Sunday, March 11, 2007 12:34:08 PM
Amphibious Houses:
A floating alternative with a row of amphibious houses lines the waterfront at Maasbommel, panelled in blue, yellow and green. They have a hollow concrete cube at the base to give them buoyancy...A beautiful sight with growing popularity. The houses have attracted international attention... Officials from New Orleans, which was devastated by flooding in August 2005, have visited Maasbommel to see how the floating houses work.
At a starting price of 260,000 euros (£180,000 or $310,000), the houses are not a cheap option. But Mr Zevenbergen says demand is high.
"We are trying to develop new types of more sustainable buildings which have no adverse impacts on the environment," says Chris Zevenbergen of Dura Vermeer, the company which developed the floating houses.
Electricity and water are pumped in through flexible pipes. In all, the houses can withstand a rise in the water table of up to four metres (13ft).
Dutch Pioneer Floating Eco-Homes:
Small and densely populated, the Netherlands is one of the countries most at risk from climate change and rising sea levels. But, in one village in the south of the country, they are trying out a new way of living with an increased risk of floods.
Small and densely populated, the Netherlands is one of the countries most at risk from climate change and rising sea levels.
But in one village in the south of the country, they are trying out a new way of living with an increased risk of floods.
A small ferry shuttles back and forth from one bank of the River Maas to the other. This is the only way of reaching Maasbommel, in Gelderland province, from the south.
The landscape is saturated with water, criss-crossed by rivers and the network of dykes which are supposed to protect the area from flooding.
But the dykes are not always enough. In 1993 and again in 1995, floods forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes.
Rising sea levels:
Now, with climate change, floods are likely to be more frequent and more severe.
Dutch scientists predict a rise in sea levels of up to 110cm (43 inches) by the year 2100.
At the same time, there is growing pressure on land. The Dutch government estimates 500,000 new homes will be needed in the next two decades.
Most of the land suitable for conventional building has already been snapped up. So Dutch housebuilders are experimenting with new solutions.
Article By: Christine
From the BBC: Dutch Pioneer Floating Eco-Homes
Mar 2nd, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6405359.stm
A floating alternative with a row of amphibious houses lines the waterfront at Maasbommel, panelled in blue, yellow and green. They have a hollow concrete cube at the base to give them buoyancy...A beautiful sight with growing popularity. The houses have attracted international attention... Officials from New Orleans, which was devastated by flooding in August 2005, have visited Maasbommel to see how the floating houses work.
At a starting price of 260,000 euros (£180,000 or $310,000), the houses are not a cheap option. But Mr Zevenbergen says demand is high.
"We are trying to develop new types of more sustainable buildings which have no adverse impacts on the environment," says Chris Zevenbergen of Dura Vermeer, the company which developed the floating houses.
Electricity and water are pumped in through flexible pipes. In all, the houses can withstand a rise in the water table of up to four metres (13ft).
Dutch Pioneer Floating Eco-Homes:
Small and densely populated, the Netherlands is one of the countries most at risk from climate change and rising sea levels. But, in one village in the south of the country, they are trying out a new way of living with an increased risk of floods.
Small and densely populated, the Netherlands is one of the countries most at risk from climate change and rising sea levels.
But in one village in the south of the country, they are trying out a new way of living with an increased risk of floods.
A small ferry shuttles back and forth from one bank of the River Maas to the other. This is the only way of reaching Maasbommel, in Gelderland province, from the south.
The landscape is saturated with water, criss-crossed by rivers and the network of dykes which are supposed to protect the area from flooding.
But the dykes are not always enough. In 1993 and again in 1995, floods forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes.
Rising sea levels:
Now, with climate change, floods are likely to be more frequent and more severe.
Dutch scientists predict a rise in sea levels of up to 110cm (43 inches) by the year 2100.
At the same time, there is growing pressure on land. The Dutch government estimates 500,000 new homes will be needed in the next two decades.
Most of the land suitable for conventional building has already been snapped up. So Dutch housebuilders are experimenting with new solutions.
Article By: Christine
From the BBC: Dutch Pioneer Floating Eco-Homes
Mar 2nd, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6405359.stm
Beware Bull's Ready to Run - Before investing $ do your own dd. All posts are my opinion.
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