KS Script v7

Kickstarter Script with some storyboard

(v7)

M: Hi, my name is Marcin, (subtitle: Dr. MJ founder of Open Source Ecology)

C: And I’m Catarina, (subtitle: co-founder of Open Materials). We started a big, hairy, audacious project called the Open Building Institute—with the goal of making affordable, ecological housing - accessible to everyone.

M: For a few years now we’ve been developing an open source, modular tool kit that we think will make building your own house cheaper, faster and easier.

C: Is this reinventing the wheel?... Yes. Let me tell you a story. I married Marcin and moved from Brooklyn to the middle of nowhere (aerial Google mapzoom from Brooklyn to Missouri) - and realized that housing there was just - not - livable. I called some contractors, but discovered - that what I wanted - just didn’t exist yet. I needed a house that was pleasant, modular, efficient to build, low cost, made from local and recycled materials - and that could be expanded as needed. We realized that we would have to build it - ourselves.

M: So we did just that. We examined the best practices. We took our open source high power brick press and other tools - and through much trial and error - developed a formula for rapid, parallel builds. (Flash through all the construction from humblehut 1, 2, greenhouse, old shop, new shop, HabLab, mh1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, greenbouse - with emphasis on modules in later builds (mh4+)

Modules are built on the ground in parallel - by a large team - and then quickly assembled in place. We discovered - using these techniques - we could build a complete house - from scratch - in 5 days. Wow!

C: So we decided to take it to the next level. We started a freely available library of building modules (show a quick explosion a la Michel). And are also developing design guides (1 page infographic. Prepare site -- Choose a foundation -- build wall modules. -- build utility modules. --- build roof modules--, asemble - do landscaping), instructionals, software, and many other tools to enable anyone to design and build.

M: Using this library, you can build an expandable, 700 sq foot Starter Home - with super ecological features - for under $25k. (JB infographic) This will be our official starter product, though you can build a home of any size - larger or smaller. (Still need detailed cost, and risk assessment details (last week before Kickstarter)

C: But not everybody wants to - or is able to- build their own house. So, we are creating a training program— so you can hire a qualified builder - wherever you are. Our goal is to provide a turnkey 5 day build, with construction services for the client - at a small cost above the bill of materials. This means that any potential homeowner would have a realistic option - to choose a $35k small starter home - or a $360k average McMansion.

(How this works infographic - get this approved by architects. Basic model that we are developing 2. Client and OBI search for suitable location and land - (help developing these parameters required for land suitability - architects) (research Zillow.com) $10k is a reasonable cost in most areas, whether city or country. 1. Client hires OBI 3. Build contract is signed. 4. client purchases suitable land. 5. With 3 months lead time, a Build Party is organized. OBI recruits apprentices. 6. Client clears the land so it is ready for a foundation. 7. 5 day build party completes home from start to finish.)

M: And it gets even better. We are putting years of our crazy machine building experience together - as an open source Materials Production Facility. This would allow anyone anywhere to build with natural, local, and recycled materials, for their own community. Construction is the biggest emitter of CO2 on the planet. This can be solved. (Infographic of Materials Production Facility).

C: To pull this off requires a huge range of knowhow—and our secret sauce is Open Source. That's why we’re inviting everyone to contribute to this common platform.

M: We have also recruited an amazing array of experts from a variety of fields—from ecological design, autonomous housing, renewable energy, eco materials - and more. Our goal is to attain Living Building Challenge certification with our house model by 2017- which is most advanced green building certification in the world. But not at a typical average $1.2M cost for an LBC home, but more like slightly above our basic model.

C: As architect Alejandro Aravena said - “the purpose of design… is to channel people’s own building capacity.” If this idea is truly sound, then the implications are significat.

M: The average person today spends $1.2M over their lifetime - just to secure a home. And 1.6 billion - live without adequate housing. Let's fix this today, for a better tomorrow.

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