Fruit Walls: Urban Farming in the 1600s
Obsolete TechnologyFrom the sixteenth to the twentieth century, urban farmers grew Mediterranean fruits and vegetables as far north as England and the Netherlands, using only renewable energy.
Articles by Kris De Decker
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Power Water Networks
Obsolete TechnologyHydraulic power transmission is very efficient compared to electricity when it is used to operate powerful but infrequently used machines.
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Reinventing the Greenhouse
Low-tech SolutionsContrary to its fully glazed counterpart, a passive solar greenhouse is designed to retain as much warmth as possible.
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How to Build a Low-tech Internet
Low-tech SolutionsIf we want the internet to keep working in circumstances where access to energy is more limited, we can learn important lessons from alternative network technologies.
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The 4G Mobile Internet That’s Already There
Low-tech SolutionsThese days, so many households have a WiFi-router installed that sharing the signal of these devices could provide free mobile internet access across densely populated cities.
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Why We Need a Speed Limit for the Internet
High-tech ProblemsThe energy use of the internet can only stop growing when energy sources run out, unless we impose self-chosen limits.
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How Sustainable is Stored Sunlight?
High-tech ProblemsEnergy storage is often ignored when scientists investigate the sustainability of PV systems.
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How Sustainable is PV solar power?
High-tech ProblemsAlmost all solar PV panels are now produced in China, where the electric grid is about twice as carbon-intensive and about 50% less energy efficient than in Europe.
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Radiant & Conductive Heating Systems
Low-tech SolutionsRadiant and conductive heating systems make energy use independent of the size of a room or building.
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Restoring the Old Way of Warming: Heating People, not Places
Obsolete TechnologyMost modern heating systems are primarily based on the heating of air. This seems an obvious choice, but there are far worthier alternatives.
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The Revenge of the Circulating Fan
Low-tech SolutionsCooling people by increasing local airflow is at least ten times more energy efficient than refrigerating the air in a given space.
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If We Insulate Our Houses, Why Not Our Cooking Pots?
Low-tech SolutionsA fireless cooker doubles the efficiency of any type of cooking device because it shortens the time on the fire and limits heat transfer losses