EcoArk
BuildingWithPlasticBottles
Whatcouldyoudowithmorethanamillionplasticbottles?ArthurHuangbuiltanine-storybuildingwiththem!HecalledittheEcoArk.It’saveryspecialbuildinginTaiwan, Asia.
TheEcoArkissleekandmodern.Youmightthinkit’smadeofglass,withapatternofwhitedotsalongthewalls.Butlookclosely.Thosedotsarebottlecaps.Theycomefromtheplasticbottlesthatmakeupthe walls.
Thewallsarenotmadeofordinaryplasticbottles,though.TheyarecalledPolli-Bricks.They’remadeofrecycledplastic.Theplasticwaschoppedupandmelteddown.Itwasthenreshapedandmade stronger.
ThePolli-Brickshavegrooves.Theyfittogetherandlockinplace.Theyarebuiltintopanels.Acoatingprotectsthemagainstfireandweather.Thepanelsweighmuchlessthanglass.Yet,theyarestrongbecauseofthepatternoftheinterlocking bottles.
ThegroovedPolli-Brickslocktogethertomake panels.
Thesesafetyfeaturesareimportant.Why?Taiwanexperiencessomeofnature’sextremeforces.Itisrockedeveryyearbyearthquakes.TyphoonsbatterTaiwaneachsummer,too.Yet,theEcoArkisnot damaged.
ThePolli-Brickpanelsarelightweightbutstrong.Huangprovesthisbyjumpingupanddownon them.
Eco-Friendly
HuangdesignedtheEcoArktobeeco-friendly. Inotherwords,itcan’tharmtheenvironment.ThePolli-Brickwallsuseplastictrashthatwouldendupinlandfillsorintheocean.Also,thePolli-Bricksarefilledwithair.Heatdoesn’tpassthroughaireasily.Sothebottleshelpkeepheatfromenteringthebuilding.Itstayscoolduringlong,hot summers.
Huang'sPolli-Bricksaremadeoutofplastic bottles.
Mostbuildingsuseelectricityforairconditioning.Thiscomesfromburningoil,coal,ornaturalgas.This,inturn,addscarbondioxidetothe air.
Addingtoomuchcarbondioxidemakesairtemperatureswarmer.Thisisthegreenhouseeffect.Huangdidn’twanttoaddtothat problem.
