sb08
An initiative to establish a sustainable building based on an ecological symbiotic planting
method and healthy food supply system
Chung, Cheng-Shin1
Tseng, Ying-Chen1
Cheng, Cheng-Yung2
Su, Ching-Hua3
1
Archilife Research Foundation, Taiwan, [email protected]
Department of Horticulture, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
3
Biomedical Materials Institute, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
2
Keywords: Symbiotic relationship, Indigenous wild vegetable planting method, Healthy food supply system
Summary:
To create a sustainable building our objective held that the focus could not be on just the infrastructure of the
building itself, but had to integrate the symbiotic relationship of human and the other be chosen organisms.
Based on the premise that food cannot be replaced in our daily lives but can be modified, we turned to
experimenting with indigenous edible plants. A very important step is taken toward sustainability by increasing
the recycling efficiency of the food materials and decreasing the food material input. A vertical planting system
was integrated onto our experimental sustainable building. We developed an ecological symbiotic planting
method dependent on the growth and various seasonal characteristics of the wild vegetables. Most of these
wild species have special physiological functions according to Chinese medical theory. The subsequent
development of eleven different functional diet types provided along with guidelines and recipes in a manual
help not only to alleviate various symptoms of disease, but guard against malnutrition and climate changes.
The project has been successfully operational for the past four years and presently provides abundant
nutrients for the residents in the twenty-four existing units. Minimum maintenance is required as the selected
vegetables have a strong propensity for growth and self-propagation.
This viable regenerative food supply results in a green web-like cover for the experimental sustainable
building. It has an additional effect of regulating internal temperature and reducing overall carbon emission.
1. Introduction
To create a sustainable building our objective held that the focus could not be on just the infrastructure of the
building itself, but had to integrate the symbiotic relationship of human and the other be chosen organisms. It
becomes more important than before that because of the pressure of climate change.
Global food supply deficiency will happen in climate impact that had been proved by many scientists. A very
important step is taken toward sustainability by increasing the recycling efficiency of the food materials and
decreasing the food material input in our daily life. Based on the premise that food cannot be replaced but can
be modified, we turned to experimenting with indigenous edible plants.
Indigenous wild vegetables are the most important symbiotic species to human being in our system. There
are many sustainable factors to grow wild vegetables becoming human being’s foods, including no pesticide
and without chemical fertilizer, containing special nutrition and with medicinal purpose, and friendly to
surrounding environment.
A vertical planting system was integrated onto our experimental sustainable building. We developed an
ecological symbiotic planting method dependent on the growth and various seasonal characteristics of the
wild vegetables. Most of these wild species have special physiological functions according to Chinese
medicinal theory. Following these functions, we developed a series of healthy food supply system.
The result is the Symbiosphere Center 1 (SBC-1) with its unique eco-cycle of material recycling; planting;
composting; and food supply.
2. Material
Wild vegetables, Map, Tools for wild vegetables collection, Vertical planting system, Plant taxonomic textbook,
Chinese medicinal textbook
From the Proceedings of the World Conference SB08 - ISBN 978-0-646-50372-1
<
Back
•
Home
•
Contents
2434
•
Authors Index
www.sb08.org
•
Program Index
>
Forward
sb08
3. Method
For understanding the resources of wild vegetables to set up the ecological symbiotic planting method and
healthy food supply system, we investigated the species of vascular plants within the radius of five kilometers
around SBC-1. Some wild vegetables were collected and chosen to be planted on the vertical planting system
in SBC-1.
The planting strategy is mix planting by cultivated different varieties together. The cultivated vegetables and
wild species were mix planted with equal ratio. Following the characteristics of plants, a stable symbiotic
ecosystem was built by this way.
Most of the wild vegetable varieties can be planted and grown together very well except for some intruder
species. Following the characteristics of these indigenous edible plants, several good mix planting models
were identified and set up.
Under severe climate impact, the relationships of environment, body constitution, and wild vegetables were
very important for health regulation. For this reason, we focused on studying the features of wild edible plants,
medicinal plants and the relationships with health regulations.
4. Results
4.1 Investigated Indigenous Wild Vegetables for Ecological Symbiotic Planting Method
Wild vegetables are the key point to develop the ecological symbiotic planting method. These indigenous
plants can be cultivating very easily and becoming good foods, environmental controllers, and healthy
resources. It is very friendly to environment and saving energy and resources to cultivate wild vegetables in
our planting system.
For introducing these wild plants into SBC-1, we investigated the plant resources within five kilometers radius
around the building（Figure 1, Figure 2）. In our investigation, we found 564 species of vascular plants. There
are 132 species of wild vegetables in these varieties of vascular plants（Table 1）. Some of these varieties had
been introduced to SBC-1. There were 51 varieties of wild vegetables had been transferred and recorded
their growth conditions in the first year.
Figure 1. Within the radius of five kilometers around SBC-1.
Figure 2. Investigated the plant resources and collected wild vegetables
From the Proceedings of the World Conference SB08 - ISBN 978-0-646-50372-1
<
Back
•
Home
•
Contents
2435
•
Authors Index
www.sb08.org
•
Program Index
>
Forward
sb08
Table 1 Number of plant resources
Number of
Number of
Number of
Number of wild
vascular plant
vascular
wild vegetable
vegetables with
species
plants with
species
medicinal
Item
purpose
medicinal
purpose
Pteridophyta
34
21
6
4
Gymnospermae
6
3
0
0
Angiospermae
488
173
126
107
Dicotyledones
418
152
105
87
Monocotyledons
70
21
21
20
Total
564
197
132
111
4.2 Introduced Wild Edible Plants into Symbiotic Center 1
In the second year, we transferred and bred 71 kinds of plants from SBC-1 nearby again, and planted them on
the vertical planting system（Figure 3, 4）.The planting strategy was mix planting to let different wild edible
plants were cultivated together. We cultivated vegetables and wild vegetables with equal ratio and mixed
planting them. A stable symbiotic ecosystem was built by this way.
We found this system need one or two months to become a stable ecosystem. The wild vegetables, insects,
microbes, environment, mankind reached a dynamic balance. Through the season changed, their
relationships changed. Some wild vegetables replaced by the other species, and attracted different insects.
Wild vegetables were the main stable factors that reduced cultivated difficulties and let this system work
easily.
This strategy let plants growth very well, abundant and harmony. Mix planting wild vegetables and cultivars
reduced the pest and pathogen. By way of observation about four years, we found this system still can work
very well. Most of wild vegetables can propagate their descendants by themselves, the new generation of
plants appeared on the vertical planting system. This is a very new system to plant vegetables easily, and
supply healthy foods providing abundant life.
Fig 3 Vertical planting system
From the Proceedings of the World Conference SB08 - ISBN 978-0-646-50372-1
<
Back
•
Home
•
Contents
2436
•
Authors Index
www.sb08.org
•
Program Index
>
Forward
sb08
Fig 4 Mix planting
4.3 Studied on the characteristics of symbiotic wild vegetables
It is a good way to approach the sustainable building from combining the wild vegetables and buildings.
Based on the premise that food cannot be replaced in our daily lives but can be modified, we chose
indigenous edible plants as the foods and medicines of residents.
Most of these wild species have special physiological functions according to Chinese medicinal theory. In total
564 species of vascular plants near by SBC-1 were including 197species of medicinal purposes. On the other
hand, in all of 132 species wild edible plants, there are 111 species with medicinal functions. All of the
medicinal functions are including 11 types: body constitution regulation-45 species trend to cold and cool, 10
species trend to hot and warm; 16 species related to satiation; 32 species for improving immune system.
Related to gastrointestine system, there are 14 species help antidiarrhea, 12 species advantage egest; 16
species related to bone and skin; 10 species improve eyesight; 22 species related to circulation; 55 species
related to metabolism. There are 61 species for hemostasis (stop bleeding) and detumescence (reduction of
swelling); 9 species for reproduction adjustment; 47 species salve symptom of cold. Then we compiled the
medicinal functions manual of wild edible plants for residents to maintain or improve health.
4.4 Healthy Symbiotic Wild Vegetable Diets
Under the global climate change, healthy wild vegetable diets must be considered about the interaction of
human, wild vegetables and environment to bring this system into full play. In order to check the healthy food
supply system from Chinese medicinal theory, we developed series diets by indigenous wild vegetables to
enrich the living of habitants in SBC-1. In our study, wild vegetables were recombined to become salad or
other style foods to neutralize the effect of body and weather interaction. Four types wild vegetable diets were
classified：Dry materials, raw, cooked, and reproduced products（Figure 5, Table 2）.
We focused on studying 5 parts of diets including salad, sauce, oil, fresh tea or soup, and spirits. The typical
sauce is combined with oil, vinegar and protein. We suggested using the light sauce for spring and using thick
sauce for winter. The oil in the sauce can use non-saturated fatty acid from wild vegetable seeds.
On the other hand, we made the wild vegetable sauce bases especially for sauce with different flavors easily.
For example, we chose Ailanthus or Tarragon for summer, and Chinese mahogany, perilla and basil for
spring.
Wild
Vegetables
Dry
Raw
Sauce
Oil、
Vinegar、
Protein
ratio
Sugar
Healthy oil,
Perilla oil
Oil
Vinegar,
Spirits
Mental culture、
Absinthe、
Symbiobes
Reproduce
Stem
Mental culture、
Body temp. ,
Characteristic
Reg.
Roast
Boil
Pickle
Combination、
Nutrition Balance
Fresh Tea
Salad
Dry Veg.
Drug
Tea
Season、age、
Cooked
Crops
90
Fig 5 Four types wild vegetable diets
From the Proceedings of the World Conference SB08 - ISBN 978-0-646-50372-1
<
Back
•
Home
•
Contents
2437
•
Authors Index
www.sb08.org
•
Program Index
>
Forward
sb08
Table 2 Principles for Wild Vegetable Recipes by Seasons
Spring（2,3）
Summer（4,5,6,7,8,9,10）
Autumn（11,12）
Winter（1）
Wild
Cold 5％
Cold 20％
Cold 5％
Cold 0％
Vegetable
Cool 30％
Cool 50％
Cool 20％
Cool20％
Salad
Neutral 30％
Neutral 20％
Neutral 30％
Neutral 20％
Warm 30％
Warm 5％
Warm 40％
Warm 50％
Hot 5％
Hot 5％
Hot 5％
Hot 10％
Sauce
Light Oil
Light Oil
Thick Oil
Thick Oil
Vinegar
High Ratio
High Ratio
Low Ratio
Low Ratio
Soup
Major Light Soup
Major Light Soup
Major Thick Soup
Major Thick Soup
Tea or
Herbal Tea
Cool Wild Vegetable Tea
Herbal Tea
Herbal Spirits
Spirits
Herbal warm Tea
We found there are two potential oils can join our symbiotic wild vegetable diets. One is perilla seed oil, the
other one is Oil tea camellia oil. Perilla seed oil contains most of the α-linoleic acid in all of known plants. The
α-linoleic acid is the precursor of EPA and DHA. We chose the traditional way to produce perilla seed oil by
hand made, including four steps: fried, crash, steam, make shape, and press. Finally, we got the perilla seed
oil with light yellow color. The other important component in sauce is vinegar, it comes from wild vegetables
interact with symbiotic microbes. The wild tarragon is the best material to produce high-class vinegar.
On the other hand, soup can change the body’s feeling about warm or cold very fast in our daily food. We
suggested to prepare light soup for summer; thick soup for winter.
The other choice when we finish abundant salad is the soft drink. We suggested to prepare the cold wild
vegetable tea or herbal tea for summer; hot wild vegetable tea, herbal tea, herbal spirits or herbal wine for
winter.
4.5 Confront Future Climate Change and Impact
For the future climate change, it is very important to make the recipes of wild vegetable diets by seasons. The
principles to set up the recipes of seasonal wild vegetable diets are using the properties of wild vegetables to
balance the weather effect（Figure 6）. For example, in summer, people can eat more wild vegetables with cool
or cold properties, in winter, is opposite. In spring and autumn, we suggested tending to neutral and more
flexibility about diets because of the weather change quickly（Figure 7）.
Figure 6 Spring healthy salad
From the Proceedings of the World Conference SB08 - ISBN 978-0-646-50372-1
<
Back
•
Home
•
Contents
2438
•
Authors Index
www.sb08.org
•
Program Index
>
Forward
sb08
Figure 7 Summer cool meal
The habitants lived in SBC-1 had a health checkup per season in Taipei Medical University. The average
results of biochemical and physiology test, including the index of uric acid and anemia, were better than the
data of urban habitants.
The subsequent development of eleven different functional diet types provided along with guidelines and
recipes in a manual help not only to alleviate various symptoms of disease, but guard against malnutrition and
climate changes.
5. Conclusions
The project has been successfully operational for the past four years and presently provides abundant
nutrients for the residents in the twenty-four existing units. Minimum maintenance is required as the selected
vegetables have a strong propensity for growth and self-propagation.
This viable regenerative food supply results in a green web-like cover（Figure 8）for the experimental
sustainable building. It has an additional effect of regulating internal temperature and reducing overall carbon
emission.
Figure 8 Green web-like cover
References
Committee of the Flora of Taiwan, 1994, Flora of Taiwan, Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4, Edited and published by the Editorial
Committee of the Flora of Taiwan.
Dalby, S. and McKenzie, F. 1997, ‘Reconceptualising local community: environment, identity and threat.’ Area,
29(2), 99-108.
David Holmgren, 2004, Permaculture Principles & pathways beyond sustainability, 288pp
Gottlieb, R. And Fisher, A. 1996, "First feed the face": environmental justice and community food security,
Antipode, 28(2), 193-203.
Joy Larkcom, 2005, Oriental vegetables, The complete guide for the gardening cook (revised edition), 232pp.
From the Proceedings of the World Conference SB08 - ISBN 978-0-646-50372-1
<
Back
•
Home
•
Contents
2439
•
Authors Index
www.sb08.org
•
Program Index
>
Forward