Energy efficient living systems using the principles of Sim van der Ryn and

Stuart Cowan

Rumjhum Gupta

1st April 2022

Rumjhum 2

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3

Literature review ........................................................................................................................ 4

Introducing the ecological principles by Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan ......................... 9

Solutions grow from place ................................................................................................... 10

Ecological accounting informs design ................................................................................. 12

Design with nature ............................................................................................................... 14

Everyone is a designer ......................................................................................................... 15

Make nature visible .............................................................................................................. 16

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 18

Appendix .................................................................................................................................. 20

Appendix A: LEED rating system ....................................................................................... 20

Appendix B: Embodied energy of building materials ......................................................... 21

Appendix C: AIA question list ............................................................................................ 22

Appendix D: Scale linking and negentropy ......................................................................... 23

Appendix E: Constructed wetlands...................................................................................... 24

Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 25
Rumjhum 3

Introduction

Our present living systems are extremely disconnected with the natural world. The

building that we live in obstruct and isolate us from the processes of nature and wrap us

around an artificial environment where sanitized versions of technology and nature are

desired.

Sim Van der Ryn defines ecological design as “any form of design that minimizes

environmentally destructive impacts by integrating itself with living processes.” 1 Ecological

designs illuminate on the very flows that sustain us and hence buildings created using its

principles are make use of natural energy flows.

Today’s society needs to tackle the huge challenge of energy consumption and

exploitation of non-renewable sources like natural gas and coal. The production of energy

that is responsible for 87% of global greenhouse gas emissions2 and hence contributes greatly

to climate change and air pollution. This paper looks at the ways the ecological design

principles proposed by Sim Van der Ryn and Start Cowan can create energy efficient living

systems.

1
Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, Ecological Design (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
2
Max Roser, “The World's Energy Problem,” Our World in Data, December 10, 2020,
https://ourworldindata.org/worlds-energy-problem.
Rumjhum 4

Literature review

William McDonough in Cradle to Cradle 3explains two thought-provoking ideas.

Firstly, we must seek eco effectiveness instead of eco efficiency. In simpler words we must

focus on creating the right products and systems rather than trying to lessen the wrong

impacts of the wrong creations. Secondly, we must design for a world of abundance rather

than limits pollution and waste.

Weijie Zhong et al (2022) state that the building sector plays an essential role in

sustainable development and is responsible for nearly 40% of energy consumption and

energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Biophilic design can be defined as “a deliberate

attempt to satisfy the need of contact with natural systems and processes in the contemporary

built environment, and to improve people’s physical and mental health, productivity and

wellbeing”. Connecting to UN’s SDGs, biophilic design can reduce energy and construction

material costs, decrease energy consumption (enhance building passive cooling and lessen the

perceived temperature).4

Maliha Afroz Nitu et al (2022) states that heating, cooling, ventilation and artificial

lighting are responsible for most of the energy demand of a building and points out that

current design strategies used to improve energy performance depend upon technological

solutions. The study stated that by implementing biophilic elements (direct experience of

nature)—daylight, air, and plants—in particular retrofitting phases, the house performs better

in terms of daylighting, thermal comfort, along with a slight improvement in overall energy

consumption. The energy efficiency improvement has been marginal because most of the

3
William McDonough and Michael Braungart, Cradle to Cradle Remaking The Way We Make Things, n.d.
4
Weijie Zhong, Torsten Schröder, and Juliette Bekkering, “Biophilic Design in Architecture and Its
Contributions to Health, Well-Being, and Sustainability: A Critical Review,” Frontiers of Architectural
Research 11, no. 1 (2022): pp. 114-141, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2021.07.006.
Rumjhum 5

energy demand is for heating load, and there exist limited opportunities for reducing the

heating load, due to the façade’s minimal external exposure. 5

According to Horia Ţundrea and Mihai Budescu (2013), bioclimatic design, akin to

the biophilic approach, focuses on the location’s characteristic like climate, vegetation,

topography and geology of soil and aims to minimize the energy needs of the building and

create a comfortable environment. Some of the elements considered are natural ventilation,

planted perimeters and the form to take advantage of the sun, earth and wind’s energy

potential.

One possibility stated is providing solar energy intakes through multi story atriums

that radiate heat in the cold season and can be closed during the summer thus avoiding the

greenhouse effect. Another possibility is making the back of the house insulated and north

oriented and placing intake vents in south east oriented shaded plant perimeters following

which the naturally acclimatized interior space will use inertia provided by the mass of the

envelope. Hence, the requirement for mechanized ventilation and air conditioning becomes

minimal. 6

Norbert Lechner (2014)7 also stresses on a bioclimatic approach and he particularly

provides optimal strategies for tropical climates. An orientation strategy of only south and

north facing windows and no east and west windows can reduce the energy consumption for

heating/cooling and lighting as much as 40%. Another strategy is using appropriate colours.

5
Maliha Afroz Nitu et al., “A Biophilic Design Approach for Improved Energy Performance in Retrofitting
Residential Projects,” Sustainability 14, no. 7 (2022): p. 3776, https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073776.
6
Horia Ţundrea and Mihai Budescu. “Bioclimatic Architecture, a Sensible and Logical Approach towards the
Future of Building Development.” The Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Jassy, Construction. Architecture
Section (2013): 109-118.
Rumjhum 6

The ‘greenest’ colour is white since it can reduce heat gain of buildings. White walls are 30%

cooler than dark walls and white roofs are 50% cooler than black roofs. 8

Danny Cheng (2019) introduces the case of NTFGH and Jurong Community Hospital

that uses biophilic strategies like optimized sunlight and heat recovery in operating rooms

The energy use intensity (EUI) of the building is 72 kBtu/sf/year, which is a 38 percent

reduction compared to the typical Singaporean hospital and a 69 percent reduction compared

to U.S. hospitals.9

Julia Africa et al (2019) also supports that biophilic strategies like daylighting in the

appropriate façade and floor plan design and operable windows providing natural ventilation

lower energy consumption. Deep conservation and passive solar can ensure comfort to

outdoor temperatures as low as 45 F. External living walls can cool façades and indoor spaces

through shading and evapotranspiration; the presence of greenery can also lessen the

perceived temperature. On the other hand, natural ventilation has cons like it may not be

suitable in certain seasons, at certain sites, or in the context of certain programming needs

that call for sterile spaces like laboratories and hospitals.10

Weijie Zhong et al (2022) likewise state that biophilic design can be

counterproductive: highly artificial ‘green’ designs require intensive energy use and

maintenance, daylight could lead to overheating and decreased building performance, natural

8
Norbert Lechner, Heating, Cooling, Lighting: Sustainable Design Methods for Architects (Hoboken: Wiley,
2014).
9
Danny Cheng. "The creation of a biophilic environment in the rehabilitation area of AMC: Renovation of
AMC into a biophilic hospital." (2019).
10
Julia Africa et al., “Biophilic Design and Climate Change: Performance Parameters for Health,” Frontiers in
Built Environment 5 (2019), https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2019.00028.
Rumjhum 7

ventilation may increase the circulation of pollutants (e.g., PM2.5) and when outdoor

humidity is high will bring excess moisture that increases the risk of mould contamination. 11

Arab Hoballah et al (2012) claim that buildings contribute heavily to the energy

consumption profile and carbon footprint of cities through demand for heating, ventilation

and air-conditioning, refrigeration and manufacturing. Building retrofits is advised for energy

efficiency in cities with established infrastructures. The paper also touches on renewable

energy feed in tariffs (REFITs) to incentivise the development of low carbon sources like

wind power, tidal power, hydropower and geothermal energy. 12

A report by UN (2012) provides another energy conserving strategy. It states that a 10

percent increase in canopy cover may result in a 3–4°C decrease in ambient temperature and

hence save large amounts of energy used in air conditioning and ventilation. These effects

were seen in Canberra, Australia where the local authorities planted more than 400,000 trees

within the city limits. Urban green spaces like rooftop gardens can also help in climate

control by reflecting and absorbing solar radiation, improving air quality, shading, etc.

Government authorities should make an effort to increase urban vegetation to reap

these benefits. Factors such as species, size, abundance and location must be considered to

maximize the energy savings by tree plantation.13 Gwanggyo in South Korea is an energy-

independent architectural model proposed by Sung-Yul Kim et (2018) that will be a green

11
Weijie Zhong, Torsten Schröder, and Juliette Bekkering, “Biophilic Design in Architecture and Its
Contributions to Health, Well-Being, and Sustainability: A Critical Review,” Frontiers of Architectural
Research 11, no. 1 (2022): pp. 114-141, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2021.07.006.
12
Arab Hoballah, Peter Camaren, and Programme des Nations Unies pour l'environnement. Sustainable,
resource efficient cities: Making it happen! UNEP, 2012.
13
“Cities and Biodiversity Outlook - Action and Policy.:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform,”
United Nations (United Nations), accessed April 26, 2022,
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=400&nr=1104&menu=1515.
Rumjhum 8

acropolis of organic hill-like structures that seeks optimal generation of solar energy and

reduce energy used in transportation by building a close-knit community. 14

John Todd, Erica J.G Brown, and Erik Wells (2003) elaborate on multiples cases

ecological design that can be referred to in relation to waste management. One of the cases

mentioned involves a contaminated pond treatment powered by wind and solar energy

sources while another is an agriculture based Eco- Park in Vermont, USA which will derive a

huge chunk of its energy from the waste heat from the 53 MW McNeil power station which is

a large wood chip fire electrical generating facility.15

14
Sung-Yul Kim, Ho-Soon Choi, and Jeong-Hee Eum, “Energy-Independent Architectural Models for
Residential Complex Plans through Solar Energy in Daegu Metropolitan City, South Korea,” Sustainability 10,
no. 2 (November 2018): p. 482, https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020482.
15
John Todd, Erica J.G Brown, and Erik Wells, “Ecological Design Applied,” Ecological Engineering 20, no. 5
(2003): pp. 421-440, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2003.08.004.
Rumjhum 9

Introducing the ecological principles by Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan

Ecological design enables human integration into the ecology in a way that reduces

energy and material flows to a great extent. Sim Van der Ryn is an architect that has

contributed greatly to bring sustainable design to a bigger scale. Ryn along with Stuart

Cowan proposed five principles designers can follow to create ecologically in Ecological

Design.16

The first principle is that solutions grow from place which is related to bioclimatic

design. The design solutions should understand the specific context of the place and aim to

keep the cultural and natural heritage intact.

The second principle concerns ecological accounting in which different social,

environmental and financial factors need to be considered throughout the designing process.

Notable systems under ecological accounting are Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design (LEED) and life cycle analysis (LCA).

The third principle is design with nature which is connected to the field of biomimicry

that takes inspiration from nature. There is emphasis on using nature’s own process to create

a creative ‘living’ mechanism.

The fourth principle is that everyone is a designer. This principle encourages

designers to collaborate with various stakeholders connected to the project and find value in

their inputs. It also promotes community living and is connected to the open-source

movement.

16
Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, Ecological Design (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
Rumjhum 10

Lastly, the fifth principle is making nature visible which is linked to the biophilia

hypothesis proposed by E.O Wilson. Biophilia is defined as “the inherent need to be near

nature”17.Natural systems are skilfully integrated into buildings in innovative ways leading to

various benefits to its resident’s mental and physical health.

Before moving on to the links between the principles and economy it is important to

stress that there is a distinction between technological sustainability and ecological

sustainability. The former relies on the existing structures of power to often justify

destructive development. As supported by David W. Orr’s characteristics of ecological

sustainability18, sustainability cannot immerge from large corporations with grandiose plans,

instead it should be locally built from self-reliant communities while utilizing the asset of

traditional knowledge. Most importantly, environmental problems arise from poor design and

hence we must look to nature for solutions since “nature is the best designer”. 19

Solutions grow from place

The clothesline paradox by Peter van Dresser critiques the dependence on oil, coal

and natural gas while discounting passive solar energy. The analogy given is using an electric

clothes dryer instead of simply drying the clothes on a clothesline using the thermal heat

provided by the sun.20 More often than not the place itself provides hints for the design it

requires throu3egh its soil, vegetation, climate, water flows, animals and people.

17
“Biophilia Hypothesis,” Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.), accessed May 1, 2022,
https://www.britannica.com/science/biophilia-hypothesis.
18
Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, Ecological Design (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
19
Quote by Alexander McQueen
20
Anthony Denzer, “The Clothesline Paradoxes,” Solar House History (Solar House History, November 16,
2014), http://solarhousehistory.com/blog/2013/3/14/the-clothesline-paradoxes.
Rumjhum 11

The Bateson Building located in Sacramento designed by the Office of the California

State Architect benefits from efficient use of the city’s climate. The building uses a

daylighting strategy so that natural light reaches every desk. The city often experiences

summer days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit while the evenings dip to the fifties due to the cool

air from the nearby river. Hence the square-block building is surrounded by a large atrium

with rocks. The building’s heat during summer days is absorbed by the thermal mass of the

rock and at night, large fans flush the thermal energy stored in the rock outside. The building

is also equipped with motorized shades that block incoming sunlight. This design is able to

save the energy used for artificial lighting and air conditioning.21

Image 1: Interior view of Bateson building

21
Anthony Denzer, “Revisiting the Bateson Building,” Solar House History (Solar House History, May 31,
2016), http://solarhousehistory.com/blog/2014/11/23/revisiting-the-bateson-building.
Rumjhum 12

Image 2: Office space

The Lindisfarne Association Centre in Crestone, Colorado designed by Ryn and

Associates is located in the cold and windy foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains and

sees sunny days in winters along with a short, warm summer. Hence the building is created to

maximize the warmth and minimize the chilly winds with a long, south facing rectangular

structure with abundance of glass. The north wall and roof are heavily insulated and covered

with soil to reduce the effect of wind and to stabilize temperature. Hence, even with extreme

drops in winter that reach –60 degrees Fahrenheit, the building’s interior, heated only with an

energy efficient wood stove, remains above 55 degrees. In this example, energy consumption

used for artificial heating is lowered. 22

Ecological accounting informs design

The laws of energy accounting are that the input energy must equal the output energy

along with waste energy if created and that the quality and usefulness of energy degrades

when it is converted from form to form. Life cycle analysis is a great way to carry out energy

accounting as it looks at environmental impacts at every stage of a creation’s life.

22
Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, Ecological Design (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
Rumjhum 13

DEFINATION. For example, life cycle analysis of different building materials is very

important to analyse the energy consumption to achieve structural sustainability. 23

The LEED Green Building System24 is credit based and functions as a green and

sustainable design guide for commercial building project stakeholders and project teams that

includes an ‘energy and atmosphere’ category. (Appendix A)

Design for disassembly is a recent attempt that aims to create products which can be

entirely recycled and reused at the end of life. Remanufacturing recycled materials is much

less energy intensive than manufacturing from scratch—95 percent less in the case of

aluminium. Embodied energy of the materials used is also is important to consider.

(Appendix B)

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has published a list of questions

promoting life cycle thinking that can be used by architects. 25 (Appendix C)

The government also has a role in incentivising renewable energy sources and

discouraging over expenditure of energy. Energy taxes are a way of making energy

consumption mindful and responsible. Pinglin He et al. (2019) investigated the environmental

consequences of energy tax levied in the four Nordic countries and the G7 countries from

1994 to 2016 and found that all the countries had green dividends supported by the reduction

of carbon dioxide emissions and reduction in fossil fuel use. 26

23
Joseph M. Danatzko, Halil Sezen, and Qian Chen, “Sustainable Design and Energy Consumption Analysis for
Structural Components,” Journal of Green Building 8, no. 1 (2013): pp. 120-135,
https://doi.org/10.3992/jgb.8.1.120.
24
US Green Building Council. "Leadership in energy and environmental design." US Green Building Council
(USGBC), www. usgbc. org/LEED (2008).
25
“Framework for Design Excellence.” The American Institute of Architects. Accessed May 1, 2022.
https://www.aia.org/resources/6077668-framework-for-design-excellence.
26
Pinglin He et al., “Energy Taxes, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, Energy Consumption and Economic
Consequences: A Comparative Study of Nordic and G7 Countries,” Sustainability 11, no. 21 (February 2019):
p. 6100, https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216100.
Rumjhum 14

Design with nature

Nature’s process like photosynthesis is simple, energy efficient and produces by

products that are essential for our survival. On the other hand, even buildings labelled as

energy efficient may not be sustainable. Insulated materials and leak proof windows are used

to prevent cold from seeping in, leading to indoor air pollution from poorly designed building

materials. Dark-tinted glass used to lower the cooling load on the air conditioning system

contributes to global warming.

We must understand natures concepts like scale linking and negentropy (Appendix D)

to create self-designing systems that solve their own problems. Constructed wetlands like the

one in the Real Goods Solar living Centre use diverse wetland plants to filter out toxins from

waste water which is extremely energy efficient compared to conventional wastewater

treatment. (Appendix E)27 Another example involves the treatment of poultry processing plan

waste utilizing AEES and forming a constructed wetland. The Restorer consist of

ecologically fluidized beds and wetland plant communities. The technology that has resulted

in a drop of 74% of energy needed compared to the former SBR system due to the higher

biological reaction rates. 28

27
Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, Ecological Design (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
28
John Todd, Erica J.G Brown, and Erik Wells, “Ecological Design Applied,” Ecological Engineering 20, no.
5 (2003): pp. 421-440, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2003.08.004.
Rumjhum 15

Image 3: Real goods solar living centre (Hopland, California)

Everyone is a designer

Accessible energy rating systems and regular questioners regarding energy use

promote community living. It is important to create a set of indicators that are sensible and

easy to understand. Visual indicators should also be incorporated, for example energy meters

displayed near main monuments of the city.

Image 4: Smart energy meter

Rumjhum 16

Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture and Forestry (UPAF) can be used by the

government to lower energy use for transport, cooling, storing and packaging due to the

production of fresh food close to the city. Food is procured from family and community-

based farms located within the city and its vicinity, and local production is supported by

establishing farmers markets, infrastructure development, etc. 29

Make nature visible

The 14 patterns of Biophilic design30 include thermal and airflow variability which

can be achieved by solar gain, shade/shadow and radiant surface materials and constructed

ways are HVAC delivery strategy and window operability/ cross ventilation. When thermal

and airflow variability is implemented in a way that broadens people’s perception of thermal

comfort, it may also help lessen energy demands for air conditioning and heating. Another

pattern, the presence of water, must be incorporated after considering how energy intensive

the water features are when using constructed presence like fountain or aquarium rather than

naturally occurring presence.

29
Marielle Dubbeling and Henk de Zeeuw, “Urban Agriculture and Climate Change Adaptation: Ensuring Food
Security through Adaptation,” Resilient Cities, 2011, pp. 441-449, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0785-
6_44.
30
William Browning, Catherine Ryan, and Joesph Clancy, “14 Patterns of Biophilic Design ,” Terrapin bright
green (Terrapin Bright Green LLC), accessed April 26, 2022, https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/04/14-Patterns-of-Biophilic-Design-Terrapin-2014e.pdf.
Rumjhum 17

Image 5: Jungalow (Surat, India) that is designed following biophilic principles

Design strategies like better thermal insulation and shading, thermal massing, and

optimum sizing of window-to-wall ratio (WWR) and skylight can contribute to reducing

energy consumption as much as 33%. 31 The Eastgate building in Harare, Zimbabwe is bio

climatically designed with its’ overall shape and planimetric solution being inspired by

termite ventilation systems. Eastgate uses only 10% of the energy of a conventional building

its size and saved 3.5 million in air conditioning costs in the first five years. 32

31
Maliha Afroz Nitu et al., “A Biophilic Design Approach for Improved Energy Performance in Retrofitting
Residential Projects,” Sustainability 14, no. 7 (2022): p. 3776, https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073776.
32
Horia Ţundrea and Mihai Budescu. “Bioclimatic Architecture, a Sensible and Logical Approach towards the
Future of Building Development.” The Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of Jassy, Construction. Architecture
Section (2013): 109-118.
Rumjhum 18

Image 6: Eastgate building (Zimbabwe)

Natural elements must be incorporated through careful planning rather than

superficial addition and must be maintained after the incorporation. Some challenges that

may arise with the incorporation of plants for instance are structural issues, excessive

humidity, insect infestations, unpleasant odour and death. 33

Conclusion

The principles of ecological design proposed by Sim Van der Ryn provide a great

guid for designers to create living systems that flourish despite limitations. Ecological design

has a clear impact on decreasing energy consumption and shifting to renewable sources of

energy sources rather than exploiting the finite natural gas and coal. It is crucial that we soon

33
Weijie Zhong, Torsten Schröder, and Juliette Bekkering, “Biophilic Design in Architecture and Its
Contributions to Health, Well-Being, and Sustainability: A Critical Review,” Frontiers of Architectural
Research 11, no. 1 (2022): pp. 114-141, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2021.07.006.
Rumjhum 19

bridge the gap between ecology and design, as declared by Stephen Kellert, “if we stray too

far from our inherited dependence on the natural world, we do so at our own peril.” 34

34
Stephen R. Kellert, Birthright People and Nature in the Modern World (New Haven: Yale University Press,
2014).
Rumjhum 20

Appendix

Appendix A: LEED rating system

It is worthwhile to note the following specifications of the ‘energy and atmosphere’ category

of the LEED Green Building System35

Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance

Credit 2: Renewable Energy

Credit 3: Additional Commissioning

Credit 4: Elimination of HCFC’s and Halons

Credit 5: Measurement and Verification

Credit 6: Green Power.

35
US Green Building Council. "Leadership in energy and environmental design." US Green Building Council
(USGBC), www. usgbc. org/LEED (2008).
Rumjhum 21

Appendix B: Embodied energy of building materials

Embodied energy is the total energy required for the extraction, processing,

manufacture and delivery of building materials to the building site. Energy consumption

produces CO2, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, so embodied energy is

considered an indicator of the overall environmental impact of building materials and

systems. Unlike the life cycle assessment, which evaluates all of the impacts over the whole

life of a material or element, embodied energy only considers the front-end aspect of the

impact of a building material. It does not include the operation or disposal of materials.

Energy consumption during manufacture can give an approximate indication of the

environmental impact of the material, and for most building materials, the major

environmental impacts occur during the initial processes. The total amount of embodied

energy may account for 20% of the building’s energy use, so reducing embodied energy can

significantly reduce the overall environmental impact of the building.36

Wood has the least embodied energy, at 639 kilowatt-hours per ton. Brick is next (4

times the amount for wood), followed by concrete (5×), plastic (6×), glass (14×), steel (24×),
37
and aluminium (126×).12

36
“What Is Embodied Energy in Building?,” Level. The Authority on Sustainable Building., accessed May 1,
2022, https://www.level.org.nz/material-use/embodied-energy/.
37
Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, Ecological Design (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
Rumjhum 22

Appendix C: AIA question list

Few questions relevant to energy awareness are:38

 How much “embodied” energy does the building material create over its entire

life?

 How much energy is required to manufacture the material and related products?

 How much energy is used in transporting the material from source to project site?

 Are renewable or sustainable energy sources used in the manufacture of the

material?

 Are there less energy consuming, longer-lived alternatives for the same

application?

 How energy intensive is the maintenance regimen?

38
“Framework for Design Excellence.” The American Institute of Architects. Accessed May 1, 2022.
https://www.aia.org/resources/6077668-framework-for-design-excellence.
Rumjhum 23

Appendix D: Scale linking and negentropy

Nature’s processes are inherently scale linking, for they intimately depend on the flow

of energy and materials across scales. Global cycles link organisms together in a highly

effective recycling system crossing about seventeen tenfold jumps in scale, from a ten-

billionth of a meter (the scale of photosynthesis) to ten thousand kilometres (the scale of the

Earth itself). Scale-linking systems “imply a holism in which everything influences, or

potentially influences, everything else—because everything is in some sense constantly

interacting with everything else.” A house, a hydroelectric dam, and a wastewater system

have impacts that are not neatly confined to a single scale. What we do at one scale has subtle

impacts, both negative and positive, at many other scales. Scale linking reminds us of the

wider environmental consequences of our designs.

Designers often ignore the negentropic side of thermodynamics, in which systems

maintain themselves far from equilibrium by using whatever flows of energy and materials

are available. Once created, “the self-organized structure stays ‘alive’ by drawing

nourishment from the surrounding flux and disorder. This is what happens when tornadoes

and other cyclonic winds form out of turbulence. To keep themselves going, they feed off the

thunderstorms, moisture, steep temperature and pressure gradients, and turbulence that gave

them birth.”28 Jupiter’s red spot is believed to function in this way. Indeed, all organisms

flourish in a nonequilibrium state, feeding off freely available sunlight.

Self-designing systems like these present a rich possibility. If they are seeded with

sufficient diversity, they can design their own solutions to the problems they are presented

with.39

39
Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, Ecological Design (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
Rumjhum 24

Appendix E: Constructed wetlands

Constructed wetlands refers to a technology designed to employ ecological processes

found in natural wetland ecosystems. These systems utilize wetland plants, soils, and

associated microorganisms to remove contaminants from wastewater. They are generally

reliable systems with no anthropogenic energy sources or chemical requirements, a minimum

of operational requirements, and large land requirements.

Wetland treatment system generally refers to two types of passive treatment systems.

One type of system is a free water surface (FWS) constructed wetland, which is a shallow

wetland with a combination of emergent aquatic plants (cattail, bulrush, reeds, and others),

floating plants (duckweed, water hyacinth, and others), and submergent aquatic plants (sago

pondweed, widgeon grass, and others).40

Wetlands preserve genetic and community diversity and provide food and habitat for

migrating birds and other creatures. Wetlands are nurseries for a wide range of aquatic

organisms. They also attenuate floods, purify water, build soil from sediments, regulate

groundwater recharge and discharge, and provide local and global climate stabilization. 41

40
US EPA. "Manual: Constructed Wetlands Treatment of Municipal Wastewaters." Office of Research and
Development, Cincinnati, Ohio (2000).
41
Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, Ecological Design (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
Rumjhum 25

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