What can you do to contribute in ecology as if you are an architect or designer?

Question

I've been given a task to design something that would give a contribution in ecology. I 'm pretty blur with such of natural things. Can you help me out?

Answer 1

Design new buildings and homes for indoor potted plants.

"Common indoor plants may provide a valuable weapon in the fight against rising levels of indoor air pollution. Those plants in your office or home are not only decorative, but NASA scientists are finding them to be surprisingly useful in absorbing potentially harmful gases and cleaning the air inside modern buildings."

"NASA research has consistently shown that living, green and flowering plants can remove several toxic chemicals from the air in building interiors. You can use plants in your home or office to improve the quality of the air to make it a more pleasant place to live and work - where people feel better, perform better, any enjoy life more."

Answer 2

Ecology is defined as the branch of biology dealing with the relations and interactions between organisms and their environment, including other organisms.

You would have to make your design something that benefits both the "host" and the "user".

Say you are dealing with fish farming; starting with tanks that hold fresh water, you would route the effluent water filled with fish waste, to grow hydroponic plants, vegetables and fruits for a full benefit.  

The plants than feed on the nutrients, they provide sustenance and clean the water to be recycled and sent back to the fish.  You could even grow plants for "fish food" and make the entire system self sustaining.

In addition, the plants give off oxygen that makes the surrounding space healthier for the operator too. And working among living things (fish and plants) is good for the soul.

Answer 3

I suspect that you are being asked to design a green building rather than contribute to ecology (a natural science). You might look into green roofs. They result in great savings in heating and cooling costs. Solar panels can reduce power costs. Also, look into buildings designed by the people who settled an area or one like it. You pick up tips such as ceiling height (low in colder climates, high in hotter ones). Double roofs are used in the tropics to keep the houses cooler. There is a rather good text by Wagner that goes into things of this nature.

Answer 4

Insulate well. Make efficient spaces. Minimize footprint. Don’t alter terrain more than necessary. Minimize impact to existing ,mature, vegetation. Stay away from toxic materials. Limit use of materials that require high energy input during production (concrete, steel). Recycle where possible. No tropical hardwoods. Recycle grey water.  Make use of natural ventilation and natural light.  Use sun for heating. Provide heat (or cold) recovery systems.

Make neighbourhoods pedestrian friendly.