Re-examining Geos Neighbourhood for Its Energy Self-sustained Ability Through Ecological Footprints,Net Energy,and Life Cycle Assessment Tools

There are mounting evidences that human consume significant quantities of resources and have a major impact on the environment. Some research indicates that since the 1980 s human demands on the biosphere have exceeded its regenerrative capacity. One way to solve this problem is to minimize the inappropriate exploitation from environment.This essay will focus on energy self-sustained project, which is a specific way to reduce energy requirements. Energy self-sustained project refers to that energy production is equal to the amount consumed. Three concepts are quoted in the following to assess whether the project achieve zero-energy or not. First, ecological footprint, which provides an indication of the human load on the biosphere, is utilized to measure the inputs and outputs of the bioregion, which is also beneficial for defining the potential energy. Another one is life cycle assessment, which evaluates environmental load that relates to the entire life periodic system of a product, is helpful to measure the products used in the energy self sustained project. In addition, net energy, and gross resource abundance, definitions for selection, or hierarchy of different energy resources, can evaluate the new energy resources in project.Geos Neighbourhood, located in colorado, was planned as the largest net-zero energy neighbourhood in the United States. To meet the energy self sustainability,earth and sun power completely sustain the community's energy needs, and replace all fossil fuels. Compared with the traditional communities, Geos Neighbourhood minimize the adverse impact on the environment. As tools for assessment,ecological footprint, life circle assessment, and net energy, are all used to analyse the planning and design principles in the neighbourhood. By the research, the design principles and energy use in Geos Neighbourhood will be re-examined that whether the zero energy project achieves the reduction of ecological footprint, and energy self sustainability. In addition, life circle assessment will re-examine the materials used in the community also. Finally, the concept of ‘net energy' will test solar energy and earth power which is the major energy used in Geos Neighbourhood.