The recycled greenhouse : discovering thermal mass
Code: 9c7af67b-2901-11e8-b696-0242ac11000c Copied
About the project
The recycled greenhouse : discovering thermal mass
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
A Greenhouse(G.H.) made out with wasted materials collected and renovated from
the previous volunteers and with the will of the owner to create a place where we
collect and exchange materials to lengthen the life cycle of what we call too soon
waste!
The main material chosen for the G.H. are old wooden windows used for the
glazed part on the south facade and sides of the structure.
The main use of the little (3x6,5 m) rectangular building will be to cultivate and
grow crops, bloom seeds and keep a live garden in every season with the concept
of year round G.H.. After that the G.H. will be a space of comfort for work and chill
during the winter period, an interior as an exterior space as a real winter garden
that might be uploaded to heat other unit, as for example an ofce, with the
boost of the G.H. effect and the addition of a thermal mass wall to strengthen the
efciency of the climate during the cold season.
It’s divided in several workcamp’s group depending on the tasks, the different
processes will be spread as good as possible along the entire workshop to give
the opportunity to every group to participate in much workcamps as possible.
💼 What the programme involves
how it works?
When light hits a material, some of it is converted to heat.
Thermal mass materials absorb heat via conduction, the heat slowly conducts
from the surface to the center of thermal mass which heats up by a few of degree
in a day. When the air temperature in the G.H. drops at night, the mass slowly
starts radiating the heat through conduction.
why?
In this way, thermal mass regulates the temperature of the G.H. It absorbs
the excess heat during the day and slowly re-radiates it at night.
insulating thermal mass wall
Along North facade we will be build an inner
thermal mass wall, 30 cm thick, with big stones and pressed soil from the local
site, to reduce costs and transport emissions. On the outside, the isolation from
the cold orientation will be provided by an insulating coat of straw and clay.
The north side part of the floor can be connected to the wall and flled with
gravel, stones and pressed soil to implement the returning of heat on the G.H.
during the night especially in winter. The thermal mass might be boosted with
a water thermal mass made out of plastic black painted tanks, reused from oil
consumption packaging, elevated in columns over the thermal wall thanks to the
secondary framework of the G.H.
🏠 Accommodation on site
You can sleep on your own tent for free or rent a room.
We have 15% discount on accomodation for “coming back” and “long term” participants.
📍 About the location
camping Belvedere and IDC
This international eco-building workcamp will take place in the eco-campsite
founded by the IDC organisation in 2010. This cooperative has been created to
promote sustainable development, international mobility, active citizenship,
mutual aid, ecological engagement and mutual knowledge amongst other people.
lastours and the castles
The campsite is located in Lastours, few minutes away from Carcassonne, on the
border of the protected area with a stunning view on the castles’ ruins. The aim
of this campsite is to create a training centre which provides useful knowledges
to enable a sustainable development.
our vision
The cooperative team organises this workcamp to generate positive and creative
energy in the campsite and, at the same time, respect the environment through
ecological construction choices.
previous experiences
In 2015, we had the pleasure to organise our frst workcamp with excellent results.
The participants succeeded in creating a common project and many of them have
remained in contact after this amazing experience.
🎒 Leisure activities
learn by working We will work around 5-6 hours each day. We will start the day
around 10am and work until 1pm. After the lunch we will be working until around
5pm. We will be learning by doing and enjoying during this process. :)
learn by sharing We will live in a community which means that we will work,
sleep, cook, eat and enjoy together. The fundamental element is to have the ‘good
mood’ and laugh all together! Each person will have her/his own turn to cook for
the others and share the joy with the team. The ingredients and the necessary
equipments will be provided by the organization. Don’t worry if you are terrifed
by cooking, we’ll be there to help each other! We will be many people from
different countries, so; we will be learning different cultural practices, languages
from each other and enjoy our time as a big international family.
learn from nature As a community, we try to promote sustainable development
through reducing our impact on the environment by eco-friendly practicies such
as recycling our waste, using natural waste for compost, reducing purchase of
plastics, utilizing energy saving lighting, and only using eco-friendly cleaning
products. Be a part of our community to raise the awaraness!
⚠️ Requirements
We are searching people interested in learning by doing self-construction
processes, curious minds ready to experiment with us new technique and discover
new possibility of facing the topic on low cost and impact ecobuildings.
ℹ️ Additional information
Workshops’ fees (food included) are 80 euro for the frst week and 50 euro the
following weeks. You can sleep in your own tent for free or rent a room in a
wooden chalet or mobil-home for cheap prices. The campsite is equipped with
toilets, showers, sauna, washing machine and free wifi
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📅 Available sessions
IDC-GH3
16/04/2018 → 22/04/2018
ℹ️ Key information
Age required
18–99 years old
Solidarity donation
80.00 EUR
French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).
📍 Location
Rte du Belvédère, 11600 Lastours, France
France
🌍 Location info
Local currency
Euro Member Countries (EUR / €)
Timezone
Central European Standard Time
Local time: 22:09 (12/11/2026)
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🗣️ Languages spoken