The Eco-Sphere - what it's for

The Eco-Sphere is a highly versatile concept and can be configured for many different uses. You might be looking for a place to relax in or for a garden you can always enjoy or perhaps you’re interested in growing your own food; or how about all of the above?

Indoor Garden

• Can be enjoyed year-round in any weather
• More secluded than an outdoor garden
• Semi-tropical planting

Conservatory

• Looks fantastic and unique
• Increases your indoor floor space
• Requires no planning permission (if built more than 5m away from your house)

Enclosure for a Jacuzzi/Swimming Pool

• Minimal heating costs
• Attractive setting

Conventional Greenhouse

• Excellent year-round growing conditions
• Aquaponic food production

The Eco-Sphere - how it works

The Shape

• They capture sunlight better, with two panels facing the sun at almost 90° at any time.
• Spheres enclose the greatest volume for the least surface area, curbing heat loss.
• Geodomes are virtually indestructible and can withstand very powerful winds.
• They look fabulous!

Temperature Control

Several features work together to make the Eco-Sphere highly energy-efficient:

• The geodome is made with triple-glazed polycarbonate panels that provide excellent insulation.
• A large fish pond and an insulated external water tank* provide a thermal mass which will buffer outside temperature changes and spells of cloudy weather. The fish pond is kept at 28°C and is heated by pumping its water through a radiator in the external water tank. Solar panels provide most of the energy needed to heat the external tank.
• Solar-powered vents at the top and bottom of the geodome open automatically at 25°C. Hot air rises through the top vents, creating a “chimney effect”, drawing in cool air from the outside through the bottom vent. Once temperatures have dropped sufficiently, the vents will close automatically. This helps maintain ideal temperatures inside the Eco-Sphere, as well as providing ventilation.
• The base of the dome is an insulated block wall.
• A solar-powered fan sponsored by SolarVenti® takes in air from the outside, heats it up with solar energy and blows it into the Eco-Sphere. This not only provides heating and dehumidification but also maintains air quality.

Aquaponics

Food is grown inside the Eco-Sphere with an aquaponics system. Aquaponics is a cross between aquaculture and hydroponics. Aquaculture is growing fish and hydroponics is growing plants without soil. The main problem that aquaculturists have is dealing with fish waste and the main problem hydroculturists have is supplying plants with the necessary nutrients. By combining the two, aquaponics solves both these problems: fish waste is used as a source of nutrients for plants.

Edible tropical fish (such as the tasty tilapia, which we can supply) are reared in a pond. The pond water is pumped into a gravel bed where bacteria break down the fish waste (ammonia into nitrite and then nitrite into nitrate, i.e. plant food). The water then returns to the pond. This not only maintains high levels of water quality but also feeds plants, which would grow in the gravel bed. Basil can grow many times faster than if just planted in soil. Lettuces, tomatoes, herbs and decorative flowers will also grow very quickly. Your fruits and vegetables would also be organically grown, by definition. This is the case because the use of any pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc. would kill your fish. This might seem far-fetched but we have done it and so can you! With a few general guidelines you will find this way of growing food easy and highly rewarding.

*The external water tank is not yet operational in the exposition Eco Sphere at the NGEC.