Permaculture Design: Linking Local Knowledge in Land Use Planning for House Compound

¹ Faculty of Technical and Vocational, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia
² School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
³ School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Abstract

Permaculture accounts as among the sustainable practices that incorporates diverse aspects of ecology, landscape, organic farming, forestry, agriculture, architecture, and city planning. However, the increasing loss of local values may indirectly influence the sustainability of the system, since local knowledge is an important source of information that influences permaculture design. This study attempts to understand the knowledge of local people in planning and designing a permaculture system subjected to their livelihood, culture and ecological aspects. In particular, this study identifies land use planning for permaculture zones, and design elements in permaculture zones. The study reviews the planning and design element of permaculture that is significant to understand the ecosystem based design with sustainable practices. The results discussed that local people, regardless of their locations either urban or rural, tend to take into account the natural layout, interior architecture and internal activities in planning and designing the zones for their house compound. The zoning is not only beneficial for efficient energy use, but also sustainable both in environmental, social and economic aspects appropriate to the livelihood and culture of local people. Therefore, local knowledge should be considered when designing a permaculture system, as it is likely to design with nature rather than design against nature.