Rooftop Solar and Water System
Courtyard Food Farm

Prepared by Elasticity Consulting, March 2008

Philosophy: As environmental concerns are becoming more apparent, these design systems are solution-oriented: the Rooftop Solar and Water System is constructed to maximize the available roof space for solar panels while allowing space for rainwater catchment barrels, which provide water for the Food Farm below. Additionally the roof features xeriscape gardens, providing shade for the buildings, keeping them cooler in warm weather and insulated in cold weather. The Courtyard Food Farm takes advantage of an excellent resource: the common backyard space that multiple buildings have access to in the middle of the block. Once dividing fences are removed, the space becomes ample enough to feed everyone on the block, with extra food to be sold at markets or donated to the food bank. The Food Farm utilizes the Bio-intensive garden technique to maximize organic crop yield and keep the soil healthy and fertile.

This proposal demonstrates features that are able to be rearranged in many ways to accommodate the particular needs of each block, the roofscape, the climate, and community need.

Rooftop Solar and Water System Features:

• Kyocera KC120 (120 Watt) Solar Modules are highly efficient. Their wiring reduces the effect of lost energy due to partial shading, making them ideal for the City and its many street trees. The junction boxes are weatherproof.
• UniSolar (32 Watt) Solar Modules are flexible, lightweight, efficient, and perfect for the task of pumping water to the Food Farm below. Their small size makes them easy to incorporate into the rooftop landscape and fit into odd roof contours.
• Rainwater catchment barrels catch rain as it falls from the sky and hold it until needed. The displacement piping and pumps (either on a timer or a manual switch, depending on the preference of each block) send water below to the Food Farm to irrigate the crops; pipes run unobtrusively down the backs of the buildings.
• Xeriscape gardens need very little water and maintenance, making them ideal for a rooftop. Their positioning on the roof will help maintain a more temperate climate in the building space below, lowing energy usage.

Courtyard Food Farm Features:

• Bio-intensive farming is a fabulous system that optimizes the economies of small scale. Simple and elegant farming techniques will ensure a larger crop yield- even in a small space- and the ongoing health of soil. The herb spiral also allows for maximum planting and yield in a small space.
• Integrated Pest Management techniques are used to keep fruit trees and food beds free of disease and pests.
• Compost is an extremely beneficial soil builder, builds healthier crops, and provides nutrients for the billions of microbiota living in the earth. It is an essential piece of the life cycle and is easily managed in an urban setting.
• Greywater pond is partially fed by the rainwater catchment barrels on the roof and partially by the greywater coming from the buildings on the block. Greywater is water from the bathroom sink, the clothes washer, and the bathtub. The greywater pond collects this water, filters it biologically via flora and fauna, and irrigates the rest of the Food Farm.