Welcome to the New Village Institute

About NVI

Articles

Events

Participation

Newly planted trees at future Oshara Village Plaza

Cultivating Sustainable Community, Livelihood, Technology and Culture

How will higher energy prices, water scarcity, economic uncertainty, wars, climate change and extreme weather events affect our future? With so many challenges and unknowns, how do we attain — and sustain — a decent quality of life for ourselves and our children? How do we balance our needs with those of the planet?

As challenging as these questions are, innovative solutions also abound. New options in community design, livelihood, technology and culture are emerging. And they hold great promise for a positive future.

Throughout New Mexico the "Sustainability Sector" is surging as a result of an exciting synthesis of public policy and private initiatives. Socially responsible community developers, dedicated government officials and innovative Green Entrepreneurs are pragmatically facing our planetary problems with effective local and regional responses.

NVI is responding to these converging crises and new opportunities by developing an "Integrated Sustainability Systems" approach that brings together renewable energy, water conservation, Green Building, local food production, economic development, job training, and community-building strategies in new village-scale developments. NVI is a group that can take technologies, potentials and traditions and make them work in the real world. We transform ideas and goodwill into working models of sustainability.

NVI Sustainable Communities Program

Groundbreaking & tree planting ceremony for Oshara Village - Sept. 2006

NVI is developing practical "whole systems" solutions to the specific challenges faced in creating a "sustainable community" model that mainstream Americans can embrace. Our initial project site is the Oshara Village, a 470-acre mixed-use "walkable" community now under construction in Santa Fe County's innovative Community College District. The first phase includes the village center with 175 dwelling units, 136,000 sq.ft. of community commercial space, live/work units for artisans and entrepreneurs, large open space areas, and eventually a community farm. This project provides the perfect opportunity to explore sustainable living choices centered on meeting most of life's essential needs—homes, jobs, food, water, energy, recreation, learning, commerce and spiritual connection. This real-world, place-based process involves diverse participants—stakeholders each with real, not just theoretical concerns—requiring cooperation, compromise and common sense solutions. We are working with private sector developers, local builders, renewable energy companies, future residents, public sector educational institutions and other community-based organizations to bridge gaps and bring about an actual model that can point the way to a sustainable and desirable future.

Water Conservation Education & Compliance

NVI is starting with the design and development of an Advanced Water Conservation Program aimed at cutting per household water use down to 112 gallons per day. All wastewater (both black and grey water) will be treated, purfied to A-1 standards and then returned through a sub-surface system to irrigate every yard, garden, street tree and park, and to flush toilets in the commercial zone. NVI is providing resident orientation, compliance education and technical assistance to ensure Oshara's water conservation targets are met. We are also assisting the Oshara technical team in optimizing performance of the on-site biological water recovery and irrigation system. Once our program is field-tested NVI will offer it to the development community and public sector enities.

Oshara Village Energy-Use Studies

New Village Institute (NVI) has commissioned two studies that calculate the energy savings possible for an Oshara family using the energy innovations currently available, as compared to that used by an average new home in New Mexico. This "real world" comparison shows that by consciously choosing the standard features available "off the shelf" today in Oshara, a family can save significant amounts (over half) of fossil fuel-based energy, reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and save money in the process. For details and supporting data please refer to the links below:

These links are PDF documents. If they don't work for you, try downloading Acrobat Reader from this web page.

Sustainablity Center

We are planning to establish a "Sustainability Center" as an on-site educational facility to be located on the Oshara Plaza in 2008. The Center will feature proven solutions with displays, exhibits and events. This will enable the public to understand many of the innovative options available and make more informed choices. Local and national companies with sustainable technologies, products and services will be encouraged to show their stuff at the Center and at several associated model homes.

NVI Green Team

The NVI Green Team provides technical assistance and consulting to the public on a wide range of sustainable alternatives, helping homeowners understand and qualify for Solar Tax Credits. The Green Team will also provide building contractors and tradesmen with technical support in practicing Green Building methods aimed at saving energy and water, adding value and creating healthy homes. The NVI "Green Chiles" Sustainability Awards will acknowledge excellence in energy and water conservation, environmental design, integrated sustainability systems and Green Building.

NVI Sustainable Homes Project

In order to educate people about the benefits of our Integrated Sustainability Systems approach and to gain valuable performance data, we will be partnering with home builders to demonstrate and evaluate various sustainable technologies and systems in actual homes. These demonstration homes will be open for public educational tours so people can see first hand how these technologies, options and integrated systems actually work.