Project Entry 2017 for North America

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    The HNZE Canopy captures and stores rainwater for irrigation of gardens throughout the study area.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    The HEIRS framework for 48204 creates an HNZE district, anchored by a Community Center/Kitchen as the epicenter of a collectively owned MicroGrid. TSP reveals and deploys the capacities of 23 acres of publicly-owned vacancy concentrating along 3 streets, or Energy Avenues. TSP pairs HnZE Canopy with conventional PV to meet demand for electricity via solar and HVAC geothermal, and water management, food production, and waste conversion. TSP can be expanded to all of 48204 and other neighborhoods.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    TSP Phase 1 signals a return to 48204 traditions and a new economic trajectory. An interim Community Center/Kitchen and adjacent residences benefit from NZE MicroGrid production. A public realm between two IS@H buildings is activated by HNZE 18-Quad Canopies and enables education, youth programs, training, entrepreneurship, and work force development for living wage jobs. Success is measured by reduced utility costs, improved formal and aesthetic conditions, and generation of cooperative wealth.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    In 2013, three young men who proudly grew up in 48204 founded the NGO It Starts at Home (IS@H).

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    The HEIRS framework for vacancy, NZE generative infrastructure and public realm interventions.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    TSP is Phase 1 of a larger design framework to revitalize Detroit’s historic Old Westside – 48204.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    HNZE canopy computational design/digi fab methods meeting performative, cost, and aesthetic metrics.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    TSP collective MicroGrid will be a large endeavor on a scale that has not yet been seen in the USA.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    The Energy Avenues have the potential to serve at least half the homes and residents in TSP boundary.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    Berry bushes planted as green infrastructure without the fruit absorbing toxins from storm water runoff.

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    Community-driven neighborhood planning, Detroit, USA

    TSP Team: transdisciplinary designers, technical advisors, NGOs (https://heirsstudio.wordpress.com/)

Last updated: March 21, 2017 Detroit, MI, USA

Leveraging vacancy, climate and passion to form a neighborhood armature of energy avenues

Detroit’s 48204 zip code is home to 27,000 low- and moderate-income residents with promising demographics: high percentage of home ownership, college degree attainment, and employment in Health/ Education. The Team’s pro bono commitments have been vital, but Detroit is emerging from economic decline, and 48204 is hard hit by lack of resources and opportunities, especially for youth. Our Mayor focuses on neighborhood development, so TSP can be a replicable model for stabilization and sustainable growth. Hybridized Ecosystem for Infrastructure and Renewable Systems (HEIRS) generative infrastructure and renewable systems decarbonizes and makes 48204 self-sufficient. Michigan’s colder climate is ideal for solar power generation. Specified PV increases the power output 41 % for every degree Celsius drop in temperature. Bloomberg/Deutsche Bank rank Michigan 14th best for return on solar dollar. 

Hybridized Net Zero Energy (HNZE) communityowned MicroGrid integrating infrastructure with public and private realms

IS@H wishes to secure, make stable, and sustainably grow their beloved 48204 neighborhood. Since 2014, IS@H and studioCi have collaborated to create a sustainable vision based on achieving NZE through a community MicroGrid with solar and geothermal energy, rainwater collection, and primary education and training opportunities. The HNZE MicroGrid is a “three legged stool” of solar, geothermal, and storage that will distribute energy from PV to strengthen and stabilize the grid. IS@H has established emerging partnerships with local university, banking, and utility sectors in support of their vision and program. Weatherization and efficiency programs will directly engage the community and link the enhanced public realm of the micro grid to the private realm of homeowners and constituents.

A new energy economy for Detroit via empowerment, co-production, and equitable development

TSP creates a new transactional public realm, generating ownership benefits for the 48204 neighborhood. TSP envisions distributive ownership and operations models, placing resources such as vacancy into a renewable cycle of collective use. Revenue sharing with DTE will fund an escrow account, which will allow the coop to add more infrastructure and beneficiaries. The community owned MicroGrid will be installed with the help of residents trained through local NGOs. Initially, several hundred under-served youth will be trained in the renewable energy economy. The long-term vision is a fully functional, cooperatively owned MicroGrid that will deliver both reduced energy and water costs and a revenue stream for community services, initiatives, and investments within an enhanced public realm.