Using

Natural Principles
in
toilet design

The Blair VIP

Peter Morgan
August. 2013 An early Blair VIP
pictured in 1976.
The design of the
Blair VIP is based
on
natural principles

architectural,
aerodynamic
and biological.
A standardised brick
built Blair VIP
The vent pipe mimics the ant turret.
It draws out air through an underground
chamber

Termite turret Used also in Blair VIP

Natures ventilator of all types
 In this case the
underground
chamber is the
pit of a toilet.

Air is drawn down

through the squat hole
and up the pipe.
This means the interior of
Basic principles of ventilation
the toilet should remain and fly control
odourless
 The
superstructures
are door-less

To reduce moving
parts and
guarantee semi-
darkness inside
which
Solid state
aids fly control Superstructure
 Fly Control

Using instinctive
behaviour

Flies move towards an

odour when entering a
latrine

and to move towards

light when leaving Basic principles of
fly control
 So flies tend to fly
towards the odour
coming from the vent
when moving towards Lizard waits for meal of
flies at top of vent
and toilet

And (if the toilet

structure is semi dark)
the flies tend to fly
towards the light Early fly experiments
coming down the vent revealed the fly behaviour
But the vent is fitted
with a fly-screen

(which should be corrosion

Fly-screen at the top of
resistant like aluminium or
the vent pipe
stainless steel)

The screen acts as a

barrier to the
passage of flies
Spiders also weave their webs at
passing both in and the head of (and inside vent pipes)
to catch flies.
out of the toilet. Nature working at its best!
 In more recent
designs
the brick lined pit
is not tubular
She shape of the egg gives it great
but conical strength

It mimics the egg

or dome shape
for great strength
The shape of the dome on this
magnificent Taj Mahal gives it
great strength
Like the dome of
the Taj Mahal
modern Blair VIP
pits are lined with
bricks using a
corbelling
technique where
the upper
courses of
brickwork are
stepped in
Once the pit is lined,
it is capped by a
strong concrete slab

This is sealed on to
the pit to make an
airtight seal

If bricks are available, the pit

can be lined and the slab
constructed with a single 50kg
bag of Portland cement.
 A door-less spiral
superstructure is
then built on top of
the slab and to one
side

It is offset to
provide stability to
the structure
 The shape of the
superstructure also
mimics nature
Like the egg, the spiral shape of
the snail shell gives it great
It is spiral. strength

It has no moving parts

is very stable and once
fitted with a roof
guarantees semi
darkness within which The door-less spiral - both
round and square spirals
aids fly control are used in Blair VIPs
The spiral superstructure is easy to build.
School pupils can do
The new shape and dimensions of the sub-structure (the pit
and its lining) provide several advantages.

Whilst it retains the same volume of the older BVIP pits, its
shallower depth (2m and not 3m) and wider internal diameter
1.4m and not 1.1m has several beneficial effects:

1. The use of a smaller and more economic slabs

2. Pit lining is easier and faster to build (once taught)

3. Reduces the risk of ground water contamination

4. Provides a larger area of air/pit content interface which

helps accelerate the digestion/composting process,
which may prolong pit life
 These new
concepts are being
used in the
uBVIP
Upgradeable BVIP
(upgradeable Blair
VIP)

and also
in the new easier
to empty BVIP Easier to empty BVIPs
designs with removable slabs
 Conclusions

The Blair VIP toilet uses several natural principles in its

design and operation, which makes it dependable.

Single, double and multi-compartment designs are in

use throughout Zimbabwe.

The Blair VIP is commonly used as a washroom as well

as a toilet, and is therefore multi-functional.

Beyond the use of the toilet itself, the extracted pit material,
after a period of processing can be used to accelerate the
growth of trees in orchards and woodlots. It is rich in
phosphorus and potassium as well as other nutrients.