A marine or land habitation system includes a habitable chamber and a monopole column supporting the habitable chamber at a first end of the monopole column. The monopole column includes a second end, opposite the first end, for mounting in the seabed or dry land. The habitable chamber is moveable with respect to the column both rotationally and vertically.

A sustainable floating and land application community based on a mass-produced modular, pre-fabricated kit of parts referred to as floating modular units (FMU) or land module units (LMU). Both modular units are designed to allow for various needs while remaining simple to deliver and assemble by hand in remote destinations prone to volatile shifts in water levels and currents. Both floating and land module units can be erected for use on land and bodies of water.

A flood water retention assembly for reducing flood damage includes a plurality of repositories that is each positioned proximate a lowland area prone to flooding. A plurality of drain conduits is each fluidly coupled to a respective one of the repositories. Each of the drain conduits is in fluid communication with a drainage area to drain the water into the drainage area. A plurality of inlet conduits is each fluidly coupled to a respective one of the repositories. Each of the inlet conduits is in fluid communication with a body of water to receive water from the body of water. A pump is fluidly coupled to each of the inlet conduits and the pump is positioned adjacent to the body of water. The pump pumps the water into the repositories when the pump is turned on. In this way the repositories contain flood waters thereby reducing flood damage to surrounding areas.

Apparatus allowing ventilation through a ventilation shaft to an underground ventilation duct fluidly communicating through the ventilation shaft to an atmospheric opening of the shaft and on threat of flooding operable to prevent downward flow of surface water into the ventilation duct includes support sidewalls fitting in the shaft providing a ventilation passage between support top and bottom openings and a suspension member supported on opposed lateral sidewalls proximate the top opening holding one or more hinge connected panels that manually release to rotationally close the passage and are manually rotationally liftable to a home position allowing ventilation. A panel drain automatically closes when the panel is raised to home position so it is already closed when the panel is released to rotationally close the passage.

Apparatus allowing ventilation through a ventilation shaft to an underground ventilation duct fluidly communicating through the ventilation shaft to an atmospheric opening of the shaft and on threat of flooding operable to prevent downward flow of surface water into the ventilation duct includes support sidewalls fitting in the shaft providing a ventilation passage between support top and bottom openings and a suspension member supported on opposed lateral sidewalls proximate the top opening holding one or more hinge connected panels that manually release to rotationally close the passage and are manually rotationally liftable to a home position allowing ventilation. A releasable latching system between panel and a suspension member holder catches rising panels to hold them in home position ready for release.

Apparatus allowing ventilation through a ventilation shaft to an underground ventilation duct fluidly communicating through the ventilation shaft to an atmospheric opening of the shaft and on threat of flooding operable to prevent downward flow of surface water into the underground ventilation duct includes support sidewalls fitting in the shaft providing a ventilation passage between support top and bottom openings and a suspension member supported on opposed lateral sidewalls unobstructively horizontally spanning the passage proximate the top opening and holding one or more hinge connected panels in the passage that manually release to rotationally close the passage and prevent flooding and are manually rotationally liftable to a home position allowing ventilation. The suspension member is liftingly removable from the support and may include end keys received in keyed supports to allow the suspension member to fit in the supports so a specific panel closes to a specific sidewall.

Apparatus allowing ventilation through a ventilation shaft to an underground ventilation duct fluidly communicating through the ventilation shaft to an atmospheric opening of the shaft and on threat of flooding operable to prevent downward flow of surface water into the ventilation duct includes support sidewalls fitting in the shaft providing a ventilation passage between support top and bottom openings and a suspension member supported on opposed lateral sidewalls proximate the top opening holding one or more hinge connected panels that manually release to rotationally close the passage and are manually rotationally liftable to a home position allowing ventilation. A panel drain automatically closes when the panel is raised to home position. A releasable latching system between panel and a suspension member holder catches rising panels to hold them in home position. The suspension member may include end keys received in keyed supports so a specific panel faces a specific sidewall.

Apparatus allowing ventilation through a ventilation shaft to an underground ventilation duct fluidly communicating through the ventilation shaft to an atmospheric opening of the shaft and on threat of flooding operable to prevent downward flow of surface water into the underground ventilation duct includes one or more hinged panels closing a ventilation passage between the top and bottom of a support fitting in the shaft to prevent flooding. The panels have handles on their topside and pivotable arms on their underside and are liftable to an upright home position allowing ventilation, using tools to reach through grating covering openings on the shaft and lift the panel handles and after the panels are partially lifted, using reach tools to engage and lift the arms to press them again support sidewalls to exert lateral force on underside of the panels to complete upward rotation to the home position.

Embodiments of an inflatable dam sized to be secured to a foundation structure with an anchor line. The inflatable dam includes a main bladder and an overlapping layer. The main bladder is moveable between deflated and inflated states such that, in the inflated state, the main bladder extends with a tubular configuration. The overlapping layer is sized and configured to extend over a portion of the main bladder and, in the inflated state, concentrically aligned with the portion of the main bladder. The overlapping layer is sized to extend with an overlapping length and to extend laterally between a first end portion and a second end portion along the overlapping length, the first end portion being coupled to the fin structure and the second end portion being configured to be coupled to the anchor line and the foundation structure.

In one example, the present invention is directed at a panel that includes (a) a first material having an inside surface and an outside surface, (b) a second material having an inside surface and an outside surface, (c) a zig-zag web with arms and apices disposed between the first material and the second material, (d) insulation disposed between adjacent arms, (e) a composite material comprising an adhesive and particulate material, wherein the composite material is applied to (i) inside surfaces of the first material and the second material, (ii) the zig-zag web, and (iii) the insulation; and wherein the outside surfaces of the first material and the second material are each substantially planar and parallel to one another, the inside surfaces of the first material and the second material contact the apices, and the first material and the second material are the same or different.