Facilitators-Handbook-For-Permaculture

Workshop Module 3: Houses, Water, and Waste Management 87

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Presentation : Houses and their environments

Method : Facilitator presentation

Tools : Images of good house designs, black/white board, markers

References : PC Book MOD 3 – Houses, Water, and Waste Management

Objective : Participants understand the impacts of houses and their environments

Every house and its environment can be impacted by the land and environment

around it. For example:

• Rainfall – Can create rot and mold.


• Erosion, floods, and mudslides – Can damage or destroy structures.


• Wind – Can wear out the house, damage roofs, and make life unpleasant.


• Temperature – Can make life unpleasant.


• Soil type and rocks – Can make the house unstable.


• Trees – Can fall on buildings and roots can damage foundations.


• Lack of readily available water supply – Can make extra work (carrying water).


• Mosquitoes and poisonous insects - Can cause serious health problems.


• Termites and ants - Can damage structures.

All these factors can be addressed to reduce work, improve the house and living

environment, and reduce or prevent problems in the future.

Every house and its environment also impacts the land and environment

around it. For example:

• Use of resources – Need for food, water, firewood or cooking fuel, building
  materials, medicines, electricity, cleaning materials, etc.


• Access – Need for vehicles and roads.


• Pollution – Smoke, rubbish, dirty water, human waste, etc.


• Gardens – Vegetable gardens, animals, etc.

A healthy house is a practical, long lasting house that uses minimal energy, resulting in

easier and better living and reduced living costs. Making your house and its environment

better doesn’t have to cost more money. In fact many ways to improve house and living

quality will save you money, while providing extra resources for your family, such as

fertilizer for fruit trees, water for vegetables, food for animals, less firewood to buy.

By designing or renovating a home using Permaculture principles, sustainable building

materials, and energy efficient design with appropriate technology we can improve the

occupants’ quality of living and reduce living costs.