Category Archives for "Occupations"

0 Earth Day: Past, Present and Future – A Comprehensive Overview

Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22nd, has come a long way since its inception in 1970. The first Earth Day successfully launched a wave of groundbreaking environmental laws in the United States, such as The Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (source). Today, it has grown to become the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people taking action to change human behavior and create global, national, and local policy changes (source).

From its humble beginnings, Earth Day has evolved into a global movement that inspires individuals, communities, and nations to prioritize environmental conservation and sustainable practices. As we continue to face pressing environmental challenges such as…

0 Retro-Commissioning: Optimizing Building Performance and Energy Efficiency

As a built environment expert a question I get often from building owners/operators is what exactly is retro-commissioning and is it necessary for them to implement. In this post I’ll answer these questions and dive a little deeper.

Lets get into this.

Retro-commissioning is a process that helps building owners identify and correct operational inefficiencies in their existing buildings. This process involves a thorough evaluation of a building’s systems and components to ensure they are working as intended and operating at peak efficiency.

Retro-commissioning can be applied to a wide range of buildings, from small commercial structures to large industrial facilities.

Retro-commissioning typically begins with a detailed energy audit that identifies areas of inefficiency and waste. This audit may include a review…

0 Permaculture Principle 12: Creatively Use and Respond to Change

Evolutionary or Unforeseen
All systems, whether natural or man-made are subject to change either through an evolutionary process or an unforeseen event. Some changes are predictable, and we can plan for them – in nature we have seasons and patterns of succession, in life, we experience rites of passage as we age and in business, market disrupters require businesses to evolve in order to remain competitive.

We Can Use It to Our Advantage
The changes we can anticipate should be accounted for in any system we design. This takes us full circle to the first design principle – the purpose of Observing and Interacting is to take stock of the shifts that are happening.

Anticipating it can help us create productive ecosystems faster, better meet the needs of population growth, assist us in successfully ridding our economic booms and busts…

0 Permaculture Principle 11: Use Edges and Value the Marginal

Living on the edge
In a society, the edge is where free thinkers go to live – innovative ideas thrive there. In nature, it’s also a wonderful place to reside. This permaculture principle takes us there.

You’re so Edgy
An edge is where two systems butt up against each other – water meets land and an estuary is born, two companies merge their similar experimental cutting-edge technologies to develop a new better product or a Ska band moves in next door to an investment banker and new friendships are made at their shared fence – Introducing new plants and animal species, inspiring technological breakthroughs and sparking new conversations that may not have ever have happened otherwise.

Edges are easier to see in nature than in other more abstract forms such as friendships and technology. I love to wander the edges of…

0 Permaculture Principle 10: Use & Value Diversity

Did You Backup Your System?

A healthy Ecosystem is characterized by biodiversity. In nature, a variety of animal and plant species co-exist to create a stable environment. In a system designed with Permaculture principles, every function should be covered by other elements, a backup or duplicate.

Compost, Rainwater, a Woodpile & Preserves

For example, compost can be produced in a compost heap or by a worm farm, water harvesting is great insurance against drought, and a woodpile sits at the ready as an alternative form of heat for warmth and cooking. The energy we store in the form of preserves will provide an alternative food supply in case of emergency.

Diversity and A Healthy Society

A diverse skill set develops transferable abilities into similar but unfamiliar roles that can open new career opportunities. Financial investors are encouraged to have diverse portfolios. In the same way that a healthy diet consists…