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Scott’s Off-Grid Victory
Alberta, CA
Learn how 5th World helped Scott and his wife created an off-grid homestead and built the foundations for a self-sustaining, regenerative ecosystem on their land.
Scott had a dream for his family’s future.
“I’ve always been more self-sufficient, and I like to just kind of worry about myself, to not have to rely on anyone.” Scott told us.
Fortunately, his wife has the same independent spirit and shares his dream of living off-grid on their five-acre property south of Calgary.
But self-sufficiency is only part of the puzzle. Scott wants to be prepared for retirement, and part of that preparation means minimizing his family’s financial burden when the time comes. An independent property that provides its own energy, water, and food is the key to securing his family’s future.
Though the journey has been anything but predictable or easy, Scott’s family now lives on one of the most energy-efficient properties in Alberta.
The Challenge
Where do you even begin?
Like most property owners, Scott was quickly overwhelmed with the task before him. As an electrician, he was prepared to tackle the challenge of installing solar energy systems, but beyond that, he would need help on several fronts.
- Expertise in other disciplines like mechanical engineering and regenerative land management.
- Understanding his property’s unique ecosystem and what it needed to thrive.
- Integrating his energy, water, and food systems in ways that supported each other and made the most of his property’s resources.
Scott faced endless questions and unknowns about the path ahead, and he needed a partner to guide him and join him on the journey.
Scott found the perfect partner for the challenge ahead…
Fortunately, the challenges facing Scott were all specialties of 5th World’s Co-Founder and Senior Advisor, Rob Avis. Rob is a leading voice in regeneration, largely because of the unique intersection of his engineering and regenerative land management experience.
To date, 5th World has helped Scott to:
- Design a site layout for the entire property, including future phases of improvements.
- Choose the best energy-efficient technology for building their house.
- Engineer infrastructure for their water, septic, and heating systems.
Off-Grid Essential #1: Energy
Step one in building Scott’s dream property was choosing an established technology for building his family’s energy-efficient home.
Solar energy would provide a renewable source of electricity, but maintaining the climate in the home would require a different solution.
5th World’s Senior Advisor, Rob Avis, helped Scott explore several options like the earthship model, but in the end they chose to make it a passive solar house (or Passivhaus).
Scott’s family ordered a kit from Germany to build their home. With airtight construction and 17-inch thick walls, it captures heat from every possible source: sunlight, the lights turned on inside the house, and even the people who live within it.
These homes are so efficient in collecting heat that they generate an excess supply, and Scott discovered multiple ways to channel it.
The surplus heat is used to heat the home’s water. It’s also stored beneath the home and, when needed in colder months, channeled to warm the concrete slab which in turn warms the house. Meanwhile, there’s even enough excess heat to warm the fresh air intake from outside the home.
There is a traditional water heater on site, but in seven years, he’s only had to turn it on four times.
Off-Grid Essential #2: Water
5th World stepped in to engineer the water systems on Scott’s property, and they demonstrate the power of regenerative property design and the way it integrates with the land.
A strong regenerative design harnesses rainwater for both active use and storage. On Scott’s property, precision excavating worked with the natural contours of the land to route a supply of water through the growing “food forest” which will provide an abundant, diverse food supply.
The next phase of strengthening the water supply involves building a pond, which has already designed by Rob. The pond will provide year-round storage for a resilient water supply.
Off-Grid Essential #3: Food
Scott’s food supply systems are a work in progress. Some need time to grow and mature, like the food forest. Others, like raised garden beds, are already in place.
One of the most unique solutions 5th World provided lies on the north and west-facing sides of the property. The septic system has been routed along the edge of the property to fuel the accelerated growth of a shelter belt of foliage and trees. The shelter belt will block the harsh Alberta winds so Scott’s family can establish a nursery for fruit trees and other food sources. Truly, no source of nutrients is wasted in regenerative design!
Plans are also drafted for a future regenerative greenhouse to be built on the property. 5th World’s team designs next-gen greenhouses who use the same energy-efficient principles as the dwelling. These innovative structures even include features like prep kitchens and integrated root cellars for storage.
If they want, Scott’s family will be able to maintain a tropical food supply in the dead of an Alberta winter or mimic any other climate zone in the world.
“We’ve been able to make it work where so many people said we couldn’t. Everything has a purpose, and, I mean without Rob, I don’t think we would have gotten here.”
Scott
Regeneration is within reach, and we’ll be with you every step of the way.
Consulting Services
5th World’s consultants are among the world’s leading voices in regenerative land management. Their proven process transforms your land into a resilient source of food, water, and energy for generations to come.
Greenhouse Design
In addition to consulting, we design and build regenerative greenhouses. Discover how a custom, state-of-the-art greenhouse can be the centerpiece of your property’s design.
Scott’s story cuts right to the heart of Regenerative Land Management
Still a work in progress, Scott’s property has already established a rare level of independence through its integrated, regenerative design, and his journey highlights our guiding principles at 5th World Consulting.
Resilience
Our world’s ecosystems are collapsing. We need landowners who are willing to show the world a hopeful path. Even though it often feels like the world is falling off of a cliff, humans can be just as regenerative as we are destructive!
Abundance
As much as regeneration is about survival, it is also about living in abundance and hope! There is great joy in building an anti-fragile, holistic, resilient ecosystem that provides a bountiful supply of food, water, and energy for your loved ones.
Serenity
Without a clear process to follow, the work of regenerating your land overwhelms as you try to solve every problem at once. We help you figure out where to focus your efforts for the greatest impact.