Design Library
Accessible Sustainable Solutions
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY DESIGN
Current Design and Development
Explore ATC’s current development work alongside the downloadable designs in this library.
Solar Food Dehydrators
See the Phase 3 field work and the Phase 4 dehydrator now being used in classes at Eco Spanish School in Guatemala. ATC is refining drawings and evaluating build costs as the work develops.
University Projects Getting Started
Follow three early-stage projects: solar home unit localization, a solar water extractor, and a battery state-of-charge tester. Designs and results will be shared as the projects develop.
These links lead to project updates. The existing downloadable designs remain below.
Our design library has open-source designs shared by people and organizations worldwide. Each design is downloadable for anyone to use. So what makes appropriate technologies?
SMART DESIGN
The solution is designed so that basic skills are sufficient to create the technology. The designs use local skills and materials available to maintain the technology.
LOW INVESTMENT
Appropriate Technology requires little capital investment by using naturally abundant, recycled, and low-cost materials to create jobs and grow resilient, local economies.
DECENTRALIZED
Decentralized systems avoid expensive infrastructure and reduce energy inefficiencies with transporting goods & services from central locations.
ENERGY EFFICIENT
Appropriate Technologies rely on renewable energy like solar, water or wind power which are then reused and recycled in closed-loop systems that sustain ecosystems