Introduction
At the same time with the plans for the new office building, that is completed now, we were having ideas about developing a Techno Park. Considering the costs and the logistics it was very complicated to realize this in one campaign. Now, two years after the campaigns with Wilde Ganzen, we wanted to put through our ideas about the Techno Park.
The idea of constructing a techno park came up because of the many questions from people all over the country who are interested in our technology. Even people from other countries like Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia were interested in our appropriate technology. We noticed that there is an enormous demand for cheap but durable technology that can solve problems like lack of drinking- and irrigation water, sustainable energy and sanitation.
We always have had many visitors and questions about our appropriate technology. Mostly, people want to see our technology in action but that’s impossible in a workplace. To bring visitors to our project areas is very expensive and time consuming because these project areas are far away in the mountains. The park should bring the solution for this. Except to see the technology the clients want to observe, they will also get ideas about the other technologies we promote. On the other hand we want the Techno Park to have an educative role. We know that there is a need for schools to have educative school trips. The Techno Park is very suitable for school trips. Aside from the promotion of technology we also want to create awareness about the concept of local manufacturing and thus employment.
The Techno Park should be a permanent show case which presents all the appropriate technology we produce. It will be built on an area of 2000m 2 behind our building. Thru this project we want more people to show our technologies so they can learn from. We also want to inspire people so they will spread their story about our appropriate technology. All our techniques will come in action in the Techno Park. Part of the Techno Park will serve as a visitor centre. Therein we could inform visitors and clients about sustainable technology and organic agriculture. Aside from its purpose to serve as knowledge centre for clients it will also be open for school trips.
Our young new engineer, Marvin, made a beautiful design for the park and calculated the costs. We submitted the proposal to the Dutch development organization Wild Geese (Wilde Ganzen). In the mean time they have approved our Techno Park. After subtraction of 9% of the costs, Wild Geese will give us a bonus of 70%. We calculated that the participating groups and individuals at the basis should collect € 31,630.69. Finally we succeeded to collect the total needed amount. So have started the construction already.
Description
First of all there will be the visitor centre which will serve to inform visitors about sustainable energy, organic agriculture projects and organizations who are supporting our projects. We will facilitate the information for example through slide shows and films.
The centre will be constructed from durable materials. There will be a pond in the middle of the park. Part of the pond will consist of a 60,000 liter tank, which we will promote and construct for water supply or fishpond. The pond will be surrounded by a beautiful path made of different kinds of natural materials. In the corner, close to the centre, will be a waterfall with water pumped from the pond (circulating). Three hydro installations will be driven thru the water circulation. Further from this location we will built a closed water tanks in three different sizes (5,000, 10,000 and 25,000 liter). For the park we have chosen for a 5,000 liter tank as an example. These tanks will be built by ferro cement technique. This means that the construction is circular and the wall is thin but strong. This construction will even be strong enough to persist earthquakes. This type of construction is much cheaper than the conventional ones built by the government. In the next corner we will build more high waterfalls. For construction materials we will use lava stones that we gathered ourselves. The water coming from the waterfalls will drive our popular water ram. It throws out the water, far above the fishpond which gives a nice effect. This will be followed by some rice terraces with our rotary weeder. In the next corner a pig shed with ten pigs. The piggery also will be completely built with the same cheap, thin walled, ferro cement technology. The stable will be connected to a biogas installation. The biogas system is connected to algae ponds. The algae will be feed to the pigs (cycle). Thereafter will be a place with four different manual pumps demonstrated. There will also be a small version of an essential oil distillery plant with and our shredder. Because we will promote renewable energy and organic agriculture we will prepare a small nursery and small worm breeding centre. On the roof of our office building we will place a windmill for the generation of electricity. We are planning to built another windmill close to the big pond in order to pump up the water.
