PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE                                                               

Public acceptance of geodesic domes 
at present and in the future 
will depend on many factors. 

To be accepted this system must: 
	1) serve a valid function - fill a real need
	2) be highly effective in filling that need
	3) be as simple to erect and use as possible
	4) be economical and affordable
	5) be virtually maintenance free, yet easy to repair when required
	6) be "serviced" by caring, knowledgeable, energetic, enthusiastic people
	7) be flexible (modular) being able to expand or contract to meet individual needs
	8) give the user an advantage 
	9) Be Promoted - Advertised

Another factor in public acceptance 
is what will happen to the conventional carpenter, architect and the other occupations
displaced if domes become the new paradigm.
This is a very LARGE group
with many powerful subgroups intertwined,
including professional groups 
(e.g. engineers & architects), 
Building Trades, Realtors, savings and loans. 

Obviously such a group cannot be fought.
They should be courted and conflict avoided. 

When referring to and thinking of Geodesic domes,
we should create a new category, Environmental Valving,
and not try to fit into the pre-established categories 
(like architecture or home building)
even though it has elements of these and many other disciplines.

This should be a parallel track or option and not a total replacement.
Let the old die out by attrition.

In this way conflict might be minimized and acceptance furthered.

Affected groups should not be displaced 
but rather redirected, retrained and utilized. 

For under city-scale domes, 
interior partitioning of the enclosed space will still be required. 
But in most cases will not have to bear the weather 
(wind, rain etal ).
 
The architect/interior designers will have more freedom 
in the use of open spaces and partial partitioning. 
Interior design will be a requirement 
in personal and public spaces.

Potential Markets

A large potential market perhaps lies 
in an affordable "lowest-end" system for personal private consumption 
(as verses being a public utility in the form of "city-scale" domes) 
as well as with high end Large Span Structures.

Potential markets include:

    FTB Structures -
	1) Emergency large volume shelter
	2) Dry land and/or year-round large-scale farming
	3) Green Houses - personal
	4) Storage
	5) Staging Base
	6) Industrial Plant Environmental Valve
		esp. to reduce accidental negative environmental impact
		(ie leak/pollutant containment)
		and minimize the effects of inclement weather 
		on production, construction or repair
	
	7) City Size "Public Utility" Environmental Valve
	8) Extra-Terrestial Environmental Valves

 PMT Structures -
	9) Shipping Containers (cardboard)
	10) Lowest Cost (Single Family) Shelters (cardboard)
		for Developing Countries - Impoverished People
	11) Temporary "Camping" Shelter (cardboard)
 	12) Storage Shed (sheet metal)


The designer must take full advantage 
of the special properties and potential of geodesic domes, 
expanding them to the limits. 
Building the largest most ephemeral ENVIRONMENTAL VALVES possible, 
to prepare for the expansion from the Earth to Colonize the Moon 
then Mars and beyond into Interplanetary space. 
   

    


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