Fully Funded Project Plan (pdf)
We estimate that it would take about $110,000 to get the Hexayurt project done to the point where it could be tested in the field with people's lives depending on it. That budget would fund a team of two full timers building units, living in them, coordinating both hired consultants and volunteers, to produce a completely tested, finished, documented hexayurt and infrastructure package.
All intellectual property we create or control would be released under an open license, most likely fully public domain, and available for any commercial entity to produce or for organizations like non-profits to source for themselves. Some of our vendors may also choose to open their designs, but if they do not, those products will be recommended and we will do our best to link to information about open alternatives where they exist. Not everything can be provided on an open IP basis, however (for example, LEDs still have many patents, as do NIMH batteries).
However, even $10-20,000 gets us a lot of forward progress - a long term (3-6 month) test of one or two units in one or two climates. A lot more investment would be required before we were ready to use hexayurts in a disaster or refugee situation, but it would at least prove several key concepts.
If you are interested in supporting further development of this project, please contact us. Small, non-institutional donations (yes, your $50 can help!) are welcome as well.
