Balaji Proposal
Executive Summary
OSE is working on open source blueprints for civilization. The current phase is product release of the Seed Eco-Home 2, a 1000 sf, site-built starter home with 5kW of PV - that is built 36x faster than standard site-built homes at half the cost of typical new construction. The product cost is under $150k (see first column) for the 1000 sf model, and $192k for the 2000 sf model. This is a 'Sustainable enterprise cost' - which includes 25% profit to enable scaling based on the competitive nature of the product in the marketplace. The design is open source DIN SPEC 3105 compliant, and fully digital - designed for Distributed Market Substition. The product itself lends itself well to the creation of an economic base for the world's first Network State, building on technology integration of the Global Village Construction Set.
The critical missing link to Seed Eco-Home scaling is integrated build skills. We are starting an apprenticeship program for integrated builders, such that cohorts of 24 builders complete a new house in 5 days. This is accomplished by Module-Based Desing and using OSE's innovative modular, swarm build techniques (Extreme Manufacturing). Each cohort takes 6 months to learn an integrated skill set from foundation to utilities and PV. This workforce constitutes an enterprise module which can produce a minimum of 50 houses/year with $1M minimum net revenue. The key to effective training is a rapid learning infrastructure of digital mixed-reality tools - given the wide scope of skills required to integrate the build process from its current, highly inefficient state. This includes full LOD 500 CAD, augmented and mixed reality training, physical rapid learning infrastructure based on prepared rapid-learning assemblies/house modules; Design Guides for the Seed Eco-Home, Aquaponic Greenhouse, Edible Landscaping, and PV systems for single family housing up to planned unit developments; Design software for the Seed Eco-Home + exhaustive part libraries and BOM generators. The curriculum will included not only the Builder Track, but also a Designer Track, Enterprise Track, and Machine Builder Track. One of the keys to effective learning is the Design Guides - showing not only the theory of design, but practice leading to actual, collaborative, open development designed for Distributive Enterprise which produces competitive products. Our program does not segregate by class, but instead solves the political divide by integrated learning where psychosocial integration towards the art of possibility is inherent to curriculum design.
The above program is intended cross-subsidizes OSE's completion of the GVCS by 2028, enabling the creation of advanced civilization on any parcel of land, from basics such as solar steel, concrete, and hydrgen up to modern semiconductor production - at a total development cost of $50M at current estimates. $3M has been committed to development since 2008 in a bootstrapping approach, and the current Seed Eco-Home Enterprise is the culmination of this work.
The current $4M ARPA grant would be dedicated to curriculum development of the Rapid Learning Infrastructure described above.