Imagine creating autonomous, ecologically sound villages in the African countryside and you have just described the new project from Technopole-sud-CSM & Partners and FFNE (Fonds FranĂ‚Ťais pour la Nature et l'Environnement).
Perfect for the dispersion of Nigeria's rural and suburban habitat, this new concept is aimed at improving living conditions for the most vulnerable populations. The ground-breaking program provides an economically integrated, sustainable, and replicable solution.
Well-planned and self-sustaining
Each autonomous individual dwelling offers everything that a family of five would need, including naturally generated energy, an individual garden, and shared infrastructure.
Built to last
Leading edge construction and recycling practices are used throughout the project. Using interlocking concrete blocks and local labor, the fact that all resources and facilities are onsite speeds implementation. Thermal inertia is used to reduce the energy required and each two homes share power-generation and storage. Each house is also built to high standards for durability and anti-seismic qualities.
All the comforts of home
Each bioclimatic autonomous semi-detached house includes amenities respectful of local tradition. Each home is equipped with a television set, a refrigerator, and a freezer, along with eight LED lamps. Moreover, each home has its own toilet, solar water heater, and solar oven.
A garden to call their own
Each house includes a generous plot where the family is expected to raise its own wide variety of vegetables; a portion of the production is kept by the family for food, while another portion is used to create the family's main revenue base. The waste water is recycled as gray water to provide irrigation. Villagers are taught to optimize performance using innovative bio-intensive farming processes and given the best seeds, tools, mulching, organic nutrition, and natural organic minerals available.
Shared infrastructure
Each family has access to potable water, a covered local market, a health center, a women's home, a primary school, a sports court, and an autonomous local administration. Some eco-villages will also have packaging, fruit-drying, and tomato paste plants to help process and preserve the fruit and vegetable production.
Recycling China's waste
Men work in a local factory recycling paper, plastic, and compostables from China. The paper and plastic are used to make natural gas and the compostables are turned into fertilizer for the gardens. The men's wages are used to pay for the homes, which after a period of time, become their own property.
A model for the world
We can see these autonomous eco-villages being established throughout the globe within the next 30 years; the self-contained nature of these systems will be replicated across the planet to create environments for people to not only survive, but thrive.
© Copyright 1998-2017 by The Herman Group of Companies, Inc., all rights reserved. From 'The Herman Trend Alert,' by Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurist. (800) 227-3566 or www.hermangroup.com  Â
The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group of Companies, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
