I like for my Trip Dome™ to be designed to be an example of ECO-DESIGN that takes advantage of ways to sustainably operate.

I work with Dark Glass Products that offer a film that can go over all the glass that controls how much light comes in from clear to opaque. This can be controlled by a switch, fob or smartphone. The advantage it also offers is that you go on vacation and cut off the electricity all glass goes totally opaque preventing potential robbers from seeing inside!

Another product that has caught my attention are the louvers being used on office buildings that follow the sun to optimize the amount of light and heat that come in.

Another idea I want to try is using a circular solar water tower in the center of the dome as not only for heated water but as a clear column of art!

In St Croix USVI homes outside of the city are required to have underground cisterns. I want to cut an inch wide slit all around the dome’s concrete foundation right next to the dome’s exterior wall to create an underground cistern.

As the Trop Dome™ has NO soffits or gutters the rain water will just pour down the sides right into the slit and then the water can be purified with a reverse osmosis system for the kitchen and bathrooms. After it is used it can be recycled back into the cistern!

Have you heard of PICO POWER? It is system where the water’s flow is used to create power. Usually it uses either a waterfall or fast flowing river. I learned that you can also put the system underground into a circular piping system, where you rely on something to create a high speed movement of the water that can imitate the waterfall or river.

I would appreciate any suggestions that could be used to create the high speed movement of the water. Also add other suggestions for making the Trop Dome™ more energy efficient.

Hugh Simpson