Terra Standard Environment

There are many technologies being developed today that provide a rich resource for inspiration. Once group of technologies I find fascinating is eco tech or green tech. I thought it would be a fun exercise to design a habitat that was fully eco-friendly but also to design it taking into account all the special interest groups concerns. Therefore my design of habitat not only addresses environment self-sufficiency and sustainability which is of great concern to many green groups, but also security and community relations. Security is a concern of the government, police and militia. Community relations is a concern for religious groups and families. The result is a real nightmare of the future and the ecopolis design. The disturbing thing is that they actually sound quite reasonable in your darkest moments, that being nuke proof and sealed away from bio-weapons is are worthy reasons to sacrifice freedoms. If you let the good guys plan our future - this is what it will be like; forget Star Trek, welcome to the Ecopolis.

 

Reading: Ecopolis, Arcology, Vivarium, Closed ecological system, Vertical farming, Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Agriculture in Cuba

For are more detailed summery; Columbia University Vertical Farming website

 

This is a brute-force method of terraforming favoured by humans and machines during the Dark Age of Technology. It forms the common base habitat technology employed by the Adeptus Mechanicus on worlds which are deemed to have a non-Terran (Alien) environment. The Ecopolis offers a TSE (Terra Standard Environment) and is part of the STC compliance standard for human habitats.

 

The most notable characteristic of early Ecopolis design is that they are above ground and have windows! In contrast to 40K is is rare for Ecopolis to be above ground or have windows, as the sub-class 'bunker' version is favoured by the Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial military and civil protective doctrine.

 

E

Ecorium

These are the base block unit of an Ecopolis. The Ecorium built in antiquity where constructed by machines working in partnership with the Mars Accord; an alliance between Humans and Machines that lasted until the Age of Strife. Without concern for costs due to the self contained Machine Economy, and built with human aesthetics in mind, these early Ecoria were often highly elaborate with exquisite facades and exotic roof top gardens.

 

It was only later, when humanity took to the stars, that the semi-subterranean bunker hard top (anti-tactical-nuke) ecorium became the standard STC employed to house humans due to our fear of alien attack. This finally gave way to the ubiquitous subterranean bunker complex found on nearly all heavily populated Imperial Worlds. These designs are fully nuke proof and can withstand multiple strikes and remain operational. Only 'plasma-drivers' and the dreaded 'crust-busters' star-bombs could destroy these formidable defences. It is these super-bunkers that from the bed-rock foundations upon which many of the great commerce-metropolis stand.

 

The Adeptus Mechanicus prize the early Ecorium designs, and in light of the hard lessons learnt during the Age of Strife, see them as the perfect housing solution for humanity in 40K. Many design aspects are carried over into the bunker designs. It is these approximations of the early designs that the Adeptus Mechanicus delight in erecting to the glory of the Imperium on official and heavily defended Imperial Institution Worlds. Yet the old Bunker Ecoria are far from obsolete, just the opposite, in the absence of heavy orbital defences they are often the only safe way to shield human from alien attack. The majority of humans in the Imperium have never seen the sky, stars or the sun.

 

The most common STC Ecorium is a 300m x 300m cubed Ceracrete structure. Prefabricated cast Ceraform punched girders are glued and bolted together to form the super structure. Ceraplate is used to bridge the gaps between the girders, held in place with rivets while the Cerabond cures. The Ceraplate is applied in several layers consisting of internal, structural and facade. The space between the Ceraplate sandwich is filled with super-insulating Cerafoam. If required an decorative facade can be applied to the exterior (quite common in the Imperium).

 

T

The Superstructure

Houses 270 hermetically sealed self-sufficient habitation modules on 45 floors each with artificial Terra standard environment, hydroponic rack farming and full recycling facilities. This is a vast structure, to image how vast take a look at the Sears Tower and expand all the floors to cover a 300m square (basically a cube Seers Tower).

 

F

Floor Layout

The plan opposite is of a single floor, divided into six habitation modules with a central access way.

Each room is connected those adjacent with a solid blast door. All doors through the external wall are grade 1 armoured airlocks.

 

The internal transport system used is the trolley and furrow. The furrows are load bearing hardwearing guides within flooring grates.

 

A trolley take one standard STC type A packing create.

T

Hab Unit Layout

The area marked with the red box on the 'Hab-Unit' diagram to the left is the area occupied by a single habitation module. The area marked in light gray is the common area and can be thought off as the 'main street' with central rail line, with the pink area belonging to the marked habitat module.

 

The red coloured area marks the living and work space, and the aqua colour area marks the space devoted to the hydroponic racks (farm land).

H

Hydroponics.

The primary source of food for those living in an ecorium is farming. This is done with a rack mount system of trays inserted into stacks. Each tray is around 2m square bath with a lid housing the lighting array. Rack farming is the primary source of employment within the Ecorium and is managed through a system of tenements. More of hive jobs.

• Each habitat units has 8 growing rooms (fields) each with 48 rack-mount hydroponics arrays 2.5m tall by 2m x 2m. 384 arrays in total.
• Each rack-mount array has 5 trays (1920 trays in total)
• Each tray uses LED based grow lights 75% efficient conversion consuming 200W (332W by today's standards) or 1000W per rack array.
• One V8 modular 50 kW plasma generator supplies each grow room (48 racks).
• 8 Plasma generators per habitat unit.

The most commonly grown plant is a derivative of Hemp. The plant is used as a material (biocomposites, hempcrete) and hemp plastics, fiber, food (seed/ milk), medicine, bio-fuel. Hemp forms the backbone of Ecorium agriculture, industry and culture. It is highly robust and resistant to disease and requires not pesticides. It does not need fertilizer either, and if fully recyclable.

 

P

Population support

This system can support vast numbers of people for a given area. The population densities are continuous over the entire complex. The figures given are for optimum populations, though if a people accept hardship the populations can be doubled for short periods.

• Each habitation unit can support up to 8 adults, or 48 people per floor.
• At 45 floors Theoretically supports up 2160 people per Ecorium.
• Population density of 9000-19440 sq/Km at one layer (45 floors) 300m
• Population density of 18000-38,880 sq/Km at two layer (90 floors) 600m
• Population density of 27,000-58,320 sq/Km at three layers (135 floors) 900m
• Population density of 36,000-77760 sq/Km at three layers (180 floors) 1.2km

For a list of comparative densities in real world cities; List of cities by population

 

M

Modular living and work space: RED AREA

The red areas can be divided up as the tenant desires. Usually they are arranged as according to STC dictates which seem to have survived the millennia hidden in long held traditions.

V

illa: Red Area 1

The tenants in the Ecorium live in a 'villa', which is a massive living space compared to what the majority of people in our modern world are used too. Even with the astronomical figures for population density, the average living space is far larger than what we could expect. The villa is not an apartment as many would imagine them, it is more like a whole floor of a warehouse. That's how large it is.

 

The living space is 30m x 30m (900 sq.m) or 98' x 98' (9,604 sq.ft) in old money. This is quite large compared to modern apartments and within this space on a single story you could fit nineteen 500 sq.ft hotel rooms, nine 1,000 sq.ft two bed apartments, or even four 2,000 sq.ft luxury ranch 3/ 5 bed homes. If this sounds big, it gets bigger: as the ceiling is 4.5 metres (14.7 foot) high, and plenty of room to add another story to double all the above figures. Space wise you could fit around 50 people into the space and they would have modern sized apartments. However, this doesn't take into account the Hab-Units resources and number of people are usually limited to a maximum of 8.

 

Divisions: The living space is devided up with prefabricated partitions into rooms often arranged along the walls with central courtyard (similar to a Roman villa) where a garden is kept.

 

Gadgets: STC appliances are not like consumer goods, and are far more 'industrial' and built to last. They come with all the gubbins needed for recycling waste, or at least prepare waste for other recycling systems. This tends to make appliances huge and match the internal dimensions of the standard STC 'type A' crate. All appliances come with rack-mount rails and are slotted into 'appliance racks' that can house 1 or more units in a stack. For example: A 'kitchen rack' may include microwave, bio-fuel oven and incinerator (think of it as a jumbo Aga range), a 'laundry rack' may include a washing machine, but also waste tanks to processes waste water/ ready for recycling, and even soap manufacture, and a 'waste rack' would include a Composting toilet, and waste dump container which can be removed to transport the waste over to the pre-processing in area 2 before being taken to the Hydroponic feeds.

 

Storage: Cell tanks of drinking water food are kept here.

 

R

Reprocessing: Red Area 2

This area is full of pipes, bays, furnaces and arcane machines. This is where the bulk of pre-reprocessing of waste is preformed and is the buffer between the waste produced in the living space and the hydroponics. it is also where raw materials are prepared for the family's workshops, such as hemp fibre for cloth manufacture, harvested crops, seed etc.

 

Buffer Storage: There is a buffer store of carts full of waste from the living quarters and awaiting processing (carbon scrubbers, sewage, waste water), and carts full of reprocessed waste ready to be taken back and hooked up to the the Hydroponics systems (feed, carbon dioxide).

 

The buffer is vital as it allows the use of units to move waste, this keeps each and every area fully isolated. There are no pipes passing through the walls between the various areas. Each hydroponic room is completely isolated from it's neighbour, the only way in or out is via the main doors.

 

W

workshops: Red Area 3

Workshops: Any work on systems (racks) is carried out here, and full facilities for trade. Aside from rack farming, those in Hab Units may also practice a trade, often putting together Ad-Mec work units (assembly of STC kits) ready for local distribution. These skilled workers are referred to as 'technicians'

 

Unit stores: The massive crates (STC type A) containing the STC work units awaiting processing are parked here. The crates are the same size as a packed Hydroponic frame unit and uses the same rails (gauge).

 

S

Storage: Red Area 4

This area in dominated by large tanks and piles of junk. Here water reserves and compressed air are stored (carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen in separate tanks). After hundreds of generations it becomes a bit of an Aladdin's Cave, piled high to the bric-a-brac of the family's ancestors. All kinds of stuff can be found here, often broken or needing a vital part, hoarded for a 'rainy day'. Tenants are hoarders by necessity and various bits and piece are traded in the roof markets on rest days.

 

Note: Even mummified remains within elaborate tombs have been unearthed by the Arbites searching hab units. Anything can turn up; military gear, slaves/ kidnapped gangers, xnos artifacts, STC printouts etc.

 

C

Common area

This area is regarded as belonging to the habitation module is adjoins, is is a temporary storage/ loading area.

Structure and Layout modifications to STC design (Adeptus Mechanicus approved)

 

Notes: Open layout, accessible to authorities. Large communal areas with shared recycling resources.

 

Adeptus Mechanicus: Cultivator

Responsible for the upkeep of community reprocessing plants (share resource) and provides repair services (warranties) in exchange for goods (tithe).

Many Ecoria can be combined to from huge self-sufficient cities. Sometimes these cities are so vast they engulf an entire world to form an Ecumenopolis, better known as a 'Hive World' in 40K.

 

 

L

Layout

3x3: A square grid of 9 Cells forms a floor > 45 floors is a 3 hectometer cube forms an Ecorium > A square grid of 9 Ecorium forms a Mega-Ecorium > A square grid of 9 Mega-Ecorium forms an Ecopolis > and a square grid of 9 Ecopolis forms a Mega-Ecopolis and many Mega-Ecopolis form a Megalopolis

 

M

Megalopolis

Vast continent or world spanning cities made up of hundreds of Mega-Ecopolis.

 

M

Mega-Ecopolis [9km x 9km]

Each Mega-Ecopolis is the primary postal division on a given hive world, and are denoted with a founding number; Mega-Ecopolis 1, Mega-Ecopolis 13 etc., written ME:1, ME:13 etc. The founding number is the order in which the Mega-Ecopolis parameter was demarked and formed. This is not the same as actually building the whole lot, but when the plot for the first Ecorium was given build rights. There for ME:1 may not be the first fully functional Mega-Ecoria on a world. Mega-Ecopolis are the largest unit. Unofficially the Mega-Ecopolis are known as 'hives', especially if stacked (i.e., two layers of Ecorium one ontop of the other).

E

Ecopolis [3km x 3km]

Each Mega-Ecopolis postal designator is then devided into component Ecopoli designators. There are 9 Ecopolis to a Mega-Ecopolis. Each Ecopolis is given compass point designator according to their position in the square 3x3 grid, such as 'NE' for 'North-East' would be for the Ecopolis in the upper row right corner. As an example: if this Ecopolis was in North-East square of the postal grid for Mega-Ecopolis 4, the address so far would be 'NE-ME:4'. The Ecopolis in the centre of the grid is marked 'C' for central and included so command features.

M

Mega-Ecoria [1km x 1km]

Each Ecopolis postal designator is devided in a similar way to the Mega-Ecopolis. Each Ecopolis comprises of 9 Mega-Ecroia arranged into a square grid 3x3, and given a compass point designator. An example address of: SW-NE-ME:4 would be the South West Mega-Ecoria in the North-East Ecopolis grid of Mega-Ecopolis 4 grid.

E

Ecorium [300m x300m]

9 Ecorium form a Mega-Ecorium, and are arrange in the (now) familiar grid pattern. Each Ecorium is given a standard compass designator for it's post code according to it's place in the grid. Example: An Ecorium marked 'S' is in the bottom row of the grid and dead centre. The Ecorium in the Centre is marked 'C'. A this level there is one special Ecorium with special command features. Some mail has to be posted with a 'triple C' prefix if it is Imperial military as it has to be stamped by 'Central' which is the centre Ecorium of the central Mega-Ecorium of the central Ecopolis. This Ecorium is run by The Administratum and all these central buildings have the C-C-C mark. The central command of ME:4 is C-C-C-ME:4. Official prefixed mail for N-SW-NE-ME:4 would be C-C-C_N-SW-NE-ME:4 or 3C_N-SW-NE-ME:4. No one ever like getting a 3C as it's usually the draft or notification that someone serving in the IG is dead (only applies to officers).

 

If there is more than one layer of Ecorium, this where the layer number comes it, and is put after the Mega-Ecopolis marker. I there is only one layer it is missed off, if there are two layers it is marked. Me:4_1 means 'layer one' or 'base layer', which implies that there is a second layer (but this is not always the case, some clerks add it one out of protocol).

C

Cell

Within the Ecorium block, each Cell on a level is given the same compass point designators but immediately followed by a floor level. Cell: E/12-S-W-NE-ME:4, this would be the east Cell on floor 12, of the southern point Ecorium, of the western point Mega-Ecorium, of the northeastern Ecopolis, of Mega-Ecopolis four.

 

For such a complex system is has a very short and easy to follow addressing system.

 

Core Nodes: At the centre of each Ecopolis is a Core Node, these provide backup power, landing zones, but more importantly on worlds where the atmosphere can be processed these cores supply the local Ecopolis with a backup of air and materials.

 

Most worlds in the Imperium have a breathable atmosphere and this allows the construction of surface structures. For more information on world types see: Worlds of the Imperium

 

 

A

Archeo Gothic

The primary STC ablative facade applied to external 'Imperium' structures built above Ecoria bunkers by the Imperium is Archeo-Gothic, a style derived from ancient Gothic architecture. It is also known as Arch-Gothic and is considered a 'holy' form of architecture, and is the official facade of all Imperial institutions on all worlds (note that Marine Chapters often use Acheo-Classical).

 

The style has become synonymous with power and loyalty, and has been adopted by the higher echelons of the indigenous populations of many worlds.

 

The institutions of the Imperium like the idea of building above the Ecoria, as it symbolises the hierarchy of the Imperium: the leaders are above ground in the light, with the main population below ground in the dark (artificial light). It is also a show of trust, as an external structure is vulnerable to attack, it shows faith in the power structures of the Imperium and its various military forces.

 

The majority of the human population within the Imperium is housed in Ecoria and this offers a very high level of security. The walls are several (10+) meters thick and the whole lot is usually buried deep under ground. This makes the Ecorium an effective bunker and is immune to nuke strikes, and due to the sealed environment they are also immune to biological weapons off all types (unless a specific Ecorium is breached and even then only at the point of breach will be effected due to the compartmented design on the Ecorium).

 

An Ecorium forms a good foundation for building upon, and much of the later infrastructure of the Imperium is built on top of the Ecoria (looking at the Forgeworld models here, these little entrances could lead down to the Ecorium below. If you wish to add Ecoria to your game, get one of these).

 

R

Rural Life

Those dwelling within an Ecorium live a rural existence. The Ecorium as a whole functions much like a large medieval market town, where each floor is like an outlaying village made up of tenements, and each tenement run by a family. All the 'villages' (floors) can interact with other villages (floors) within their own Ecorium via the markets in the top floor.

 

In a strict Ecoria setup each has communication with the Ecopolis command centre but they do not have direct access or contact with their neighbouring Ecoria. All contact with their neighbours has to be mediated via central command and proper exchange protocols put in place an authorisation papers issued. About the only time a person gets to see another Ecorium is when the come off age and do work placements and look for a partner. Usually it is the males who travel to other Ecoria as most property rights are passed to women (very strongly enforced where women have children). It is not unheard of for a women to travel, and they are considered something of a maverick and highly respected. These women are often IG veterans who lost their partners in war and looking to settle down.

 

The Imperium often uses a slightly less restricted but policed layout that allows the common areas of the Ecorium to be accessed by other Ecoria. This is only possible on worlds where the atmosphere is breathable. On worlds where the atmosphere is unsuitable, the strict system is employed as environment integrity has to be maintained.

 

[About the only time an Ecorium has contact with other Ecoria is when an adult is looking for a life partner. In cultural terms it is usually only the males who are allowed to leave and Ecorium to join another and marry, women are generally advised against moving to another Ecoria due to concerns about isolation and abuse. However a women can override the eldar's wishes, and some higher families with strong links to the central command or traders; where a family has oversight, my consent to a women joining another Ecorium. Marriage is a very complex affair in the Imperium, as arranged marriages are not allowed, and inter marring in ones own Ecorium is considered 'wrong'. Marriage takes up a lot of time, and it quite a headache for parents who have to chaperone (as much to get to know the other families).]

 

C

Culture

Each Ecorium has it's own culture and own way of doing things, the variety is astounding as each Ecorium is isolated from it neighbours, so each culture can be vastly different. It is entirely possible that you will find two neighbours that at first seem very different, such as an African style culture run Ecorium 50m from a European style culture run Ecorium with both populations completely unaware of each other. One those who travel outside their Ecorium as part of the Imperium (inc. traders under charter) will see the wonders of humanity, and learn that there is far more that we have in common that that which divides us. It is an usual quirk of the system that it is similar cultures that have alliances that often end up in block wars with one trying to take over the other. This is prohibited under Imperial law and always results in the Arbites (Imperial Police Enforces) stepping in.

 

T

Tenement Careers

These (primarily NPC) careers are in preparation for the Warhammer 40K role play game 'Dark Heresy'. These careers delve into the tape of lifestyle a regular citizen of the Imperium can hope to enjoy.

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R

Rack Farmer

40K equivalent/ derivative of the Dark Age freeman tenement farmer, though many now count as serfs. The primary responsibility of rack-farming, which includes looking after all the equipment and sub-systems, is to recycle waste into resources, especially air and food.

 

A

Assembler

These assemble Adeptus Mechanicus approved (and manufactured) STC kits. All of the Ecoria technology, and associated Ecopolis (Hives) are supplied as kits, and even PDF (planetary Defence Forces) gear is supplied via kits.

More here

 

T

Tradesman

Part of the Ecopolis livery companies and granted freedom of the city, and can travel outside their tenement and Ecorium freely (unlike Assemblers, who while 'tradesman' are not granted freedom of the city). Tradesmen as less than an Adeptus Mechanicus priest but have partnerships with the Adeptus Mechanicus. Their trades often use technology, but it is the Adeptus Mechanicus who manufacture the technology, and the lower order Assemblers who put it together.

 

R

Rack Farm Economics

Rack farmers trade reprocessing services for technology and part with the corporations ( Nobility).

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Hive worlds make extensive use of Ecorium STC designs though with some modifications. The original self-governing isolationist aspect of the design has been dumped for a social integration model where the Adeptus Arbites have free access. The Ecoria themselves are no longer constructed in their rigid cube layout, and are far more open in design with individual units arrange in stacks. Sometime referred to as City-Blocks, Clan-Blocks, Civi-Blocks or most often 'Hives'.

 

T

Trillions

Worlds which are covered in Hives as known as Hive Worlds and usually have populations in the trillions. Importing food from an Agri-World to feed such a vast population would be an exercise in futility, and such worlds can only survive by recycling resources using the artificial ecosystems fuelled by plasma engines built into each Hive.

 

M

Management

Adhering to such a system requires ruthless management and for all families/ Rackfarmers to adhere to the myriad of quotas laid down by Imperial decree (rioting controlled by the Adeptus Arbites). Even with the most draconian governments in place the population continues to expand. If left unchecked the population becomes unmanageable as their limited resources are rapidly consumed. Once the system collapses and starvation takes hold human survival instinct kick and the Arbites have to step in to control riots unless it descends into anarchy (and Chaos). The Imperium will import food in these crisis situations, but they will also override the government and enforce a cull, and implement a population quota.

 

C

Cull

The quotas mean that all people are limited to reproducing twice. This means a couple can have two children, or a couple can have one child, break up and in other relationship have another child but no more (for this reason remarrying is frowned upon because it stops the second partner from having two children) The culling means all families with more than two children have the older surplus children ‘culled'. Being ‘culled' which usually inducted into the Imperial Guard, though euthanasia (relief from starvation) is not ruled out in exceptional circumstances.

 

B

Balancing the System

It is usual for children of 16 years or older to be inducted. The ships that bring 'food', are actually bringing replacement carbon blocks, salt and water to replace the humans that have been removed from the artificial ecosystems system and attempt to restore balanced. Each family that is force to give up a loved one to the Imperial Guards are given a bag containing base material equal to a human being (The Imperium usually burns the dead after a war and ships the ashes to the recruiting world).

 

The vast majority of the Imperial Guard are induced from Hive Worlds.

 

The Imperial Guard

Imperial Guard Info Page

 

One of my favourite GW games is Space Hulk, and these Ecorium are an ideal source of floor plans for the game. The layout is somewhat similar to the tiles that came with the game, except the corridors are now between the rows of racks in the hydro-farms.

 

You can find some floor plans on GW site here to download and form the basis of your tiles.

 

G

GM screen for Dark Heresy?

It may be quite evocative to have a GM screen with a panoramic vista of the hive world. Something the players can see on a regular basis that shows what a hive world is like. I'm tempted by the idea of a hive view, but on one right side have a cut away, and the further to the right the more of a cut away it is (i.e. left panel: grand view > centre panel: floor plan layout cutaway > right panel: ghosted floor plans with gear and systems in opaque). If you like the idea drop me an email to 'remind' me to do this.

 

 

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