Permaforming Workshop

Winter 2014-2015

Thailand (Koh Chang)
December 1
st
, 2015 - January 2
nd
,, 2015
India (Arembol)
January 12
th
February 14
th
, 2015
Nepal (Pokhara)
March 23 April 24
th
, 2015

PERMAFORMING WORKSHOP
ACADEMIC CURRICULUM



















Program Overview
Permaforming is a holistic reference to a wide range of topics including planning, design, land
use, disaster management, energy conservation, harnessing or capture and generation of natural
energies, selection of low-impact materials and their locality and transport, appropriate passive
technologies, architecture and engineering of structures, agriculture, and analysis techniques. In
this intensive course students are introduced to the theory and philosophy of natural
development, academic science of water, degradation, and elemental combinations, design and
planning of ecologically, and economically responsible natural structures and agriculture, bio-
dynamic and permaculture agricultural sciences, and socially responsible residential
developments. In addition, students experience working with agriculture, systems development,
waste elimination in composting and biogas system design, and natural building techniques
while gaining hands-on experience working alongside knowledgeable faculty.

Permaform I nstitute for Sustainability Arts
PISA was founded by dreamers in an endeavor to create our goals of defining an alternative to
conventional capitalistic based development models founded on unsustainable and devastatingly
harmful development through educational formats in natural development sciences and practical
skill development project.
Asia was specifically chosen as our educational venue due to its cultural relativity to current
permaforming impacts. The lack of industrial development can be a benefit when applying
alternative development ideologies, concepts, and technologies, as lacking industrialized
developments open the potential for initial development which is more conducive to
sustainability of non-industrialized regions environment, economic stability, and social
structures.
We also believe that combining the lectures with cultural exposure is a deeply rewarding
experience, and allows workshop participants to explore the history and architecture of ancient
cultures from around the world using various techniques of design and development with natural
and passive or human powered technologies that still maintain their architectural integrity and
use, or function.
PISA is committed to social, environmental, and economically equity. One of our primary goals
is to educate people in the field of Permaforming which can positively impact natural and
undisturbed areas of the world through poverty alleviation leading to less environmental
exploitation, rural communities with increased local employment, cultural, educational, and
social opportunities and decreasing youth and brain-drain, decreased environmental impacts
from activities of development, skills of self sustainability, and natural structural design skill
development which can easily be transferred to local communities through capstone projects.







Permaforming Workshop
Program: Permaforming Workshop
PISA Faculty: Jennifer Shurley (USA)
Semester: Winter 2014
Course Description
This is a mixed academic and practically oriented course that provides background theory and
science with skills and techniques for natural residential housing and other structures design and
development in a sustainable urban framework. The course is taught through both theoretical
lessons in the classroom and hands-on experiences in the complete design and basic construction
techniques of a permaformed home. A variety of methods and materials are explored including
an in depth analysis of historical architecture of the area, cob, wattle and daub, stone, recycled
materials, passive systems integration, organic waste management, water harvesting and use
systems, and sustainable agriculture.
An emphasis is placed on equity, both in terms of social, environmental, and economic embodied
energy of materials and their capacity for function, impact from planning through destruction,
cost, maintenance and occupation. In addition, appropriate passive technologies are investigated
such as orientation, heat radiation, ventilation and cooling, agricultural applications, composting
and biogas waste elimination, insulation capabilities, ovens, and water systems.
The Design element is a class participation event, located in Hampi, India over a total of 6 weeks
From January 5
th
, 2015-February 20
th
, 2015. Qualifying student who receive a passing score of a
minimum of 65% on all grades for the workshop will be issued a PISA Certificate for Natural
Building Design
The final portion of the workshop is devoted to a capstone project that ties together the methods
and techniques that have been investigated into an individualized and focused personal or group
endeavor related to a natural building project. The participant must submit the plans, and a video
documentary showing the entire process of construction from planning, to systems and passive
integration, to logistics, to construction, and finish of a complete, passive natural structure. The
participant will be given a total of 24 months from the completion of the program to qualify for
the PISA Permaform Certificate for Natural Building Planning and Construction.

Course Objectives
Participants will be able to analyze the specific environmental, social, and economic
conditions of a particular natural development project and plan according to concepts of
equity.
Participants will understand concepts of ecological, social, and economic footprint and
embodied energy and be able to apply them to a sustainable urban development process.
Participants will gain practical knowledge and experience in the application of passive
appropriate technologies as aids to achieving sustainability.
Participants will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to design and construct
natural structures using local, low-energy and non-toxic materials, sustainable
agriculture surrounding structures, and passive systems of water harvesting and
recycling, passive solar mass, ventilation, organic nutrient recycling systems of waste
management, and basic planning and logistical management skills for equitable
operations.
Participants will be prepared to begin working in the infant field of Permaforming
Design and Natural Structural Development as an alternative to industrialized urban and
rural residential development models around the world.

Learning Modalities
The instructor teaching this course uses lectures, small group work, discussions, site visits,
individual assignment, quizzes, final exams, capstone projects, and hands on workshops as key
strategies to allow each student to develop mastery of course content, and develop the skills
necessary to confidently begin developing natural sites through their own management in their
own home construction, businesses, or through community developments.

Course Outline
The following is the order in which students will develop mastery of course content and
natural development principles.

Week 1: Segment 1- Permaculture Design
Week 2: Segment 2- Natural Structure Design and Lab
Week 3: 2
nd
Natural Structural Design and lab
Week 4: Segment 3- Water Harvesting, Use, and Reuse System Design
Week 5: Segment 4 - Waste Elimination

Note: This outline is subject to change both before and during the course based on student learning goals, weather,
and other factors.


Course Requirements
Course Documentation
1. Capstone Assignments
Each workshop participant is expected to complete one substantive capstone project prior to the
end of 24 months after the completion of the program to be certified as a PISA Permaforming
Designer and Natural Structure Builder.
Each capstone should be submitted as a video documentary and specifically reference relevant,
key concepts, topics, activities and experiences that the group has explored since the beginning
of the program. Natural structure projects should be designed, built by the student, and should
clearly show the design of the structure, orientation, passive thermal capabilities, passive systems
integration, agriculture and land development of the site and building.
2. Assessment of a "Natural Building" Assignment
Step 1- Each student is required to find and then visit a naturally built structure
(residential or commercial building) prior to the conclusion of week 2. As you explore
the site you are asked to find and document answers to the following questions:
What is this building used for? (residential, office, school, commercial, etc.)
How often is the building occupied and how many people use it?
When was the structure built?
What materials were used (methods of construction?)
How is the structure heated? Cooled? (Oil, natural gas, propane, wood,
renewables?)
What is the total square footage?
What is the thermal resistance (R-Value) of the walls, ceiling, flooring?
What is the U-value of windows and doors?
Step 2- Students are asked to take pictures of specific natural features of the building they
explore. Students should bring no fewer than 5 printed pictures (at least 4" x 6" sheet of
paper, preferably in color) one of which should be a picture of the buildings exterior.
Step 3- Students are asked to read the natural building information provided by the
faculty. Students are encouraged to take notes on the article and come to class ready to
discuss.
Step 4- Based on your experience and exploration of the natural building in your
community and understanding of natural building from the article, provide a detailed
working definition of the term "natural building". Students will be expected to share this
definition on the first day of week 3.
3. Practicum Project Constructing a Natural Habitat
Students will become familiar with cob construction, systems development and construction,
earthworks, and agricultural planning and development during this 7 week permaforming
intensive. By course end, students will be able to design an efficient and beautiful home plus
other sustainable structures. The model project is a small scale model of the land and structure in
planed developed in the Natural Structure Lab. All models shall be a 1 inch = 1 foot model size,
and must include lands, and all elements including water catchment, waste management
facilities, and oriented appropriately for passive systems utilization. Each model should also
have a written description of the location, geology, climate including average rainfall, soil types,
culture, economic conditions, occupation and plans for use, and other relevant information in
order to determine passive systems and design characteristics.
4.Artistic Expression Project
The final assignment is for students to present a creative interpretation or expression of energy
systems of economics, environment, development, and social systems and how they personally
fit into "whole systems thinking." Students can choose how they want to document this; by
artistic representation, activity, poem, or other creative form of expression to be authorized by
the instructor by the end of week 3, and presented at the awards ceremony concluding the
program on the last day of the program.

Grading
In this course faculty actively promote multiple means of evaluation and authentic assessment
including student self-assessment, peer assessment, faculty-student debriefs and rubric. In order
for students to receive individual segment and Design Certificates, the instructor will submit a
letter grade and written evaluation of each student's learning. Participants will furthermore be
evaluated according to a demonstrated understanding of the methods, techniques and concepts
taught throughout the course as expressed in the assignments listed above.

The Permaforming Design Certificate of Completion is graded and issued as follows:
Natural Building Assessment Assignment ........................................... 10%
Models and Presentations...................................................................................... 20%
Creative Expression Assignment ...... 20%
Exams.... 40%
General Participation ... 10%
*Participants must receive at least a 65% in order to receive the PI SA Certificate
of Completion to the Permaform Design Workshop.
The Capstone Project is graded as follows:
Design and Plans . 10%
Written Report of site conditions 10%
Budget and Schedule . 5%
Drainage.. 10%
Foundation .. 10%
Walls and technique . 5%
Doors and Windows . 5%
Passive Systems Integration .. 10%
Roof . 5%
Water systems . 10%
Waste Systems 10%
Agriculture and Environmental Impact .. 10%
*Participants must receive at least a 65% in order to receive PISA Certificate of
Completion to the Permaforming Construction Workshop.
An educational program dedicated to the art and science of Natural, and sustainable urban
development.
500 Program Hours + Hands-On Projects + Comprehensive Curriculum + Top Notch Instructor.
15 Positions are Available. Apply Soon.
DATES

5 days per week: M, T, W, TH, and F; 9am 5pm
PLUS: Awards Celebration Saturday,
LOCATION
The Permaforming Program is being privately hosted by the..
LEARN
Through hands-on activities, workshops, classes and seminars, presentations and field trips, students
will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to design and build using locally-sourced clay, sand,
straw, bamboo, wood, stone and other abundant, affordable and salvaged materials, design productive
and environmentally responsible agriculture, and manage organic wastes to produce high quality
organic fertilizing agents.

TOPICS & TECHNIQUES
Hands-On Projects
Basic principals of permaforming from social, ecological, and economic perspectives
Water Science and harvesting and use systems
Sustainable agriculture including permaculture and biodynamics
Architecture and engineering basics
Waste management science and systems
Cob, and wattle & daub wall construction
Exterior and interior earth and lime plasters and paints
Floor, wall and roof systems
Planning and development concepts

LEAD INSTRUCTOR
Jennifer Shurley is an equity engineer specializing in triple bottom line business, structural, project,
educational programming, community development, and systems development. She has 15 years of
permaforming experience, beginning with the development of her own home in Hawaii based on the
principles of passive design, and has designed and built many alternative structures ranging from
temporary settlements, to intentionally designed cities. Her experience has lead her around the world
working for individuals, businesses, INGOs, and personal projects internationally oriented in Africa,
America, India, Nepal, and Mexico. She is the founder and creator of the Permaforming program, as
well as the primary instructor of course activities.


FEE
The total fee of the full program is $300 USD for the 5 week workshop
Please note: The fee includes 5 weeks of workshops + all materials. Visa, lodging, food and flight
arrangements are not included. Students will need to supply their own work cloths, gloves, sturdy work
shoes, pocket knife, tool belt, hammer, measuring tape, two foot level and a few other basic tools.
REGISTRATION
We have 20 available positions. Registration is first come, first served. To register, follow these steps:
1) Copy/paste and send the program application to alohajeni@gmail.com.
2) We will get back to you within three days to confirm availability.
3) Once confirmed, a deposit will reserve your place. You can either send payment in full or, if you
prefer, choose the payment plan option. If you select the payment plan option, please send one
envelope with your deposit, plus your three post-dated checks (dated for the 1st of each month,
starting with the month that follows your deposit, ie: $1000 deposit paid February 1st, $330
June 1st, July 1st, August 1st, etc). These checks will be deposited according to their dates. If you
have any questions at all, contact us.
CANCELLATION
All deposits, payments and payment installments are 100% NON-REFUNDABLE. If you are on a payment
plan and do not complete the program, your remaining checks WILL be deposited and we expect this
non-refundable policy to be respected and implemented. If cancellation notification is given prior to one
week before the program begins, your fee (minus a non-transferable/non-refundable $30) will be
transferable to another program within 12 months of notification.