Paul Morrell, OBE explores a range of challenges facing the built environment professions and the need for adaptability at a time of marked institutional, technological and social evolution.

Paul will argue that the built environment professions need to break the habits of a lifetime and collaborate on reforms in sector structure, education, policy and accountability to improve efficiency as well as the offer to clients and society.
Many of our institutions, including most of the built environment professions, were constituted in Victorian times, and those founded since then have followed the same principles.

Todays world is, however, very different with changes in business practice, the impact of information technology, the blurring of lines between the professions and ;trade, and an educated and discriminating public increasingly questioning the trust that can be placed in all institutions - and, too often, with good cause.

Paul Morrell, chair of the Edge Commission on Collaboration for Change in the built environment professions asks whether institutions can find something in their past that can be updated to differentiate them in a way that is relevant and valuable in the future.

We are demanding more and more from our buildings. The built environment will be relied upon to support better health for residents and occupiers, as well as being a key element of transitioning to a low carbon economy. However, there is a performance gap and an aspiration gap between what buildings promise to deliver, and the health, well-being and environmental footprint evident after they open their doors. There is a systematic failure of the professions to account for this gap.

Ilarion challenges us to live sustainability and in the context of everything you do.

This video is an excerpt from a taping by Tom Hopkins of SustainableTV at the EarthDay 2012 event sponsored by the Earth and Spirit Council of Portland, Oregon. Ilarion challenges us to live sustainability.

Excerpt of an interview with Larry Merculieff (Aleut) from the Native Perspectives on Sustainability project (www.nativeperspectives.net). Merculieff critiques the use and meaning of the term "sustainability," and he speaks to the potential for human beings to draw upon our inherent intelligence to live in alignment with all of creation. Also included in the series, Native Perspectives on Sustainability, produced by David Hall of Portland State University. 

BSR Conference 2014: Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation talks about the "burning patience" and his personal narrative and path to the Ford Foundation.  Published on Nov 11, 2014

Deepa Senapathi talks about a study investigating the impact of over 80 years of land-cover change on insect pollinator communities in Britain and explains how results show expansion of single habitat types, such as arable land, may be detrimental for pollinators but diverse, mixed habitats including urban environments may benefit species diversity. Published on Apr 1, 2015

U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro talks about how HUD helps rebuild communities after natural disasters. After Hurricane Sandy, HUD shifted from just helping communities rebuild the way they were before, to showing communities how to rebuild to be resilient for the future. "Our hope is that through the investments that we're making now and the example that these communities that are participating in Rebuild By Design in the National Disaster Resilience Competition the example that they're setting will set best practices that are then adopted by states throughout our country," said Secretary Castro. Published on Mar 16, 2015

Published on Nov 28, 2012 this is a tutorial on what is sustainability an important question if one is to teach it as discussed by Jason Hamilton and published by The Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) at Ithaca College. 

Leading Voices: Sustainability and Higher Education, Dartmouth

Elizabeth Wilson, a professor at the University of Minnesota, talks about working across disciplines to tackle important real world problems. Published on Jul 17, 2013

“I think that sustainability is one of the key cornerstones of how we are going to be educating our students in the future,” says Wilson. “It’s up to us as professors, as universities, to provide them the educational opportunities and training to really go out in the world and make a difference.”

Andrew Zolli and Jonathan Rose discuss the resilience of cities and communities at the

Wisdom Holder's Circle Luncheon, The Garrison Institute. The Garrison Institute applies the transformative power of contemplation to today's pressing social and environmental con

cerns, helping build a more compassionate, resilient future.

To order Mr. Zolli's book from Amazon, please click on the image or visit your local bookstore. Thank you.

Published on Feb 25, 2015