Willem Velthoven

Living Roof project

If you can’t beat them, join them.

Living Roof geeft een sterke verbetering van de leefkwaliteit van golfplaten hutten in Zuid-Afrikaanse townships. We presenteren in 2014 in Kaapstad (world design capital) een eerste ontwerp waarbij lokaal landbouwafval (stro) wordt gecombineerd met oesterzwammen tot een isolatielaag die op eigen kracht vastgroeit aan metalen golfplaat.

In die laag worden zonnecellen, accu’s, led-licht mesh-networking WiFi en usb-laadpunten meegegroeid waardoor een aantal zeer knellende problemen in de Zuid-Afrikaanse sloppen worden aangepakt met behulp van lokale arbeid, grondstoffen en energie.

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Kayelitscha Metal roofs - Large numbers of citizens in South African townships live under unisolated metal roofs like these here. The slum housing has very problematic quality of life because it does harpy protect inhabitants from the elements. Image by Chel Hill. Cropped from found on Wikimedia Commons

Separate energy for WIFI and the rest of the installation.

De kleine batterij voor de WiFI werkt onafhankelijk van de grote die voor licht en gadgets gebruikt wordt. Zo blijft de wifi altijd werken, ook als stroom voor licht en gadgets al op is. Dat is belangrijk omdat de wifi niet alleen voor persoonlijk gebruik is maar ook de verbinding voor de buurt verzorgt.

Partners:

E-Stone Batteries Vera Bachrach, Thomas van Dijk
Foundation Rural Energy Services Annemarie Goedmakers. niet bevestigd
WakaWaka
CNC Exotic Mushrooms Bert Rademakers
partner zonneovens
parner mesh networking
CYWUG, Cape Town Wireless User Group
partner photovoltaics

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Kayelitscha road side harware sales - These men have two corrugated iron homes for sale on the road near Kayelitscha station in Capetown. To me (rich looking white guy), they quoted proces of 3.000 rand (for the 2 window version) and 2.000 rand (for the 1 window version) Willem Velthoven

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Pieter Bannenberg inspecting a roof in Kayelitscha - The inside of an average shack shows the non-insulated iron sheet roof. Crazy hot in the summer, Ice cold in the winter and very noisy during rain. Willem Velthoven

With: Pieter Bannenberg
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Ex slum dweller showing her new home in Freedom Park - Finally a silent roof... The home is a prize winning design by MMA architects. When I asked her what was the most important improvement of this home over her previous shack, she responded without hesitation: "The NOISE!". What do you mean? "When it rains, there is no noise" she explained. Living under a sheet metal roof is not only too hot and too cold and dark but also very noisy. Improving the qualities of roofs can yield enormous improvement in living quality at very modest cost. Willem Velthoven

With: Renny, Pieter Bannenberg
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Thomas van Dijk comparing an aa cell to a stone. - Thomas is the founder of E-Stone Batteries. They are developing very simple and very durable batteries for renewable energy

With: Thomas van Dijk
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Mycelium-based material: close-up - Made from seed husks and mycelium (fungi roots). Similar to foams (for instance Styrofoam), but eco-friendly and made of natural materials. Fungi are the new plastic! Govert de Jong