Saturday 21 December 2013

Completion Ceremony of Harvard University and Presentation of our BARN HOUSE



This year, the HORIZON HOUSE by Harvard University was built in Taiki-cho next to our BARN HOUSE.


Sasamura-san was presented our BARN HOUSE works.
Kira-san also joined completion ceremony as a translater.
Below is a part of Sasamura-san’s presentation.

Thanks for a lot of support, especially LIXIL and KKAA, our BARN HOUSE was finished building last year.
But it was also a start of experience and some experimental tryals in BARN HOUSE, and we are now trying to develp the house for the future by larning from the experience.
This diagram shows our compost panel heating system.
Unfreezable water is rotate running through a built-in pipe from compost storage to living room, so to say, the liquid is heated by heat from compost in compost storage and heated liquid goes to the living room to heat the floor.
This is the picture of empty compost storage.
Now we show the process of our experiments we do every season.
Picture of co+labo workers carrying compost by a carry car.
Actually, it is heavy enough to carry the car by two men.
Picture of co+labo workers accumulating compost in the carry car.
Picture of co+labo worker filling compost in compost storage.
Picture of co+labo worker carrying compost by a small carry car.
As you can see, thankfully in our laboratory, girls are also willing to join this heavy work.
Picture of co+labo worker mixing compost with a shovel to pump the air to compost.
Picture of filled compost and pipes for pumping the air.
Picture of the air pump.
Picture of co+labo worker setting up the thermometers in the living room.
Picture of co+labo worker checking the floor heating effect by compost.
Picture of co+labo worker staying a night in the 2nd floor in BARN HOUSE.
In our competition stage, charcoal was the material making seasonal house facade and it was thought that charcoal would work as an added insulation we put in/out  freely (but actually charcoal would not work as an insulation).
But some realistic reason, our house does not have charcoal shelves on the façade.
So we are now trying to put the shelves in the future.
This is the image of facade with charcoal shelves in summer term at the competition stage.
Image of facade with charcoal shelves in the middle terms at the competition stage.
Image of facade with charcoal shelves in winter term at the competition stage.
House facade was planed to be covered with charcoals as if we wear the clothes in low temperature.
New idea of south facade with charcoal shelves in summer term.
In summer, horses are usually out of house.
So shelves will be covered with charcoal to dry moist charcoals used inside of the house to absorb smells of horse, and to cut down directly sunlight into the living room.
New idea of south facade with charcoal shelves in the middle terms.
Some shelves will be covered with charcoal because, in the middle terms, exchange of inside charcoal and outside charcoal will be done.
New idea of south facade with charcoal shelves in winter term.
In winter, horses are usually in house.
So no shelves will be covered with charcoal, because charcoals are inside to absorb smells of horse, and to get directly sunlight into living room.
Magazine published in Thailand.
Our BARN HOUSE is now spreading throughout the world.
Perspective of the future.
In experience step, we found many evelopable problems.
For example, there is no culvert to get rid of duty water from the compost, and the compost room is dark and hard to work even if the light is turned on, and the door of the barn is easy to be broken because of strong wind.

We are now trying to develop the house for the future by larning from the experience.
Special thanks and paticipants of our measuring activity.
This is the final slide.





Friday 13 September 2013



堆肥発酵実験の経過です。
From Taiki-cho, some progress report on compost fermentation experiment.
今回は空気を送入しつつ発酵させる堆肥と、そのまま発酵させる堆肥とで比較実験していますが、空気を送入した場合の1日当たりの発酵熱による堆肥の温度上昇が平均3.37℃、そのままの場合が平均5.9℃で、空気を送入しない方が発酵が進むことが分かりました。
We are testing to see how the compost fermentation is affected when a flow of air is sent through them. The temperature of the manure with the air pump raised 3.37 per day, while the manure without the air pump raised 5.9 per day. It seems that fermentation runs faster without the flow of air
堆肥の発酵には空気が有効との話だったのですが、過剰な空気は堆肥を乾燥させ、冷ましてしまうようです。
The hypothesis was that air flow agitates compost fermentation, but it seems that excessive air flow dries the compost and cools them.
今度は発酵が停滞しかけた時に、堆肥を切り返し撹拌させる代わりに、空気を送入するといった手法が有効なのか否か、確認してみたいです。
For the next experiment, we plan to send air flow to the compost after the fermentation decelerates instead of turning them over and stirring them to agitate more fermentation, and test to see how effective air pump is.


空気送入堆肥
Compost with air flow

堆肥
Compost without air flow

ところで、メムメドウズの空は変化が劇的で毎日気持ちがいいです。
The sky in Memu Meadows changes dramatically with the time of the day. Beautiful.

Wednesday 11 September 2013



co+laboメンバーの夏期北海道訪問です。
Our co+labo members are visiting Hokkaido again.
98日から堆肥発酵実験を促進させるために、笹村、小薗、天野、上野の4人が、大樹町、メムメドウズに訪れています。
From Sep. 8th,  four members, Sasamura, Kozono, Amano, and Ueno, are visiting Memu Meadows in Taiki-cho, to conduct experiment in the acceleration of compost fermentation.

メムメドウズの久保夫妻とお子さん、馬たちが温かく迎えてくれました。
The Kubo family of the Memu Meadows and the horses have warm-heartedly greeted us.
季節もすっかり秋の陽気で、涼しく、春のころと植栽も変わっています。
Autumn has arrived in Taikicho, and different plants have grown since our last visit in the spring.





今回の訪問では、我らがBARN HOUSEの隣に、第3LIXIL国際大学建築コンペの受賞者である、Harvard大学のHORIZON HOUSEが着工しています。
HORIZON HOUSE, the winner of the 3rd LIXIL International University Architectural Competition, by the Harvard University has started construction right next to our BARN HOUSE.
まだ、基礎すらできていない状態ですが、10月末に竣工して隣に並ぶのが、楽しみなものです。
The construction has only just started, but we are looking forward to see its completion in the end of October.
竣工の際に、Harvard大学の生徒たちと、互いの住宅について、是非とも熱いディスカッションをしたいものです。
We are also looking forward for a passionate discussion on each other’s houses at the completion ceremony.




今回の訪問では、前回同様、1日かけて堆肥の入れ替え作業を行ってから、BARN HOUSE内の堆肥室の堆肥の発酵を促進させるために、堆肥にエアーポンプを挿入して、実験を開始しました。堆肥全般に空気が送られることで、効率の良い、しかも満遍無くの発酵が期待されます。日々、結果を見るのが楽しみです。
On this visit, we have spent the first day on exchanging compost like in our last visit. We have also installed an air pump to accelerate fermentation of the compost, and started taking data. By sending air to the compost, we are expecting higher efficiency and thorough fermentation. We are looking forward to see some good results.