8. Conclusion

Permaculture is based on intangible and imperative ethical principles: caring for the Earth, caring for people, setting limits to consumption and redistributing surpluses. It can be defined as an overall biomimetic design method for self-sufficient, resource- and energy-efficient places to live and work, resulting in a spatial organization consistent with the ecological characteristics of the sites and the aspirations of their inhabitants. Permaculture proposes principles for reflection and action that draw on knowledge and know-how as much as on individual sensitivity. The choice of agricultural or construction techniques to be implemented must be deduced from the application of these principles, not precede them. This posture can be summed up in the following formula: ethics are imperative, principles are universal, techniques are contingent on each situation and each project....