The eco-friendly house, a challenge of the future

Because of climate change  and in honor of the COP21, Saint Joseph school decided to organize “the environement Day” on Tusday, November 10^{th a} 2015. During that day, the pupils of St Joseph were able to attend several conferences and to participate in various workshops organizes by volunteers Several themes were approached: the COP21, climate change, Burkina Faso, the bio imitation the renewable energies... We dealt with the themes of the autonomous house and the kit home.

Jenny Alfonso Relova is at the origin of the autonomous house. The latter creates of jewels, lamp but also natural cosmetics. As or architect and interior designer, her studios helped her built her eco-friendly house.  She named her house “Gaia Luna”, which is originally a ruin perched on the heights of Sospel. At that time, it was a small shelter made of stone, a semi-troglodyte Mountain that welcomed the farmer and his animals during the summer season. It was abandoned after the second world  war. Then Mrs Alfonso took up the challenge in 2006 : she wanted to bring back to life the ruins of this ancient shelter, without door, windows and with a noroof.  She aimed at restoring it to life. She wanted to accommodate her family, respecting its construction. At present this ecological, perfectly livable house, lives in accordance with the environment. This ambitious young woman tells us the reasons and the objectives of this project: “it was important for me to get closer to Nature to find life essence ” “It is essential to return to a simpler lifestyle to be able to continue to live on Earth”. Her ecological approach joins in this logic. The used materials are all natural and stemming from ecological sectors such as roof natural lime for fillers, screeds, paving stones of the ground, paints, sheep's wool for the insulation of the roof; natural oil for the treatment of the woodwork and the stones; some sawdust resulting from close sawmills for the insulation of the walls of the chalet, solar panels to produce  electricity, thermosiphon to heat up the water,  compost a straw fieter  to clean dirty waters, dry toilets  to minimize the use of water... However, she asserts that there are some constraints as the back of the flatinon, the dishwasher, the washing machine as well as the interest network. Jenny Alfonso Relova tells us how she was able to protect the health of the inhabitants and the visitors as well as the well-being and the protection of our Earth: “ I exchange with the resident organic farmers in the surroundings, I give them creams, soaps, washing liquids which themselves do not produce in exchange for citrus fruit and for vegetables which I use to feed my family and my guests. We underline the courage and the will of this woman to encourage us to adopt a simpler and alternative lifestyle. We can conclude that this woman is one precursor of a livable, viable and renewable New World “We have the duty to pass on the most undamaged environment. We must be careful not to transform the buildings too much and respect its nature”.

In connection with the autonomous house, we were interested in kit homes, which is, Dominique Tallarida's idea. The latter, having received severance pay, dashed into this project. “I woke up on March 23rd, 2014, I had just dreamed about the ambitious project which was to create a kit home for all”. What is a kit home ? This house heats up and cools down on is own, protects the families from harsh weather conditions and earthquakes, and blends into Nature. Furthermore, this house is built from plate of molded wood and glue assembled at 140°C.  which makes it easy to insert into bed other . The obtaining of the price of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the international development in the competition. Lépine was the starting point of this project. The directors of the humanitarian mission who Mr Tallarida met, were delighted to have been able to find an intermediate process between the tent and the final house. They can confirm  that they are going to be able to reconstruct the camps of refugees  of the planet with this new system. As Mr Tallarida affirms : “the major purpose is not to make profit but to help NGOs (non-governemental organization) of the world while respecting the environment”. Indeed, in 6 months, kit homes  will be privatized for NGOs  “What is important for me is to accommodate family victims of the war and natural disasters, to save thousands of children but also to finance genetic research”. Its easy assembly as well as its very affordable price allow its construction in even isolated zones. Soon, the project is going to become a reality, indeed, in two weeks, the first two kit homes in kit will be built in Sospel. After ten year research, this house, represents probably one of the most interesting advances in ever done today the domestic architecture filled”, as Dominique Tallarida confirms. Proud to have completed his project, he confides us: “of a simple dream, with ambition, everything is achievable”.

The meeting between these participants allowed the pupils to become aware of the situation in which our world evolves and to take good environmental resolutions, as well.

Clara Charbit - Lisa Vanmoen - Enola Fidon - Jade Barriera