Pebble Creek Development - Eustis / Lake County
Sustainable Concepts Development Corp., has the privilege to introduce you to, one of the most unique development in the State of Florida - Pebble Creek Development.
Why is this development so unique, you may ask. Let me explain some of the more unique features of the project.
1. SIP- Steel Insulated Panels. The entire shell of the buildings will be constructed of 6" sandwich steel panels with the center being composed of a highly dense foam. The continuous steel skin on either side of the rigid foam is where the panel achieves its great strength able to span without structural aid over 20' high and the foam is where it gets its high R value. Utilizing this type of material on the outside, makes construction much easier and faster but it also allows us to reduce the heat gain, as well as conditioned air loss from the outside giving us the ability to reduce the air conditioning load to each individual unit, thus reducing the cost for the use of power.
2. Landscaping. In South Florida we are all used to the typical landscaping features of a new development; St. Augustine grass, some scattered palms of several varieties, ornamental bushes, etc. We are going to replace 95% of all that material with plant materials that can be harvested, eaten and even sold to local restaurants. Yes, you heard correctly. We will install egg plant in many shades and colors, dragon fruit with its bright pink fruit, cucumbers that vine up trellises and produces beautiful yellow flowers, pomegranates tress scattered around the site with its beautiful bright red fruit, many herbs and low crop bushes that produce berries and other edibles.
We are even going to introduce several new Florida species, of what is usually more northern type fruit trees, such as: Florida Peach tree, Florida Pears and even Coffee.
This approach allows us to offer each unit a stipple of fruit and vegetables on a regular basis. But also with the abundance the site will produce, we will have the opportunity to offer local restaurants, locally grown eliminating the need to tack on a large percentage of costs for transportation. All of the landscape will be organically grown.
As a result, all of the proceeds - minus any costs incurred in production and management - will benefit the community. The proceeds will go towards crop rotation and seasonal plantings, site maintenance of roads and the sub-division clubhouse called "The General Store."
Once costs are satisfied, the balance will go right to each homeowner. They will be able to benefit from what the community as a whole produces, reaps and sells.
3. Composting Toilets and Gray-water recycling. Traditional homes all manage their waste water in one of two ways; waste travels to a sewer treatment plant or to a septic tank in the backyard, where solids settle into the tank and the contaminated water leeches into the ground by way of a drain-field.
These homes will be employing a advanced system of processing and disposing of waste water - composting toilets. This advanced system is a closed/vacuum line that removes waste from the home and deposits it into a sealed container where heat and evaporation removes all of the water safely and leaves the solids as mere ashes, where it can safely and odorless be disposed of.
All gray-water will be recycled through a series of steps to remove and clean the water till it becomes potable - all on site.
1. Everything in the gray-water lines travels through a maceration process to reduce all particle to a minute size.
2. Grease will be the first to be removed from the water-flow.
3. Water will continue to flow and travel through a living filter to remove all solids and other agents.
4. Finally, the filtered water will flow through a sterilization system, to remove bacteria or viruses.
This process will allow all gray-water to be re-introduced safely into the home environment as potable water.
4. Solar Power Generation System. Each home will have a solar array on the roof of the garage, which will produce sufficient power for normal everyday living. The 6.9 kv system will allow each homeowner to function normally, with one big difference; there will be no power bill at the end of the month and when natural disasters may strike, the home will continue to operate normally because of its independence from the grid.
This contributes to a life of environmental responsibility, in knowing you as the homeowner will not contribute to the continual degeneration of our environment and it gives financial stability.
In order to bring this great concept to fruition, a couple of unique and talented individuals have joined the team. Michael Madis has been retained as the buildings Architect and Urban Farmer.
Mr. Madfis, has had a long and successful career as an architect with many signature designs to his credit, in the Fort Luaderdale area. When the real estate downfall occurred in 2008, design and architecture took a big hit. That, however, did not deter Mr. Madfis. In the years that followed, he acquired all of the necessary education to become an expert in the field of agriculture and made application to the new "Urban Farm."
Another member of the team that has extensive experience in landscape design is Phillip Morris. Mr. Morris is currently the person in charge of all Disney Worlds Landscaping, He designs, maintains and manages all the landscaping for all of their parks, including most of their golf courses.
There are many more professionals that have come together, to make this project a reality by way of their passion to save the environment and by their contribution of their technology. Following will be a list of these people and organizations, the best in their fields.
Sustainable Community of Today and Tomorrow.