I am currently doing a PhD which aims to answer the following questions:

1. How does a full-scale vermifilter perform? (Case study: Soubeyran)
2. How does the effluent of full-scale vermifiltration installations compare to irrigation and fertigation standards?
   1. What is the removal of pathogens, heavy metals, and common house-hold micropollutants?
3. What are the mechanisms for nitrogen treatment and how do operational parameters affect these mechanisms (lab-scale)
4. How do full-scale vermifilters compare to lab-scale vermifilters?
   1. in terms of treatment efficiencies, greenhouse gas emissions, nitrogen cycle
5. Based on the collected knowledge, how can vermifiltration be optimized?

The Resourcer V1 is designed to combine several circular processes:

• a grow house for seedlings and plants powered by passive and active solar power. 
• Electric power will supply controlled LED, humidity and temperature adjustments to enhance and prolong the natural season in the mountain area (Emmental 700 m ü.M).
• a dry toilet, separating the (re-)source material into liquids and solids.
• a feces fermentation and/or worm compost installation with drawers or a box system.
• fermented urine with evaporation installation and treated fertilizer as outcome.
• streetnoise absorption for a better garden sound.
• rainwater collector to repurpose.
• 30cm lower planting bed to use earth’s warmth into the machinery.
• tree-grow-facility as in winter protection.
• material to construct the Resourcer V1 is re-used from another construction site
• prototype and study facility like using the irradiation of the battery to enhance the composting.
• Researching on psychology of water-flush sounds.
• Collecting data on the experience of the usage of such a system from the makers and the audience of EAR.

Purpose and goal: 

The Resourcer V1 project aims to grow organic material such as seedlings, bacteria, biological material, and plants using the techniques of the Resourcer V1 system. This project presents a perfect challenge for a dedicated team  and aligns with the core vision of EAR.

The Resourcer V1 is an off-grid system that consists of a greenhouse with four compartments. The first compartment contains a dry-toilet and urinoir, the second compartment controls the compost climate of feces and greens, the third compartment facilitates urine-to-fertilizer evaporation, and the fourth compartment is used for growing seedlings, plants, and conducting other experiments.

The surrounding EAR garden of approximately 100m2 can nurture the seedlings that grow into food. The kitchen and community will process these plants, keep the seeds separated for the next season, and mix coffee waste and tea leaves into the circular processes. Additionally, these processes can be used to grow mushrooms and produce vegan leather. The (wurm-)compost produced by the Resourcer can be mixed into the normal compost.

The construction will also improve the soundscape in the garden, since it is built with a sound-absorption that lowers the traffic-noise.

In summary, the Resourcer V1 project is an off-grid system that aims to grow organic material using a combination of greenhouse and circular processes, aligning with the core vision of EAR. The surrounding garden, kitchen, and community play an important role in nurturing the seedlings, processing the plants, and contributing to the circular processes that keep changing and hopefully expanding.

Dimensions

The dimensions of the project are (lxbxh)  6mx 1,5 (2m roof) x 1.9-2.2m and the construction takes place in 2024. It will replace the existing shed that needs complete renovation.

Realization / timeframe 

EAR will invite volunteers who have great expertise on different aspects of the project. Together we want to make a journey into combining several processes in 1 dedicated machinery that intrinsically motivates to mix in the different circularities.

Ending up with a real yield with home-made fertilizer, understanding of great compost, a knowledge on different fermenting systems, clever evaporation, controlling low-energy computers for climate-regulation and many more interactions will be found in the realization of this project.

Pls reach out to Philipp Markus for more details on the timeframe etc…

A Horizontal flow constructed wetland (HFCW) greywater recycling system is designed and installed by alchemia-nova GmbH at the apartment complex FELZ ZWEI, which was realized by VBAU Architecture in Zürich, Switzerland in 2021. ZHAW was evaluating the cleansing capacity and water quality; the potential water, energy and financial savings; as  well as the user acceptability of reusing treated greywater for toilet flushing and garden irrigation.

Construit en 2011 par la coopérative d’habitation Équilibre, le bâtiment de 2 étages accueille 13 logements et son propre système d’assainissement des eaux usées dans son jardin.

Chaque appartement est équipé de toilettes sèches à séparation d’urine. Les matières fécales sont traitées en sous-sol dans des composteurs dédiés à chaque appartement et les urines sont transformées en engrais avec le système Pitribon (nitrification dans des filtres aérés sur charbon végétal). Les eaux grises sont traitées dans un filtre planté situé dans le jardin.

Erstmalige komplett Wasserautarkie für Tiny Houses: Vuna GmbH plante und baute ein Wasserrecyclingsystem für die Bewohner:innen des Tinyhouses in Sörenberg, mit Trinkwasseraufbereitung aus Regen- und Grauwasser.

Im Rahmen eines Umbaus von zwei Gebäuden, plant die ETH Lausanne mit Vuna Nexus ein Trenntoilettensystem und Urinaufbereitung für Düngeproduktion.