This will be the most ambitious project at Sapna Ranch to date. It culminates all the combined learning of Eco-Construction I have had over the years. Everything outlined here has already been built at an individual level. Now we are going to build a full new set altogether. Hence the word Confluence. What we are going to build is a first version of the the pod/home of EBHLE. This will be a significant milestone event on EBHLE’s and hopefully your timeline.

Age group: 4-94, adults, parents, grandparents and kids all included.

The main activities are:

• Geo-thermal (25-30 Nov)
  • Digging, laying pipes, filling soil back
  • Sapna Ranch has one of the few Geo-thermals in all of India. Don’t miss this opportunity.
• Geodesic Dome (25 Nov – 4th Jan)
  • This is a 36 ft diameter, 3 story/level dome
  • Approximately 2,200 sq ft of living space
• Compost Toilets (25 Nov- 9 Dec)
  • 4 UDDT (Urine Diversion Dry Toilets)
  • 4 bathrooms and necessary plumbing
• Solar water heater (1-9 Dec)
  • 300 Liter ETC (Evacuated Tube Collector) technology 
• Solar PV power (1-9 Dec)
  • 3 KW capacity to make the Dome self-sustainable
• Parabolic Solar Cooker (2-5 Jan)
• Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) (10-20 Dec)
  • 350 W Static Axial Flux design
  • This is still an Experimental Model
• Rainwater Harvesting (15-22 Dec)
• Bamboo based furniture (25 Nov – 5 Jan)
• Himalayan Rocket Chula (1-25 Dec)
• Celebration of Confluence Completion (4 Jan 2019)

There are some projects that are still at the research stage. These may or may not happen during this Confluence. Based on interest and resources there are chances of them happening. Hence they are mentioned here. Other Activities that may be possible are:

• Bio-gas plant – 3 cubic meter capacity
• Pedal powered washing machine

Usual Sapna Ranch Activities that will continue to happen are:

• Star gazing night with telescope – 1 night during the whole period. That date will be confirmed by 30th Oct.
• Baking pizzas and bread in a large wood-fired oven
• Cooling off in the  multipurpose pond
• Self-sustainable living in a community sharing lifestyle
• Making models with toothpicks and cycle valve tube
• Using a model of a vertical-axis wind turbine
• Playing games like Mulki, Contact, Got-it etc
• Screening inspirational documentaries
• Living in the hypar (hyperbolic paraboloid)
• Doing organic farming
• Building a food forest

Takeaways:

• Take home one model you built during the Confluence.
• Increased self-reliance
• Learn essential hands-on skills
• Hoping that this will be the most awesome learning experience of your lifetime