Introduction

Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design

Appropriate Technology: Water

Organic Agriculture and Local Food

Appropriate Technology: Energy

Green Building & Retrofitting

Permaculture

In the 1970s Bill Mollison and David Holmgren developed Permaculture as a whole systems design philosophy as a response to decline in the state of the Earth’s environment, high consumption rates of natural and non-renewable resources and destructive economic systems.

Permaculture is about designing sustainable human settlements.  It is a philosophical and practical approach to land use, integrating microclimate, functional plants, animals, soils, water management and human needs into intricately connected, highly productive systems. The idea is one of cooperation with Nature and each other, of caring for the Earth and people and presenting an approach to designing environments that have the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems, to regenerate damaged land and preserve environments which are still intact.  Permaculture is right design based on environmental ethics. It is being used throughout the world to plan buildings, farms, gardens, and villages, and has been used for business, industrial, organizational, social and educational planning. Essentially it is common sense design inspired by ecology.

After the publication of Permaculture One, Mollison and Holmgren further refined and developed their ideas, with both originators designing hundreds of 'permaculture plots', and writing further books. Mollison lectured in over 80 countries, and the two-week Design Course was taught to many hundreds of students. By the early 80s, the concept had moved on from being predominantly about the design of agricultural systems towards being a more fully holistic design process for creating sustainable human habitats.

In the 27 years since its conception, Permaculture has demonstrated that it is a successful approach to designing sustainable systems, and can be utilized in every climatic and cultural zone.

See the material about Permaculture in the third module.

• Permaculture
• Ecological Economics
• Restorative Design
• Industrial Ecology
• Ecological Engineering

Permaculture Design
Source: Permaculture Design

Permaculture Design
Source: Designed Visions

Permaculture One, by Bill Mollison and David Holgrem