Conquering Mount Everest

We are a team of 3 students from Piedmont Hills High School: Cheung J., He Y., Li V.

For our extreme habitat, we chose Mount Everest for its harsh environment that featured freezing temperatures that concrete can't be used to build anything there; the water in the concrete would just freeze before the concrete could set. Also, due to its terrain, no construction vehicles would operate there, and the winds are so strong that even helicopters can't get the building material there.

Fusion360 for CAD design

• Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (Carbon FRP)
• Fiberglass 
• Thermal mass - stone
• Polycarbonate
• Solar Panels and Vertical Wind Turbines

Featuring a structure made of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP). The material is:

• lightweight --> 4 times lower than steel and 30% lower than aluminium
• high strength and stiffness
• corrosion and chemical resistant --> this means less maintenance needed
• recyclable

(https://www.alformet.com/composite/frp/cfrp)

These properties help it stand up to the forces exerted by high winds as well as ease of transport and installation. Taking less energy to produce and install contributes towards energy conservation. The black color of the material also allows for heat absorption.

Fiberglass insulation will be used within the walls, the design provides 1ft of space for insulation as the cold temperatures of Everest are extreme.

• lightweight, affordable, and sturdy 
• recyclable (since it is glass)
• long lasting

The structure itself is 9 feet tall with plenty of space inside to live comfortably, and the structure is resistant to wind. Terraces are structured inside the so the cold air sinks to the bottom and people can sleep on high ground where it is warm.

Fireplace would provide warmth, and this feature would be powered by the electric energy collected from the vertical wind turbines installed around the structure. Since the heat mantle does not actually produce any smoke, there isn't a huge concern of ventilation, but if the temperature inside ever gets too much, there will be vent on the roof of the structure to provide single-sided ventilation.

Windows built into the so that it isn't just a building for survival, but for living on Mount Everest. To prevent heat from escaping through the glass, polycarbonate will be used as it keeps in the heat really well.

Thermal mass, such as stone (a common thermal mass in construction), is placed on the high terraces and are in direct path of the window to capture as much sunlight as possible. Thermal masses keep the temperature constant and comfortable during any time of the year.

(https://www.building.govt.nz/getting-started/smarter-homes-guides/design/using-thermal-mass-for-heating-and-cooling)

Vertical wind turbines will be installed all around the structure to provide energy (as well as solar panels as it rarely snows on Everest)

Waste will be stored a tank in the above-ground septic tank in the dome structured greenhouse, which acts as a thermal mass for the building. The waste will be used to fertilize the soil. The greenhouse will be near the main building with windows made from polycarbonate, a raised base that keeps the interior above the ground to avoid the sinking cold air, and the oxygen that is produced from the plants will be exchanged with the carbon dioxide that individuals are exuding. The

(https://northernhomestead.com/greenhouse-for-winter-growing/)

Water is another key thing to consider with survival. With the snow available on Mount Everest, we can utilize the energy collected from wind turbines to melt the snow. The greenhouse will contain a water tank where filtered water from the septic tank and melted snow will be stored. From this tank, a portion of the water will be directed towards another filtering process to produce potable water. The rest will be directed towards watering the garden and other water systems such as the toilet.

(https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/iss-research/nasa-achieves-water-recovery-milestone-on-international-space-station/)

Attached here is files that detail the dimensions of this prototype made in Fusion360.