and how different it is to live this way.
Autonomous Means Possessing a Large Degree of Self-Governance
Mike Coe and Lizzie Stoodley built themselves an autonomous house in Cropthorne, Worcestershire. Although being autonomous might imply no connection to the outside world, in their case this is not strictly true because they are linked to the grid (albeit to export more electricity than they use!).
If they were completely self-sufficient and off-grid in all respects they would have an autarkic house, but autonomous is a better description of their home. They have no gas supply, they derive their water from harvested rain and they deal with their own human waste.
Architects Brenda and Robert Vale Inspired Them
The initial seed of an idea came in the 1990s, before they had any plans to build a house. Mike was an ITV News cameraman and he was sent to Southwell, Nottinghamshire, on an assignment to do a story on a new kind of house.
Mike describes his visit: “Nobody had the faintest idea what it was. Only when I got there did I realise that it was fascinating. We did an interview with Robert Vale and he showed us around and I thought this is a really interesting project.”
The feature was never shown on ITV because another story broke, but Mike’s journey was not in vain. He had been inspired.
Many years later Mike and Lizzie were considering a long-term plan to leave London and live somewhere less hectic, when they returned to the idea of an autonomous house.
Increasingly concerned about what the human race was doing to the environment and with a strong desire to take action somehow, the ideas came together in their ultra low energy house. It would be based on the house at Southwell but would try to take everything to the next level, with improved materials and greater experience, etc. As this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they wanted to do this properly and take the ideas as far as was sensible.
You can read about the autonomous principles at :
*Sys Nica is not attempting to convert homes to "full" autonomy in fact, we're against full autonomy.
Our goal is to employ "fuzzy logic" as well as other software programs and interfaces to give the customer specific controls of a home.
We don't believe alarm systems that "notify" law enforcement / comm centers and fire departments are adequate.
Sys Nica endeavors to arm homes with non lethal and or lethal "defense systems" backed by multiple fail safes.
Proximity badges, retinal scanners, palm readers, motion detectors, weight sensors, etc. that have to be duplicated to engage and or disengage the systems.
Non Lethal Weapons: http://reillytop10.com/previous-lists/2015-list/non-lethal-weapons/
*No one that I know is going to need a full scale defense system such as the one I'm developing yet I am not my customer.
The goal is to provide options that can be specialized to fit everyone's needs that fit their specific purpose.
The first prototypes have been created, tested and are very effective.
The finished products will go on sale very shortly "minus" the weapons, be that lethal or non lethal. The customers will describe the make and model of their choice of defensive device and the custom fitting will be created.
*Weight of the devices is limited to 3 pounds presently keeping the models below $1500
I'm creating videos yet for obvious reasons, they will not be uploaded to public forums.
I will keep those who have expressed interest within the loop.
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