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Integrated Design Education

Lecture/ Design/ Workshop/ Hands-On/ Movement

by Art Ludwig, Ecological Systems Designer

 

Summary: Information on past and future lectures and workshops, and possibilities for having Art Ludwig present or run future workshops with your organization.

 

Links are included with most listings for preparation and follow up reading and resources.

On this page:

Ecoversity graywater workshop attendees

If you would like video or audio of any of these presentations, please E mail us.


Future Events

No future events at this time...

Lecture and Workshop Format and Topics

Format

Each presentation is custom-adapted to the audience, event, and location. Ideally, we survey early registrants by email for their interests and background and adjust the content and approach accordingly.

The topics list below shows the range of content, while the past presentations list shows the some of the ways it's been packaged in.

All presentations get their own web page posted in advance of the event. From this, participants can get a complete description find links to preparatory and follow-up reading, download handouts, registration, directions, etc. (Examples: Understanding water class, Xeriscape Conference lecture and workshop).

An automatic slide show of stunningly beautiful, uplifting images, with appropriate music, is usually played before the presentation (to reward those who come early/ on time). The pool of "A"-grade images is large enough to run for hours without repeating, or hand-pick a smaller selection that relate subliminally to the topic at hand.

When appropriate, it's great to end with a dance party. This can be accompanied by a slide show of images as well.

When travel is involved, we typically do more than one event—for example, presentations, a workshop, backpacking trip, and/or consulting (as in Cottonwood Greywater Presentations).

Presentations can be in English, Spanish, or both.

 

The following is a natural progression for Ecological Design curriculum:

  1. Principles of Ecological Design
  2. Wild Water Wisdom—understand how water and nutrients are handled in pristine wilderness
  3. Learn how to find clean water and manage wastes when camping
  4. Understand natural economics and personal finance
  5. Learn about specifics of systems for permanent, super simple housing, with on-site food production
  6. Learn about systems for higher population densities and higher per-capita resource use
  7. Design systems for larger scale settlements, institutional and industrial uses
  8. In parallel with the above, shortcomings of conventional designs can be discussed

 

Ecological Design

Water and Wastewater Systems

Personal Finance

Natural Building

Greywater

Toilet Alternatives

Dance and Movement

Art Portrait

Art Ludwig's Bio

Art Ludwig is an ecological systems designer with 32 years full-time experience in water, wastewater systems, energy, shelter and human powered transport. His specialty is complex, integrated "systems of systems."  Art has studied and worked in 22 different countries, attaining fluency in 5 languages. He has consulted for the states of New York, California, and New Mexico on water reuse policy and building codes, and given dozens of lectures and workshops. He has developed numerous innovations which have been adopted worldwide, incorporated in building codes, etc., all of which he has published into the public domain.

He designed his own education in Ecological Systems Design, graduating from UC Berkeley. At Berkeley, he developed the first cleaners specifically designed to be biocompatible with plants and soil, and founded a successful business to manufacture and distribute them. Art has authored numerous articles (including one on water testing procedures) as well as the books "Water Storage" "Principles of Ecological Design," and "Create an Oasis with Greywater."

The past several years Art has dedicated approximately a thousand hour a year to public interest research and activism.

 

 

^ Top ^ | Future Events | Lecture and Workshop Topics | Past Events |

 

Past Events

Headings and descriptions are mostly for the Oasis part of the program. Where available, links describe more about the event and/or sponsoring organization. Events are organized by date - the most recently taught events are at the top.

California Statewide Greywater Conference

Art Ludwig: "Why Greywater Matters"

Managing a California Resource: Greywater Capture

November 15th and 16th, 2012
Evergreen Lodge, Yosemite, CA

 

2012 Halloween Natural Building Colloquium

Art's presentations:

Colloquium web site

October 30th - November 4th, 2012
Camp Latgawa, Southern OR

 

The County Building Officials Association of California Annual Conference & Caucus

Santa Barbara, CA Sept 24-26, 2012

Workshops Sept 25: Limited Density Rural Dwellings & Assessment, Acceptance, and Approval of Alternate Materials; and Methods of Construction

 

Precautionary Principles: Golden Rules for Future Generations

Carolyn Raffensperger, M.A., J.D.

with guest David Eisenberger

7-9:30 pm Jan 16, 2012

Fe Bland Auditorium, Santa Barbara City College West Campus, 721 Cliff Dr, SB

Carolyn Raffensperger, executive director of the Science and Environmental Health Network, is a world expert on the nexus between health, ecology, law, and the built environment.


Sustainability Policy Roundtable with Local Elected Officials, Regulators, & Sustainability Policy Experts

12-1:30 pm Jan 19, 2012

Built Green Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Contractors Association, 914 A Santa Barbara St.

The Roundtable will include a short presentation followed by dialogue with elected officials and regulators from Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo, David Eisenberg, Art Ludwig, and progressive regulators from other California jurisdictions. The event is geared towards elected officials, regulators, and citizens with an interest in sustainability policy.

Topics for the roundtable include:

Stay tuned / check website for more information...

 

Water Harvesting Certification

August 19 - 28, 2011 – Santa Barbara, CA

Watershed Management Group (WMG) is accepting applications for its Water Harvesting Certification course to be held August 19 - 28, 2011, in Santa Barbara, California. Applications are accepted until July 15th, with priority registration given to residents of Santa Barbara and Southern California.

 

Legalizing Sustainability

Southern California Permaculture Convergence, April 29 - May 1 2011, Malibu, CA

 

Natural Building & Sustainable Hedonism

Feb 28th-March 4th 2011, Santa Barbara, CA

Lightweight, thin-shell, formless straw clay over stainless steel mesh, window forming, principles of sustainable hedonism.

 

Sustainability Research: Ensuring a healthy, safe built environment for present and future Californians

Quail Springs, July 28th, 2011

Presentation for Ventura County head of Building and Safety, head of Resource Management, County Supervisor, State Assemblyman about hazards attributable to the built environment, how sustainability research addresses these, and possible regulatory pathways to provide a legal umbrella for this research at Quail Springs. A short video clip from the presentation plus some of the content covered can be found in the intro to our Legalize Sustainability page.

 

Laundry to Landscape Workshop

Tuesday, June 15, 2010 11am-4pm

For Santa Barbara city landscape contractors and builders.

 

Water Woman Festival

Oct 1-4, 2009 Joshua Tree, CA


Natural Building Colloquium

Oct 18-24, 2009 Portland, OR

Santa Barbara's Deep Green Future (Presentation)

August 3, 2009 Santa Barbara, CA

Integrated design and codes for an orderly transition to a post peak world: Super efficient fixtures, water reuse, rainwater harvesting, non-toxic, low carbon, fire-safe construction, healthy transport. Sponsored by Santa Barbara City College Center for Sustainability. August 3rd, 7pm at Faulkner Gallery. $10 suggested donation. Thanks to all who made this happen...the presentation was attended by over 150 people

 

Laundry to Landscape Graywater System (Workshop)

August 4, 2009 Santa Barbara, CA

Geared towards landscapers, builders who are interested in installing greywater systems professionally under California's new greywater standard. World-renowned integrated systems designer, greywater educator and researcher Art Ludwig will explain recent changes in Santa Barbara greywater policy and California state code that open up greywater installation to professionals as never before. In the workshop that follows, he will provide training in how to install his latest, greatest, simplest, cheapest system design: Laundry to Mulch Basins. -More info- Sponsored by Santa Barbara City Water Resources Division. Free. Thanks to all who made this happen...the workshop was attended by over 120 people

 

Ecological Design Construction Work Study

Fall 2009

Come learn by building... cob walls, earth plaster, passive and active solar space heating and stonework, and wood burning bathtub. Learn a ton about design and construction this summer, while working hard on a fun project, with breaks and community work days. Besides learning value comparable to classes costing thousands of dollars elsewhere, can include room, board (and possibly money as well, for someone with extensive relevant skills in plumbing, carpentry, masonry, or welding or exceptional work). See employment for more info about living and working at Oasis.

Sustainable Water Design for San Luis Obispo County, California

December 2nd and 3rd, 2008

Integrated design for water, removing policy barriers to sustainability (Course detail page).

 

Southern California Permaculture Convergence at Quail Springs, California

August 29th through 31rst, 2008

Integrated design, earth toilets, improved drumless laundry systems, and removing policy barriers to sustainability (Course detail page).

Sustainable Water Design Workshop

Santa Barbara City College. Saturday and Sunday, September 13th and 14th, 2008. 9am-4pm

Come spend two days with expert sustainable water systems designers, Art Ludwig and Brad Lancaster, as they work through practical and locally appropriate designs for Santa Barbara residents. We live in a drought and flood prone area. Learn how to manage water, nutrients, and energy more sustainably using simple design strategies. This workshop is offered through Santa Barbara City College Continuing Education. For more information and details on location see the SBCC Center for Sustainability and our course detail page.

Water Wizardry and Natural Building

with Art Ludwig, Penny Livingston-Stark, Brock Dolman, and friends

Regenerative Design Institute, Point Reyes, CA July 5-8 (water systems) 9-12 (natural building), 2008

Water Systems: Principles of ecological design, Understanding water (nature awareness guided experience +outdoor and indoor lecture), water testing and site mapping, Regenerative Design Institute water system site assessment, design (hands on project).

Natural building: structures for natural builders, materials testing, fire safety, systems design and more...

See course detail page for more info.

 

Understanding Water, Legalize Sustainability (Presentation)

Village Building Convergence 2008, Portland, OR
Radio interview to be aired Thursday, May 22, Noon-1:30 on KBOO in Portland
Presentation to the Portland City Council, Wednesday, May 28, 9:15 a.m.
Keynote lecture and slide show at the Village Building Convergence, Friday May 30, 8p.m.

Topics to be explored: integrated design for water supply, greywater reuse, runoff management, energy efficiency, food production, and economic sustainability; removing policy barriers to sustainability.

"The Village Building Convergence is part of The City Repair Project Placemaking Program, fulfilling City Repair’s mission to educate and inspire communities and individuals to creatively transform the places where they live. City Repair’s work is focused on developing strong local relationships, social capital and equity, placemaking, ecological design, supporting our local economy, and developing our city and bioregion as a network of interconnected Village Centers." —VBC web site

More info

 

Sustainable Home and Garden

Santa Barbara City College Continuing Education, Saturday May 3rd, 2008 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Adam Green, moderator. Meet at SBCC, EBS-309 for lecture, carpool to sites. Site visits limited to first 25 people to sign up. Bring lunch.

This workshop led by ecological designer Art Ludwig will include the following topics: integrated design for water supply, water reuse, runoff management, energy efficiency, food production, materials management, and economic sustainability of home and garden.

We will connect the large-scale environmental challenges we face with the design of our homes and landscaping. Through discussion and an on-site design clinic at local homes, we will illustrate relevant, practical ways to make our living spaces part of the solution. There will be an emphasis on the importance of water and how we can use this limited resource responsibly. Appropriate for both general interest and those looking for an introduction to this new and growing career field. Santa Barbara City College Continuing Education.

If you'd like your site to be considered for use as an example site for us to visit, please E mail us.

Helpful Preparation

The more of the background info below you understand (or have been exposed to) before coming, the more you'll get out of the day.

This stuff is worth reading all the way through:

This stuff will add more depth if you can scan or read any of it:

Greywater and Rainwater Systems Design Inspiration From Nature (lecture), Greywater Systems Design (on site), and Dance Party

Regenerative Design Institute, Regenerative Design and Nature Awareness Program, Point Reyes, CA January 16th, 2008

Lecture on how nature manages water and nutrients, and simple systems that use these principles to create an oasis of increased biological productivity from the concentrated flow of nutrients and water from human settlement. Followed by participant-led design clinic for Regenerative Design Institute greywater systems, and a dance party for kinesthetic information integration.

Making Water Go Farther

City of Cottonwood, AZ, Water Conservation Series, Cottonwood, AZ, October 11-13, 2007

Greywater and Rainwater Harvesting Lecture, Builder's Symposium, and Workshop with Art Ludwig and Brad Lancaster. Positive, practical, and pro-active solutions to make water go farther.

 

Systems Design Clinic, Water Adventure Club, Structural Engineering and Fire Safety for Natural Builders

Natural Building Colloquium, Black Range Lodge, Kingston, NM, October 5-11, 2003, Kerrville, TX, October 19-28, 2007

Site evaluation and design discussion for participants projects, and water adventure club—extreme trail running and creek hopping with water education.

 

Ecological Systems Design, Understanding Water, Water and Wastewater System Design, Personal Finance, and Massage

North American School of Natural Building, Cob Cottage Company, Coquille, OR, June 2007

Lectures and Workshops for the Cob Cottage Company apprenticeship program.

 

Living Well on Almost Nothing, Sensory Awareness Water Walks

The Institute of Reverential Ecology, An Intergenerational Celebration of Sustainability; Zaca Lake Retreat Center, Santa Ynez, CA

A gathering of some of the leading eco-spiritual thinkers / artists / activists / writers of our time, including John Seed, Vandana Shiva, Tom Hayden, Ernest Callenbach, Elisabet Sahtouris, Satish Kumar, Jay Harman, Adam Wolpert, Michael Green, for three days of exploratory discussion, reflection and celebration. 2005 Creating a Sustainable Future, Ecology, Ethics and Design 2006, Art Bio, Envisioning and Designing Hot Age Communities 2007

Lecture and awareness walks—see Living Well on Almost Nothing.

 

Turning Water Scarcity into Water Abundance

Santa Barbara City College Continuing Education, Santa Barbara City College, April 22, 2006

Workshop on Rainwater Harvesting and Water Reuse with rain harvesting guru Brad Lancaster and ecological systems designer Art Ludwig. Show how to actualize the potential of your landscape and neighborhood for rain and greywater harvesting.  Simple site assessment tools for the home, plus multiple-use water-harvesting earthworks, will be constructed in this hands-on event.

 

Maruata en el Cruce De Caminos (Maruata at the Crossroads)

ReSource Institute for Low Entropy Systems, Maruata, Michoacan, Mexico, April 2005

Presentation in Spanish and Nahuatl to the General Assembly of Maruata on projects for the future of the community.

 

Greywater is Green

Xeriscape Council of New Mexico, Southwest Xeriscape Conference, Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 24 and 26, 2005

The Xeriscape Conference lecture and workshop explained:

Can a 4000ft2 Strawbale House Be Green?

California Strawbale Association Spring Conference at Matilija hot springs, Ojai, CA, April 17th, 2004

Lecture for straw bale contractors on natural building, radical simplicity. Included survey of square feet per person of attendees homes, projects. Suggested reading: Can a 4000 ft2 Home be Green?

Growth of the American home over the years
US home square feet per person has doubled in 50 years...

 

Getting Clear on Greywater

PG&E Water Conservation Showcase, San Francisco, CA May 25th 2004

Lecture on strategies to realize greywater system benefits under current regulatory environment. SeeGrey Water Central, Grey water policy center.

 

Grey Water System Design and Construction

Workshops for Ecoversity, October 2nd-5th 2003 Santa Fe, New Mexico

Greywater systems design and construction weekend workshop. See Gray water workshop for more info.

 

Wild Water Wisdom

Wilderness Youth Project, San Jose Creek June 11th 2003, 9am-5pm and June 13th 8 am-1pm

Understanding water class—Wild Water Wisdom for Wilderness Youth Project mentors. Understanding water class photos, see Wild Water Wisdom (article)

Wild Water Wisdom Face

 

Water Systems for Natural Building and Structurally Sound Cob

Lectures for the North American School of Natural Building, Cob Cottage Company building course, August 5-10, 2003, Coquille, Oregon

Contact the Cob Cottage company for information on their course.

More info: Understanding water class, Structural Analysis for Natural Builders

 

How to Craft the Best Greywater Rules for New Mexico

Testimony before the Water and Natural Resources Committee, New Mexico State Legislature, Ruidoso Convention Center, Ruidoso, New Mexico, September 5, 2002

Meetings with regulators by Invitation of the New Mexico State Legislature Water Committee. This Guidance for Regulators helped lead to groundbreaking new New Mexico Greywater Law.

 

Manejo de Aguas Residuales (Waste Water Management)

Resource Institute and City of Havana Havana Municipal building, Havana, Cuba, May 1998

Presentation in Spanish to thirty civil engineers on management of wastewater.

 

Dance and Movement

Movement helps incorporate—literally, take into the body—new information.

There is a recurring pattern of hot dance parties, trail runs, river swims, backpacking trips, etc. connected in one way or the other with Oasis presentations.

The aerobic creek run/ understanding water workshop combo started on breaks at the Natural Building Colloquium, and turned into full day workshops on our local creek.

The presentation after party trend started with playing music selected from the 5000 dance songs in the presentation laptop, then snowballed from there.

 

 

Solstice Parade w/ Dancing Drum

Dance Performance with Dancing Drum, Santa Barbara Solstice Parade 6/23/2006

 

 

If you would like video or audio of any of these presentations, please E mail us.

 

 

^ Top ^ | Future Events | Lecture and Workshop Topics | Past Events |

 

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