Sussed : The sustainability show : Episode 2
Since we moved to Ireland and set up LBBC we’ve both been on a journey to develop our practice as more sustainable designers. Since joining up with the steering group of Architects Declare Ireland, we’re becoming more aware of the impact architecture and the build environment has on the changing climate, how we can do more with less, and some of the difficulties & challenges our profession faces in the climate emergency.
I was recently asked to be part of an online sustainability documentary series established by Pinergy, a renewable energy supplier, where I visit a variety of businesses across Ireland and to understand how they are adapting their practices & processes to become much more environmentally conscious.
I ended up in County Clare, meeting with the inspirational Kevin & Trea who run an Eco Campsite on the picturesque Loop Head Peninsula
I also visited with the team at Mahon Point Shopping Centre in Cork, where I was pleasantly surprised to learn of their approach to circularity in their day-to-day operations.
https://mahonpointsc.ie/sustainability/
Although the consumerist principle of shopping centres is often at odds with the economic model of circularity that we need to adopt to reduce our impact on the planet, this shopping centre is really taking strides to ensure the impact of their own operation is minimised. Through using a ground water well for non-potable water, dealing with their waste on site (ensuring it doesn’t end up in landfill) and of course their massive array of roof mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to power the communal spaces in the building. It’s interesting to see an established business recognise the value of their site not just in terms of money but also the carbon reduction they could easily achieve. At the farmers market on site, I met with Virginia of My Goodness a vegan food company, that finds ways to incorporate circularity into their operation from cradle to cradle. Virginia’s enthusiasm oozes from everything she does and it’s easy to see why she inspires her customers to bring back their packaging for more of her delicious rainwater kombucha!
https://www.mygoodnessfood.com/
She’s working with the Cork Urban Soil Project (CUSP) where they use their food waste to create compost for urban farming. Virgina sees the value in waste products. It really makes me question why the construction industry doesn’t do more of the same on both a small & large scale.
https://www.urbansoilproject.com/
My final trip was closer to home in Co. Wicklow where I visited the recently constructed homes at Tinakilly Village, developed by DRes. Purportedly Irelands most sustainable housing development to date, the long-established developer has recently changed their approach to building large scale housing developments to foster a sense of community and use energy as a resource to connect residents to one another. DRes have a dedicated in-house sustainability team, who are actively trying to push the Government to do more in relation to energy & housing standards. Each house is set up to become a store for the energy generated from solar panels. Although panels aren’t installed on all the houses as standard, they have all the infrastructure in place to become self-sufficient homes. DRes and Pinergy intend for the homeowners to one day share energy between the community just as you would borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbour. Today we are all acutely aware of the scarcity of fossil-fuelled energy, this approach could offer an incredibly democratic solution to the way we power (& empower) our communities. Sharing is truly caring, for our planet.
I must give a shout out to the filming team at Fabric Social for pulling this little documentary film together, they were an absolute pleasure to work with and very patient with a novice presenter! Hopefully we’ll cross paths & work together again in the future.
You can check out the full episode here on youtube:
Sussed: The Sustainability Show
Ami partners with Pinergy to explore what Irish businesses are doing to become more sustainable.
In the latest episode of docuseries “Sussed”, Pinergy, Ireland’s smart clean energy business, is shining a light on three progressive businesses who are exploring innovative ways to generate electricity through microgeneration and solar power.
With rising energy costs only set to continue businesses are having to think differently about their energy use and factor in how we can live and work more sustainably in the long term.
The businesses featured in this latest episode are Mahon Point Shopping Centre in Cork, Ireland’s most sustainable shopping centre; Pure Camping, an Eco-Camping and Glamping business in County Clare; and DRES Properties – Developers of Ireland’s most sustainable new homes based in Co. Wicklow.