UPCOMING EVENTS: Designing for Hope Lectures

We are entering a time when many tipping points will be passed, resulting in unexpected consequences. Yet, a growing group sees opportunity and the potential of thriving cities and environments. Based on the book, Designing for Hope: Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability, Dominique and Joel will convey a beneficial way of re-imagining design and development. Designing for Hope contends that we can actively create a positive and abundant future through a living systems-based worldview. The presentation will pose questions such as: 'How can projects focus on creating a positive eco-footprint and contribute to community?', 'How does design focus hope and create a positive legacy?', and ‘If nature is the master designer, what are the lessons we can gain from looking at her patterns and processes?’ Dominique and Joel’s work are recognized by leaders in the movements of Regenerative Development, Sustainable Cities, Biophilic Design, Biomimicry, Permaculture, and Positive Development.

Designing for Hope Lecture in Denver

Lecture featuring Dr. Dominique Hes
Wednesday, March 25th
5:30pm-7:30pmThe Alliance Center
1536 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202

While the lecture is free, registration is required. Space is limited.
>>Register Here<<

Patterns for a Hopeful Future Lecture in Fort Collins

Lecture featuring Dr. Dominique Hes and Joel Glanzberg
Thursday, March 26th
6:00-8:00pm
New Belgium Brewing Company, Tasting Room500 Linden St., Fort Collins, CO 80524

While the lecture is free, registration is required. Space is limited.
>>Register Here<<

TEDx FrontRange: ELEVATE!

Josie Plaut

The theme this year for Tedx FrontRange is “Elevate.” In the spirit of the pioneering west, a group of fun and engaging speakers (and performers!) will share the ways that they are exploring new frontiers, guiding and inspiring others, and driving innovation.  IBE’s Associate Director, Josie Plaut, will share her ideas on how to go beyond notion of sustainably and toward future that is powered through regeneration.  Simply stated, regeneration is about investing in our future by creating and restoring natural, social and economic capital.  We achieve this through expanding health, vitality and equity in our personal and professional lives. 

Date: May 31, 2013, 1-5pm
Location: Rialto Theater Center, Loveland, CO

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More on regeneration….

In recent years, the green industry has introduced a myriad of new tools, products, and standards that help to reduce environmental impacts and encourage more sustainable practices – important steps in the right direction.  Unfortunately, current economic models still rely heavily on depleting natural capital.  Further, the burden to process, manufacture, and sell products is often at the expense of human health and wellbeing.  Here, at a pivotal moment in society, we have the opportunity to change course.  If we are to solve the looming environmental and social crises in time, we must move from using less to creating more. Regeneration is the practice of aligning human activities to give new life, strength and vigor to natural, social, and economic systems. It goes beyond green or sustainable thinking, generally focused on reducing harm, toward a model built on renewal and revitalization.

Regeneration means rebuilding depleted ecosystems, like the Mississippi river delta, or simply riding your bicycle.  It can be a vitalizing urban redevelopment project or the renewal of soils and farming practices in your own garden. Regeneration has many faces, but one purpose: finding what’s broken and creating solutions that are additive, positive and contributive. By shifting mindsets from sustainability to regeneration, we can secure a thriving future for many generations to come.  This paradigm shift is not only necessary, but it is inspiring, refreshing and positive.  

Neenan Company Interviews IBE's Brian Dunbar

Neenan Company recently sat down with Brian Dunbar, the Executive Director here at the Institute for the Built Environment (IBE) for an interview titled Embodied Energy and the Build Environment: An Interview With Brian Dunbar. In the interview, Dunbar discusses embodied energy. Neenan Co. creates innovative buildings using " Archistruction" and are based in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Here is a preview of Neenan Co.'s interview with Brian Dunbar:

Q: How would you describe the relevance of embodied energy to design and construction today versus 10 years ago?

“Some in the engineering and design profession caught on to the concept over 30 to 40 years ago during the energy crisis. I think it became a relevant topic then but it wasn’t until about 10 years ago that the conversation ramped up with increased interest in energy modeling and material selections in projects.”

Conitnue reading here.

Green Bash 2012!

Attend the event as 'Friends of IBE' and receive 50% off your non-member discount.

Email: cahs_ibe@mail.colostate.edu for more information.

Register here.

Colorado State University to host presentation by renowned built environment expert, Chrisna du Plessis

 



Colorado State University is proud to bring world renowned built environment expert, Chrisna de Plessis to campus on Wednesday, September 12^th for a presentation on Your Role in the Regenerative World – 4:30-6:00pm in the newly renovated, LEED-seeking Lory Student Center Theater.

 

Chrisna du Plessis is Associate Professor in Sustainable Construction at the Department of Construction Economics of the University ofPretoria, and was formerly Principal Researcher at the Council for Scientificand Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa. She is known internationally for her work on the policy and research strategy for sustainable building within developing countries and is currently concentrating on urban sustainability science at both theoretical and technical levels.

 

“Chrisna is an inspirational leader in the sustainability movement – her compelling messages help all of us to envision healthy, thriving environments and cities and to understand our potential roles in places and economies that regenerate just as nature does,” said Brian Dunbar, Director, Institute for the Built Environment.

 

Dr. du Plessis’ presentation is hosted by Colorado State University’s Institute for the Built Environment and is made possible through regional event sponsors including: School of Global EnvironmentalSustainability, City of Fort Collins Office of Sustainability, U.S. GreenBuilding Council- Colorado Chapter, Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, LoryStudent Center, CSU Public Lands History Center, CSU Department of Design &Merchandising, CSU Department of History,  Center for the Advancement ofSustainable Enterprise, and the SustainableLiving Association.

 

 The event is free.  There will be snacks and a cash bar.  We look forward to seeing you and your networks at this unique event!

SoGES Offers Interdisciplinary Graduate Course for Fall 2012: GES-580

Submitted by Kerri McDermid on Fri, 06/15/2012 - 5:26am

The School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES) is very excited to announce the recent addition of a new interdisciplinary course opportunity for graduate students in any discipline on campus. GES-580, Issues in Global Environmental Sustainability, is now open for fall registration, and is designed for graduate students across campus to benefit from the interdisciplinary discussions and lend a unique perspective to the course dialog and curriculum.
This first offering will be taught by Professor Emeritus Brian Dunbar, Director of the Institute for the Built Environment, and will pull together a diversified group of 25 graduate students to help be a model for cross-disciplinary graduate education on campus.
"The concept of sustainability is most successful when simultaneously approached from multiple perspectives," said Professor Brian Dunbar. "Our new graduate course provides a unique forum for expansive learning about current and future opportunities and trends in sustainability."

GES 580 will provide graduate students the opportunity to interact, synthesize and collaborate in a multi-disciplinary learning environment and will promote knowledge synthesis from the diverse programs across campus. Students will achieve a holistic understanding of environmental, social, and economic sustainability through individual research work as well as interdisciplinary collaboration, an essential component to the successful integration of sustainability knowledge.

GES-580 will be run on Wednesdays from 4:00-6:50pm, for questions, please contact SoGES Education Coordinator, Patrick Canavan, at patrick.canavan@colostate.edu.

Industry Connections Key Note Speaker Bob Berkebile

Colorado State University School of Global Environmental Sustainability Spring Symposium

In the US the largest portion of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions do not originate from cars & trucks; they originate from residential, commercial and industrial buildings which together constitute the built environment.

Come to the Colorado State University School of GlobalEnvironmental Sustainability Spring Symposium to hear presentations about how assessment, standards, and measurement tools can reduce carbon emissions in the built environment.

Revolutionary architectural pioneer and founder of Architecture 2030, Ed Mazria, will explain how American citizens can enable pathways to carbon neutral towns and cities in his presentation of, “The Next Built Environment Today.”  

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) principal and founder of Green Step, Dr. Victor Olgyay, will present “Design for Climate: Buildings with Nature’s Metabolism.”

Dr. Scott Denning, CSU Monfort Professor and a Director at the National Science Foundation Center for Multiscale Modeling of AtmosphericProcesses (CMAAP) will present “Climate Change: It’s worse than you think, but it is not the end of the world.”

Also, join in cross-disciplinary, cross-cutting breakout groups and panel discussions focusing on the future of a carbon neutral built environment.

Who: Host, Carbon Footprint Metric for the Built Environment and Keynote Speakers, Ed Mazria, Dr. Scott Denning, and Dr. Victor Olgyay

When: April 27^th at 8:30am (check in begins at 7:30am)

Where: Lory Student Center, Room 230

Registration is required. To register, please visit www.sustainability.colostate.edu/cfm