1 SECTOR PLANNING Sectors deal with the wild energies, the ele- ‘ments of sun, light, wind, rain, wildfire, and water flow (including flood). These all come from outside our system and pass through it. For these, we arranges seetor diagram based on the real site, usually a wedge-shaped area that radi- ates from a centre of activity (commonly the house but it can be any other structure). Figure LS Some of the factors to sketch out on a ground plan are: «fire danger sector + cold or damaging winds + hot, salty, or dusty winds + screening of unwanted views ‘+ winter and summer sun angles + reflection from ponds + flood-prone areas ‘We place appropriate plant species and struc tures in each sector (1) to block or sereen out the incoming energy or distant view, (2) to channel it for special uses, or (3) to open ut the sector to allow, forexample, maximum sunlight. Thus, we place design components to manage incoming energy to our advantage. For the fire sector, we choose components that do not burn, or that create firebreaks, such as ponds, stone walls, roads, clear areas, fire- suppressing vegetation, or grazing animals to keep the vegetation short. m SLOPE Finally, we look at the site in profile, noting relative elevations to decide on the placements of dams, water header tanks, or wells (above the house: waterfalls); to plan access roads, drains, fload or flow diversions; and to place wastewa- ter or biogas units and so on. Figures 1.6 and 1,7 illustrate some ideal relationships of struc- tures and functions, given that there isa reason- able slope. Starting from the plateau or ridge: + Dams placed above the house take over- flow from high tanks, which rely on the roof catchment of hay storage sheds, workshops, of meeting halls, all of which need little water but have large roof areas for catchment. Diversion channels around high ridges leading tw dams serve the same purpose. + All covered tanks at high elevation are very useful, and these can in fact be built as the basement cr foundation of the buildings, form ing a heat/cold buffer in the sub-floor of work- shops. Water from covered tanks is guaranteed free of biological pollution, and should be kept strietly for drinking at lower levels, the settle ment area, Bulk domestic water (for showers, ‘Roar pacer A B wens! | sees pie Te 6 tha Hearn, | Pikes fiowe. Poker convex SLores oe ] , A o LANs Low sates + STARE nee OAC FILS. CONC SLOPES FIGURE 2.6 Slope analysis and site planning in relation to slope asoect largely decides the placement of access, water supply, forosts, and cropland (for the humid landscape) 4silets, gardens) are supplied from the high cams. + Above the house, particularly on rough, rocky and dry sites, there should be careful selection of dry-country plants needing “spot” ‘aatering only for establishment. These forests or orchards help with erosion control and water retention. On lower sites choose plants with higher water requirements. + At the house, small tanks are needed for emergency water supply, and the house sited behind the lower dams or lakes for fire protec- on. Household greywater (wastewater from sinks and showers, not toilets), is absorbed by dense vegetation cither in garden or chard. + Downslope, water from the valley lake or large-volume storage at lower levels are pumped to the higher tanks or dams in emer- neies such as fire or drought. A factor often left unplanned is the high slope access, either as a track or road. Such uecess can provide water drainage or diversion to midslope dams, fire control on slopes, and harvest-time access to forest and to sheds or barns, Often enough, on small properties, the muleh from forests and manures from upslope FIGURE 4.7 idealised layout of water, buildings, and access (veg: barns can be easily moved downhill to establish abam-to-house garden. Slatted floors in upslope shearing sheds, goatsheds, and stables allows easy access to manures. Tore-siate tie basic energy-conservingrules: +Piace each element (plant, animal, or struc ture) so that it serves at least two or more functions. * Every important function (water collec- ton, fire protection) is served in two or more ways + Elements are placed according to intensity of use (zones), control of external energies (sectors). and efficient energy flow (slope or convection) Once this commonsense analysis is done, we know: that every component is in a good place for three reasons (relative to site resources, external energies, and slope or elevation). To sum up, there should be no tree, plant, structure, ‘or activity that is not placed according to these criteria, For instance, if we plant a pine tree, it oes in Zone IV (infrequent visits), aivay from the fire danger sector (it accumulates fuel and burns like a tar barrel), rowards the cold wind sector (pines are hardy windbreaks), and it eed henge STORE, eA) TRA Bu nna drawn to better show water movements). Snales distnbute water over a wide grassed slope to prevent gully erosion curing wet seasons,