Factor e Farm Infrastructure Buildout 2011

Introduction

2011 marks the buildout of Factor e Farm for the purpose of absorbing 6-12 people full time with comfortable accommodations and work space. We are planning on using the CEB press and strawbale insulation as the core of the built environment, as an application of Modular CEB Construction. The planned infrastructure buildout includes 6 superinsulated studios, 6 more 3-season studios, common kitchen, common shower/bathroom, supporting electrical power and internet infrastructure, and a 3000 square foot workshop addition. The return on investment goal is $20-60k/month bootstrap funding generated as a result of production/training operations, where all cash is funneled into continued, rapid GVCS development. Read more about OSE Scaling Strategy. Since we are a Distributive Enterprise - please read the Replicability of Productive Facilities

Strategy

We have a $60k donation offer for building the infrastructure. The tactical plan is:

1. Build post-and-beam covered space with metal roofing as in the workshop addition ($2/sq ft)- [1]. This allows us immediate covered space, which can be retrofitted with CEB walls if designed for that. This would allow for bricks to be covered, and would be a case in point for implementing Modular CEB Construction
2. Build on level area already marked out last year; lay 6" of gravel for leveling area
3. Build outdoor kitchen
4. Build bathroom with closed loop blackwater system - Living Machine emphasizing vermiposting component, so that worm castings can be produced as fertilizer. The water coming out the other side should be used cyclically for flushing. Capacity should be 12 people.
5. Showers: common shower facility is a good idea. That way, the residence is just living, not kitchen/bathroom. Makes it simple.
6. On CEB - we considered gettting a baler for straw bale insulation - between two 1' thick CEB walls. Superinsulation literally at zero cost.
7. There's a 40 foot shipping container on Craigslist for $2500 - that may be worth getting, and we may be able to move it with 2 tractors if we need to later on.

For discussion of this strategy, see Talk:Factor_e_Farm_Infrastructure_Buildout_2011.

Steps

Workshop

1. Bring lumber, roofing materials, and fasteners on-site. Prepare all tools. 8 cordless drills and 4 corded drills.
2. Take out internet line to get it out of the construction area.
3. Get gravel trucks in - lay 6" gravel over 64'x48' area of workshop, estimated 3 trucks of 16 tons gravel each, $1k
4. Bring in 1 gravel truck with 1/2" gravel and sand for cement mixing.
5. Smooth out gravel with tractor blade
6. Trench water drainage around perimeter of workshop, exit to drainage ditch
7. Auger post holes through gravel
8. Figure out daylighting detail. Use 2' wide corrugated translucent roofing for daylighting.
9. Build 16'x16' roof framing, 12 sections, using 17' roof sections.
10. Mix cement, put in and plumb posts in place, with roof framing in place.
11. Raise roof sections.
12. Cover with roofing.
13. Tie down structure with storm anchors.
14. Lay frames and rebar for concrete pads, 16x16' at a time. 6" thick on top of the gravel.
15. Lay frames for any CEB wall infill

Housing - 3 season - first prototype structure.

1. Level working area
2. Lay 6" of gravel
3. Build 3x3' foundation pads, 6" thick
4. Trench drainage ditch
5. Build roof section, 16x16 (3 foot overhangs on each side, for 10x10 studio space
6. Raise columns to height
7. Lay foundation frame and rebar for wall infill, 2' wide, pour concrete
8. Prepare framed doors and windows.
9. Build walls.

Materials

• $3.5k - Thermaclear glazing ($2/sq ft for 1750 sq ft)
• $3k - Gravel for foundations- 10 truck loads, $300 each
• $5k - construction lumber
• $2k - kitchen outfitting
• $3k - bathroom outfitting
• $1k - Fuel
• $2k - Doors, windows
• $1k - fasteners
• $5k - Metal roofing
• $5k - cement for foundations
• $2k - electrical supplies
• $1k - misc power tools

Total so far: $33.5k

Equipment

• $500 - universal Auger Prototype II
• $1k - cement mixer Prototype I
• $1k - trencher Prototype I
• $2k - square baler purchase
• $750 - sickle bar purchase
• $750 - hay rake purchase
• $4k - fully automatic CEB press build (2 total will be available at Factor e Farm for the construction season)
• $5.5k - 3 more Power Cubes to support 2 tractors at 54 hp each and 2 CEB presses
• $5k - if time and money allows, build dimensional sawmill for onsite lumber production; do it by winter time if miss the main season

Additional Workshop Equipment

See Factor e Farm Production Facility