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DesignCharrette.com - Create/Collaborate/Celebrate!

By definition, collaboration is a group effort and this website is gearing-up to facilitate productive team projects through effective, organized communications.  The entire world is beginning to understand that fundamental changes must be made in the way we build or retrofit our buildings, grow our food, produce our energy, dispose of our waste and pretty much every other human-related activity.  Otherwise, our collective future is not looking too promising.

How can this website help?  The architectural, engineering and sustainable fields have thought leaders and industry acknowledged experts who are clearing the path toward better ways to design, build, test and certify/commission buildings.  As the Senior Editor for DesignCharrette.com, I have had the opportunity to meet (and sometimes work with) many of these leaders and experts.  Their aggregated knowledge needs to be distilled and shared with the greater design/build community so that we all can learn and benefit from their knowledge and experience.

Over the next few months I am going to ask the following individuals to favor us with helpful information and projects that they feel are representative of the best practices, latest technologies and/or cutting-edge products.  You may recognize some of the names of the individuals I will list below but first you probably are wondering who I am.

 My name is Ken Riead and I've been working toward a sustainable future for many years.  If you are interested in looking at a brief bio of me, I will include a link here.

In short, please know that I am dedicated toward helping you design, build and quantify the best projects possible.  I hope that you utilize the knowledge and assistance provided by this website.  And, as REO Speedwagon stated in one of their famous songs, "Keep Pushin' On."

 The best place to start is at the beginning by inviting the individual who has been credited as the founder of the architectural green movement to participate in this website.  Who would that individual be?  By nearly universal acclaim it would be Bob Berkebile of BNIM Architecture. 

I won't delve into Bob's bio right now but I am going to bug him to share some of his vast knowledge with us.

 Thought leaders in industry often have a protege' that they have inspired to do great things and push new boundaries.  In Bob's case I am referring to Jason McLennan.  Jason is behind the "Living Building Challenge" and is currently the CEO of Cascadia. 

He is also the author of the book, "Philosophy of Sustainable Design."

  Next, let's get someone to explain why making buildings and vehicles more energy efficient is so important.  In this regard I am inviting Steve Andrews to give us some of his in-depth insight as to how critical it is for us to reduce our current consumption rate of fossil fuels.  Why would Steve know? 

He is the co-founder of the US Association for the Study of Peak Oil - http://aspo-usa.org/

 What's possible is not always practical so I think it is important to hear from a person who is known for his practical point of view regarding the green/sustainable movement.  This person is, of course, Ed Begley, Jr. and he is a living example of how being frugal and green is actually admirable in today's "consume and throw away" society. I've met Ed and I'm pretty sure that he will be willing to contribute to this website.  (Anyway, it never hurts to ask...)

 Over the course of time I'll be inviting others to share their particular expertise with us so that this website will become as helpful and fresh as possible.

Thanks again!

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