Living in the Mountains: a Focus on Self and Environmental Sustainability

Hello! I'm Jiexi(Jesse), a rising junior in high school. This year has been my first year with experience in CAD and I have been loving it. I have always been fascinated with creation and hands-on tasks, especially in the digital world where there are practically no limitations. In the past, I have unknowingly been introduced to Autodesk programs such as TinkerCAD while in middle school and have created various models and toys. This year, through a class in school, I have been introduced to powerful programs such as Revit, Fusion360, and AutoCAD, and I can often find myself zoned out for hours in the programs. Learning the programs, I started with rather simple creations, such as small cabins or artistic snowflakes, and slowly built up my knowledge of the mentioned programs. However, these creations were more based on 'assignments' and, therefore, came with their limitations, such as a prescribed outcome and, hence, often a lack of freedom. Thus, given more opportunities to explore Autodesk programs in my free time and in the summer, I have decided to enter this contest, where the entire process is largely dependent on the individual.

Fusion360

High mountainous(defined as >2500m or 8,200ft)[1] cover about 7% of Earth's surface, yet, according to a literature review from 2021[2], only around 81 million live in these areas, which roughly translates to 1.04% of the world population according to 2021 population data from the CIA[3]. The world population percentage only decreases further the higher the elevation, with elevations above 4000 meters(13100 ft) having less than 0.1% of the world population [2]. There are a multitude of reasons for these percentages, which include the various side effects of living in mountainous areas and the difficulties associated with such areas. According to Vailhealth, the physical difficulties in living in mountainous areas include lower oxygen levels and higher exposure to UV rays, resulting in damage to the skin through increased susceptibility to sunburns, higher probability of dehydration, and many of the associated risks(including damages to digestive health), and possible damages to mental health due to lower oxygen rates. [4] Along with the above, mountains are often cold due to their high altitudes[5] and, correspondingly, involve higher chances of snow, which can be a possible disturbance[4]. Along with physical difficulties, there are also many logistical issues. The main two are economic issues(higher costs associated with the isolationist nature of mountainous areas[4]) and construction issues(Due to the formation of mountains many of them include rocky and steep areas[7], making construction often difficult and the remote nature of the places makes moving supplies difficult as well[8]). Thus, developing a framework for living in these mountainous areas will prove helpful in encouraging population growth in these mountainous areas and serve as a foundation for solving many of the mentioned problems.

As mentioned above, mountainous areas are often remote, and there is often little civilization nearby. Thus, you have to maximize the advantages already present. This reason is precisely why you should choose an area near mines or existing civilization. Living near places like mines reduces transportation and construction costs as modern mines often use heavy machinery, many of which can be easily repurposed for construction and living near mines. Now, the type of mine also matters. Although there are few coal mines at altitudes above 2500m( 8,200ft), they are often the best option, providing a steady supply of coal for heat, especially for cold environments, and a readily available source of electricity and fire for daily necessities. However, any other mines can work just as well, but they have to usually satisfy another condition: trees, which offer many of the same benefits if not more than coal(such as serving as a building material). Now, these conditions limit the altitudes to about 1000m-3500m(3280ft-11500ft) as treelines, a line or altitude where little to no trees grow, often exist at those altitudes[9]. However, treelines are often different depending on the location, and it is best to research beforehand. But, as mentioned before, generally going above 2500m is considered dangerous, and the higher you go, the more severe the effects[10].

Figure 1: Figure displaying the topography of "Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine."

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cripple+Creek+%26+Victor+Gold+Mine/@38.7490335,-105.1518367,16z/

For this contest, I have chosen Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine in Colorado, which has an altitude of around 3000m(10000 ft)[11]. According to Google Maps, the mine involves little residential development nearby(See Fig. 1). However, the mine is still in operation, and the surrounding area has an abundance of trees.

To pick high-altitude mines, I would suggest going through databases such as ‘Costmine’ (https://www.costmine.com/2023/09/27/mining-with-altitude-the-worlds-highest-mines-2/), which offers data on high-altitude mines across the world. However, an area not near mines is perfectly viable as well, but be aware of the additional difficulties you are introducing, such as transportation costs, lack of proper machinery, and lack of pre-established structures.

Creating a floor plan for your house is arguably the most important step of the house creation process. It is the foundation for everything that comes after and allows proper organization and visualization of your ideas before constructing, often saving valuable time by pointing out possible issues beforehand. The floor plan also ensures that the creation will have accuracy and is a general good practice for house building.

As mentioned before, areas in the mountains are often rocky and steep areas, and, although we could flatten the area out through dynamite or machinery, it is much more sustainable and cost-efficient to construct an elevated platform. 

When constructing the platform, make sure to add enough support beams to adequately support the house.

Images 1-4 are included if you are planning to create a house that has two stories or more. For these stairs, it is recommended to construct them depending on the shape of your house. Commands such as 'PathPattern' and 'Copy' are especially helpful when constructing these stairs.

Images 5-6 are stairs to go up to the foundation. For these stairs, you can similarly use 'PathPattern' and 'Copy.'

You do not have to construct a second floor and a single floor can often suffice. However, adding a second floor has the benefit of adding a lot of extra space, allowing for additional bedrooms or hard-to-find places such as gyms or recreational areas.

The second-floor plan follows many of the same principles as the first-floor plan and should be equally detailed to properly organize and visualize your ideas.

The roof can be created into any shape but I have personally decided to create a largely one-sided roof, with the plan of the longer side involving the majority of the solar planes and doubling as a large water collection system.

Figure 2(Image 1): The figure displays the hydrologic cycle in mountains, displaying the advantages of higher precipitation in high-altitudes.

https://www.arm.gov/resources/outreach/lessonplans/11jannewsletter.pdf

Figure 3(Image 2): The figure displays a simple water collection system, utilizing gutters, piping, and small storage system using connected water barrels.

https://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/web-extras/all/52droughttolerant/

Figure 4(Image 3): The figure displays an extensive water collection and treatment system.

https://www.ntotank.com/blog/rainwater-harvesting-for-potable-water

Figure 5: The figure displays a method of transforming snow into drinking water.

** Be aware that the solar panel requires a viable amount of sunlight and, if not available, may involve the supplement of fuel sources such as propane to properly heat the water to recommended temperatures.

https://www.rmiguides.com/blog/2014/06/04/rmis_solar_snow_melt_system_on_mt._rainier

Considering the altitude, the most obvious problem is water. Water is essential for mountain survival, especially because mountainous areas are often high altitude and cause the human body to correspondingly consume higher amounts of water[12]. Although the location I have chosen includes rivers and lakes nearby, it is often that these conditions aren’t present. Additionally, even if there are rivers and lakes accessible, it is often at ground level and needs transportation from ground level to high mountains, requiring excess labor and correspondingly high cost. Thus, the best form of water collection is not from existing reservoirs such as lakes, rivers, or underground reservoirs but directly from the sky. This method is benefited by the fact that mountains often have higher levels of precipitation[15] due to lower temperatures causing warm air to lose moisture and, therefore, increase precipitation[16](See Fig. 2).

Depending on your location, you could either collect snow or rainwater. Snow might be seen by many as a disadvantage, but it can offer a pathway for a solution to the crucial problem of water scarcity, especially if the location involves little or no rivers or reservoirs. In fact, water from snowmelt accounts for providing freshwater water for up to 2 billion people[15]. According to the CDC, at altitudes above 2000m(6500ft), snow can easily be turned into fresh drinking water by boiling fresh snow for about three minutes. However, a more industrialized process can be built by following the example displayed in Figure 5. Rainwater is equally as viable but often involves additional preparation. In theory, it is possible to create a simpler system that utilizes a roof and storage, as exemplified by Figure 3, and to heat the water later. However, it is best to create a more advanced system, as illustrated in Figure 4, which involves not only a large water collection and storage system but also an extensive filtration system, which is especially important considering the vast amounts of bacteria and viruses in rainwater mentioned by the CDC [14].

Considering the many health risks involved with rainwater and following Figure 5, I decided to create an extensive water collection and filtration system.

For organization purposes, it is recommended to create the system on a separate file and, later, import the design with the house.

Water Tank Volume

Total gallons per week: Around 50 Gallons per week

Consider: https://water.phila.gov/pool/files/home-water-use-ig5.pdf

• Necessities per day(7x): 
• Drinking: 1.25 Gallon (The recommended amount is 1 gallon of water, but, as previously mentioned, it is better to drink more than the recommended amount)
• Hygiene(Washing face, brushing teeth, and washing hands): 2.5 gallons
• Toilet: ~10 gallons(Conservative estimates)

Necessities weekly:

• Shower: 10 Gallons (5 minutes * 2 gallons per minute = 10 gallons)
• Hand washing clothes: 5-10 Gallons(https://www.clotheslyne.com/blog/best-way-to-hand-wash-clothes/) 
• Dishwasher: ~4-10 gallons
• Based on the weekly usage, I have determined that a 500-gallon water tank is sufficient, allowing for up to 10 weeks of backup water, and, considering the increased rainfall mentioned prior in high altitudes, there will be a constant supply of rainwater.

For the tank, create a simple model of a tank, making sure the size is appropriate for your circumstances and includes an opening.

Considering the extensive nature of the system, there will be numerous pipes throughout the system. However, for now, all we need is an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and an overflow pipe.

As the name suggests, an inlet pipe allows water to flow in, while an outlet pipe allows water to flow out. However, despite their simple nature, their placement is crucial, and incorrect placement can lead to many problems with efficiency and system logistics. The inlet should be placed on the top, allowing the barrel to fill up from the top, while the outlet should be placed on the bottom, allowing the barrel to be emptied from the bottom.

An overflow pipe is also important to redirect excess water to avoid damaging the water barrel. It is best to put the overflow in a high area to avoid unnecessary water loss.

Note: The 'pipe' command is especially helpful in creating these pipes

Despite its name, the leaf eater does not necessarily have to be for leaves. Roofs often collect large debris, such as leaves(hence the naming), and the leaf eater offers the first line of defense against this debris, which may clog up the system and seep into your water.

To create the leaf eater, model the general shape and incorporate a 'mesh' on top.

Note: The mesh is toned down for visualization purposes, but the actual mesh should be a fine mesh of about 0.8mm or lower. When creating the mesh, commands such as 'web' and 'rectangular pattern' are especially helpful.

Figure 6: The figure displays the process of the first flush system.

https://m.chiphonghardware.com.my/index.php?ws=showproducts&products_id=3100447

A first flush is an important component of a water collection system as it is a preliminary measure in ensuring that your water is clean and fresh. As mentioned, roofs often accumulate various matters simply from the environment, and when it rains, all of that matter goes into the water. Thus, having a measure against all of that matter is crucial. 

Since we already have a long pipe connected to the ground, all we need to do is trim the pipe a bit and add a value to release the water or ‘first flush.’ Make sure to add the top stopper directly below the inlet pipe and include a small hole in the bottom stopper to add a drainage system.

Creating a ball value allows you to control the flow of water, which may be useful in circumstances where you need to repair something or, in general, need to water off.

The Ball Value is a simple system that incorporates piping redirection. As the name implies, the system involves spheres and can be created by modeling a rotatable sphere that has an opening the diameter of the pipe.

Figure 7: The figure displays how a water pump functions. The system utilizes a propeller attached to a motor to move the water.

https://www.fueldump.co.uk/2016/10/19/water-pumps-explained/

Although proper piping and gravity can do most of the work to move the water, it is often not sufficient. Thus, it is best to utilize machinery to move the water.

Generally, you can pick any water pump to model. However, be aware of logistics and research water flow beforehand to match your specifications.

For my project, I chose a rather powerful pump to accommodate the large water volume.

https://www.amazon.com/Acquaer-Portable-Stainless-Sprinkler-Irrigation/dp/B09WHPWGPM/

Figure 8: The figure demonstrates how gap filtration works by allowing only water to flow through piping by blocking sediments.

https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1523&title=household-water-treatment-mechanical-filtration-methods-and-devices

Filters are one of the most important parts of water filtration. Simple filters such as those in Figure 8 and Image 1 allow for debris control and, at times, can eliminate many dangerous bacteria, parasites, viruses, and chemicals[17].

Following Figure 5, I have incorporated a sediment filter, 5-micron filter, and carbon filter.

To create the filters, model the general shape of a filter and duplicate correspondingly.

As the name implies, the sediment filters out sediment, which includes sand, silt, organic matter, and other various small debris [18]. A micron is one-millionth of a meter, and a 5-micron filter can correspondingly remove many small objects, including many of the same for sediment filters(but at a greater efficiency) and even certain types of bacteria[19]. Considering the small filtration of a micron filter, it is recommended to put the sediment filter before the micron filter so larger sediments are filtered out first, as the filter can easily clog otherwise[19]. Different from the "gap filtration" method from the sediment and 5-micron filter, the carbon filter utilizes absorption to remove impurities [20]. These filters can be extremely sustainable and are often created from coconut shells, offering a method of disposal for the[20].

Figure 9: The figure displays the UV filtration process and how it reduces bacteria and viruses.

https://groundwaterworld.org/how-does-a-uv-water-purifier-work/

Adding UV filtration adds another layer of security to your drinking water. UV filtration utilizes UV light to destroy DNA within viruses and bacteria, eliminating their reproductive ability and, therefore, rendering them useless[21].

To create the filter, model a general shape of a UV filtration set. Make sure to create an inlet and outlet pipe, a proper capsule unit for the UV light, and an electrical connection.

Figure 10: The figure displays the chlorination process, going through various steps to ensure safe chlorination.

https://aquatalk-colorado.blogspot.com/2021/02/simple-fixes-chlorine-addition-points.html

Although we have various filters, often the most efficient method is to add chemicals to water. Chlorine is one of the most common chemicals used to purify rainwater[22], but proper precautions should be taken. Improper amounts of chlorine are dangerous and often deadly, and an extensive system should be constructed[23].

A chlorine tank should be constructed to store the chlorine, and a specialized system for chlorine injection should be created to ensure the correct ratio of chlorine to water.

A pressure tank is not necessary for the chlorination system. However, it is a crucial part of the overall water system as it ensures proper water distribution, allows for additional water storage, and alleviates much of the stress on the motor by maintaining water through air pressure[24].

A contact tank is extremely important for the chlorination system as it allows for the proper time for the chlorine and water to interact and the chlorine disinfection process to occur[25]. Without this tank, dangerous levels of chlorine can accumulate in certain areas or the disinfection process may not occur entirely[25].

For the chlorine tank, model a general container.

For the pressure tank, model a general container, but make sure to include a spherical shape on the top to allow for proper air pressure acclamation and to include various monitoring and adjustable components such as a pressure gate valve, pressure gauge, and pressure switch.

For the contact tank, modeling a regular water barrel suffices.

Gutters are one of the first parts of the water collection process. It allows the water from the roof to properly be transported into the water barrel and not sprayed everywhere.

When creating the gutter, make an arch-like shape to the side of your roof. **It is important to tilt the gutters a bit so that the water flows correctly

Figure 11: The figure displays dimensions and differences in 72-cell and 60-cell solar panels.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/guidelines-dimensions-solar-panels-summer-xia

Solar Panels are a great way to generate sustainable energy for houses that are off the power grid and units that are extremely scalable and applicable.

To create the solar panels, first model a solar panel. While modeling, you might want to consider adding stands to the solar panels to improve water flow. ** The 'rectangular pattern' command is especially useful for placing multiple solar panels

Figure 12: The figure displays the process of storing energy generated from solar panels.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/guidelines-dimensions-solar-panels-summer-xia

Storing energy is equally important as generating energy. While it is possible to use solar panels without storing the energy, it is extremely impractical, and there are various problems associated with doing so, such as lack of energy at night and energy leakages. It is also equally as important to convert the energy through an 'inverter' so that the energy is probably converted to safe energy for your home[26].

A solar panel system often includes solar panels, a control panel, battery banks, and an inverter.

To create the control panel, battery bank, and inverter, simple rectangles suffice. However, make sure to link the different components with the wiring. ** The command 'pipe' can be utilized to create wiring.

Add final components such as textures, doors, and windows to your design to complete it.

What if extreme environment habitats embraced their unique surroundings to enhance human well-being? What did you learn through this process that you could apply to address a problem of the built environment in your community? 

When extreme environment habitats, such as that of high mountainous areas, embrace their unique surroundings, they offer untapped living space for humanity and grant opportunities for self-sustainability, while, at the same time, allowing the enjoyment of nature. Living in the mountains not only forces you to employ self-sustainable systems such as energy generation and water collection but also to offer an active lifestyle in the mountains.

Through this process, I learned about many important systems and processes that can improve self-sustainability and reduce the usage of pollutants such as fossil fuels. Water-collecting systems can generate water for millions of families without relying on existing reservoirs, and solar energy collection systems can similarly promote the collection of sustainable energy. Utilizing these principles, you can transform the modern home into a partly self-sufficient system that supports the ecosystem rather than actively damage it.

Citations

https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080511044709/http://www.unep wcmc.org/mountains/mountain_watch/pdfs/WholeReport.pdf - 1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8106311/ - 2

https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/about/archives/2021/field/population/country-comparison - 3

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/altitude/

https://www.vailhealth.org/news/living-on-high-the-lesser-known-effects-of-living-at-altitude - 4

https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/beyond-data/highs-and-lows-climate - 5

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/mountains - 6

https://www.britannica.com/science/mountain-landform/Major-types-of-mountain-belts - 7

https://www.livingstoneconstruction.com/construction/understand-why-it-can-be-more-expensive-to-build-in-the-mountains.html - 8

https://www.britannica.com/plant/tree/Tree-lines - 9

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-to-high-altitudes - 10

https://s24.q4cdn.com/382246808/files/document_library/Newmont-High-Altitude-Induction-Training-Form.pdf - 11

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232881/ - 12

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/travel/backcountry_water_treatment.html - 14

https://lpsonline.sas.upenn.edu/features/how-global-temperature-and-weather-patterns-affect-mountain-climates - 15

https://www.arm.gov/resources/outreach/lessonplans/11jannewsletter.pdf - 16

https://magazine.columbia.edu/article/reduced-snowfall-could-cause-water-shortages-2-billion-people - 14

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/rainwater-collection.html - 17

https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/g1492/2013/pdf/view/g1492-2013.pdf - 18

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/blogs/blog/how-many-microns-should-your-water-filter-be - 19

https://espwaterproducts.com/pages/carbon-filters - 20

https://groundwaterworld.org/how-does-a-uv-water-purifier-work/ - 21

https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/drinking-water/disinfection/chlorination-drinking-water - 22

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_disinfection.html - 23

https://hles.unl.edu/understanding-your-pressure-storage-tank - 24

https://www.highlandtank.com/app/data/literature/B_LIT_ASME-Chlorine-Contact-Vessels.pdf - 25

https://www.spaceflightpower.com/is-solar-panel-draining-battery-at-night/ - 26