Sustainability Projects

Sustainability projects undertaken by Love Services Sustainability Consultants include:

Support for sustainability projects of EDGE5 Pty Ltd in Tanzania, Kenya, Cambodia, Rwanda, the Philippines, Myanmar and Australia.
Research and mathematical modelling of the application in Western Australia of natural local climate management methods established and tested in the Middle East, particularly Iranian deserts (2019, ongoing).
Technical support for Sankalpa Rural Development Society in borewell recharge water harvesting, village solar power, and microfinance systems across India (2016, ongoing).
Construction of a prototype ultra-low-cost, minimum-size, low-thermal-mass, one-bed eco-house for hot temperate climate in Perth, Western Australia, as a test for small-scale eco-housing production and as a component of prototype testing of eco-efficiency of courtyard-based housing using a central permaculture garden (Western Australia, 2021–22).
Design and build of a prototype ultra-low-cost eco-house for one to two persons, aimed at contributing to addressing the low socio-economic homeless problem (Western Australia, 2020).
Establishment of Love Sustainability News, providing reliable, cutting-edge sustainability information (2020 onwards).
Development and testing of a prototype mixed-mode multi-source solar-battery hybrid system for suburban houses and small office/workshop/shop configurations (Western Australia, 2019, ongoing).
Analysis and review of research literature on the limitations and disadvantages of green roofs in arid and arid temperate climate regions (Western Australia, 2020).
Analysis and modelling of evapo-transpiration effects of tree and vegetation planting on aquifer levels in arid temperate climates such as Perth, Western Australia, and comparison with research literature for other arid regions (Western Australia, 2018, continuing).
Collection and review of research data and published literature on aquifer contamination and depletion in India (Western Australia, 2018, continuing).
Meetings in the City of Yazd, Iran, with water management researchers from Sankalpa Rural Development Society, the Director of Water for Yazd, and water management researchers of the University of Yazd, together with a review of qanats and traditional air conditioning, building-based climate control, and plant choice and arrangement for local climate control (Yazd, Iran, 2018).
Attendance at the Energy Globe Award for Water with SRDS India (Yazd, Iran, 2018).
Review of literature on bore-well rainwater recharge of aquifers (for SRDS, India, 2017).
Testing of rat control to reduce garden crop loss by implementing range control using neophobia (Western Australia, 2020).
Literature review, analysis and support for development of permaculture training for mass use of kitchen gardens to minimise child stunting and adverse effects of poverty in the Philippines, Rwanda, Vietnam and Cambodia (for Edge5, Western Australia, 2019).
On-site review and analysis of construction and viability of vernacular thin reinforced-concrete floor/roof panels in Northern India and Karnataka (Northern India, 2016).
Build and testing of a prototype low-thermal-mass, two-bed eco-house with high insulation and low air change for hot temperate climate, based on detailed computer energy-need modelling (Perth, Western Australia, 2012–13).
Research and computer modelling of climate-sensitive building design for Perth, Western Australia, based on transitioning to low thermal mass rather than the (then currently assumed) traditional high-thermal-mass approach, to improve comfort while reducing both annual energy use and life-cycle energy and environmental costs for the building (Perth, Western Australia, 2011–12).
Comparative modelling and evaluation of energy efficiency of buildings with high thermal mass versus buildings with low thermal mass, high insulation and controlled air changes, using climate-mapped building energy-use software in hot temperate climate (Perth, Western Australia, 2003, ongoing).
PhD research and thesis on the inclusion of social, environmental and ethical factors alongside technical factors in engineering design (UWA, Departments of Engineering, Mathematics, Computing and Water Research, 1994–98).
Provided infrastructure, management and support resulting in the establishment of 56 Permaculture community groups across Western Australia (for the Permaculture Association of WA, Western Australia, 1997–98).
Developed a prototype and conducted successful testing of volume-based (as distinct from time-based) precision water distribution for small-scale permaculture-based food production (Western Australia, 1992–98).
Analysis and testing of the use of concrete as a separation layer and under-mulch for suburban food-production beds, to stop tree-root invasion, minimise water use and nutrient loss, and avoid nutrient contamination of the aquifer (Western Australia, 2000, ongoing).
Research prototype cloth-sail wind power generator (Lancaster, UK, 1972).
Research prototype water-skirted hovercraft for high-speed, low-energy heavy-goods transport (Lancaster, UK, 1973).
Non-dimensional analysis and modelling of energy use of highly energy-efficient transport modalities (Lancaster, UK, 1974).
Research into design of CVT vehicle gearbox to minimise fuel consumption for cars and small trucks (Leyland Cars, UK, 1976–78).
Local small-scale organic food production (UK, France, Spain, Australia, 1978 to date).
Solar hot water system for farm (Corsica, 1984).
Composting toilets developed and built (Corsica, 1985).
Environmentally sensitive two-storey house (Corsica, built 1984–85).
Development of a prototype solar hot water boost system for UK conditions (Lancaster, UK, 1988).
Development of a wifi system for remote active control of institutional lighting and power delivery (submitted for UK government innovation funding, 1986).
Development of a new form of aerial pre-germinated packaged tree-seed distribution for remote desert areas via ultra-light aircraft (led to UK provisional patent, 1985).
Created software to assess heat losses in buildings and identify the most environmentally appropriate heating system (Lancaster, UK, 1986).
Solar potable water distillation systems (Almería, Spain, for Sunseed Trust, 1987–89).
Review and evaluation of traditional high-strength floor and flat-roofing systems in Almería, Spain, using small-section cane, plaster, cement and volcanic clay waterproofing in a structurally highly efficient matrix, well suited to the high levels of earthquake activity due to the location on a tectonic plate boundary (Almería, Spain, for Sunseed Trust, 1986–89).
Review of flood-based irrigation distribution in traditional, community-owned and worked village vegetable food production, and its use of medieval Islamic irrigation systems and garden design (Almería, Spain, for Sunseed Trust, 1986–89).
Solar electricity generation with battery storage for lighting, internet/computing and system monitoring (Almería, Spain, for Sunseed Trust, 1986–89).
Composting toilets developed and built (Almería, Spain, for Sunseed Trust, 1986–89).
Research prototypes of solar water heating systems (Almería, Spain, for Sunseed Trust, 1986–89).
Maintenance of traditional (1,000-year-old) Islamic long-distance water distribution networks (Almería, Spain, for Sunseed Trust, 1986–89).
Development and successful testing of a prototype solar water system that provides increased hot water volume at the lowest use of supplementary power in hot temperate climate (Perth, Western Australia, 1991–94).
Active member of the international ECO2-IRN Eco-Design Research Group (UK, 1992–98).
Research and expert interviews on the design and effectiveness of composting toilets in Australia (Perth, WA, UWA, 1997).
Development of a prototype and successful testing of economical new technology for providing supplementary power support to stored solar hot water systems in hot temperate climate (Perth, WA, 1992).
Evaluation of annual water losses in Western Australia from internal leaks of toilets using typical gravity rather than syphonic flush systems (Perth, WA, UWA, 1995).
Review of urban design elements that lead to successful, high-innovation villages that repurpose existing housing stock as mixed-mode buildings for living and innovation businesses (Lancaster, UK, 2005).
Research into identifying the most effective university organisational structures that support innovation (Lancaster University, UK, 2007–10).
Research into mapping national design infrastructures in Australian states, the UK, Norway, Finland and Korea (Curtin University, 2003–08).
Created and tested some of the earliest forms of what were later called plant ‘wicking beds’. The early prototype and production beds (UK, 1985) used automated, self-managed watering systems that adjusted water input incrementally to account for different levels of water loss via evapo-transpiration, cropping and plant growth. Similar wicking beds, with different wicking structures and the same automated self-managed watering approach, were developed for hot temperate climate conditions in Perth, Western Australia (Lancaster, UK, 1985–91, and Perth, WA, 1992–96).
Design and construction of an environmentally sensitive building following Alexander’s Pattern Language, designed for minimum energy use (Perth, WA, 1993–94).
Investigation and comparative evaluation of the effectiveness and ecological cost of plant-based (tree and vine) shading compared with physically constructed shading in hot temperate climate (Perth, Western Australia, 1992–96).
Development and testing of an effective prototype greywater collection and distribution system in hot temperate climate (Perth, Western Australia, 1991–94).
Provision of sundry sustainability technical support (for SRDS, India, 2017).