INTEGRATED HOLISTIC DESIGN

Permaculture, as described by co-founder David Holmgren, is "a design system based on ethics and principles which can be used to establish, design, manage and improve all efforts made by individuals, households and communities towards a sustainable future."

In its most basic form, Permaculture can be used to solve a large variety of problems by using a whole-systems problem solving philosophy and looking to systems found in nature as inspiration. The design efficiencies found in nature, having evolved over billions of years, can be incorporated into engineering, ecological and architectural problems and create systems which are more robust, efficient and environmentally friendly.

Integrating the building and landscape is therefore a key principal of sustainable design and Permaculture. For instance:

• Save energy by placing trees to reduce wind load

• Use deciduous trees to shade windows in the summer and allow increased solar radiation in the winter

• Capture, re-use and recycle water onsite through site design and greywater systems

• Consider all waste as an unused resource

• Regenerate the land and reduce environmental footprint by producing more food on-site

Ravis Sustainable therefore offers complete building and landscape integration design services in addition to energy efficient, edible & water-wise landscape design.