Offgrid and Connected

Rohan is a designer, builder, teacher and advocate of ReGenerative practices around the world.

With a keen eye for the inherent synergies found in nature, he uses biomimicry to shape systems in the most beneficial and efficient way. He has managed a wide range of projects relating to self-sufficiency and adaptation to climate change, either for individuals, companies, NGOs or international institutions. Rohan also believes in giving back to the planet and communities in need. By sharing and planting seeds, he tries to promote a regenerative lifestyle whenever he can. Learn more about what he does at regenerative-systems.com and follow him on Instagram at regenerative_systems

Resources

Regenerative Systems

Instagram

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Oliver M. Goshey is an accomplished natural builder who has worked in eleven countries on six continents. He is the host of "The Abundant Edge" Podcast where he interviews leaders and change-makers in the worlds of permaculture, natural building, and regenerative living.

After six years of working in the industrial building trades and as a maritime engineer, he apprenticed with the Cob Cottage Company, specializing in cob and earthen plasters and finishes. Abundant Edge is his culmination of years of passionate research, travel, and experimentation with earthen building materials and regenerative design techniques. Oliver is passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles that repair and advance ecosystems through symbiotic design and compassionate construction.

Resources

The Abundant Edge Podcast

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Agathe studied International Development at the University of East London and then obtained a Master in Education and Sustainability at London South Bank University. She then went to work with Earthship Biotecture, where she is now in charge of all International Builds.

This allows her enough free time to live in Mexico while not traveling with Earthship. She bought some land there a few years ago to create a self sufficient orphanage, inspired by Earthship principles and has built several structures thanks to committed funders. The Joya Orphanage will be open in the next couple of years.

Resources

The Joya website

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Ricelli (Richi) is an architect by profession, artist by heart and musician in free time. After falling in love with permaculture, building with natural materials and communities, Richi now pursues a different way to practice architecture.

Richi worked and studied in Brazil with Johan van Lengen (author of The Barefoot Architect), in Indonesia (Green School Bali), Japan (Kyoto University) and Mongolia and continues to collect experiences in a search for a way of building that speaks to the aspirations of a more responsible architecture for human, nature and personal growth.

Resources

The Mongolia project video

Mud’s synergy documentary

The Global Environmental Architecture Laboratory

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Gregoire Durrens is an engineer and eco-builder who works with Earthship Biotecture among others. After graduating from the FabAcademy and attending the Earthship Academy, he was inspired to bring together the diverse approaches to the use of technology to solve our most pressing global problems.

Fabships are off-grid workshops that empower communities to grow their own productive power to provide an alternative to the “take, make and dispose” mass-production mindset that is decimating our planet.

This conversation took place in Japan during the Mima academy building in November 2018.

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A life spent building solutions

Michael Reynolds is the founder of Earthship Biotecture. He is an American architect based in New Mexico, known for the design and construction of Earthships which serve the following 6 principals:

They self-heat and the self-cool

They are made from recycled materials (used tyres and bottles)

They collect water

They treat sewage

They grow their own food

They generate their own power

Over the last 50 years Michael has been one the of the most prominent proponents of "radically sustainable living”. He has inspired generations of offgriders to construct buildings that are independent from the grid, multinationals and conventional thinking. His designs are guided by the principals of working with rather than against the Earth's natural phenomena: convection, gravity, solar gain, light, flow etc.

He has been a critic of the profession of architecture for its adherence to conventional theory and practice, and he advocates the reuse of unconventional building materials from waste streams, such as automobile tires, and is known for designs that test the limits of building codes around the world.

For a more complete list of television interviews, books and lectures download the Michael Reynolds Media Resume (10MB).

This conversation took place in Japan during the Mima academy building in November 2018.

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Too many short term solutions for long term problems?

Our conversation outlines some of challenges for people living in two Jordanian camps (Zaatari and Azraq). We explore a few of the options and restrictions in using offgrid technologies as potential solutions - political will notwithstanding.

Lara was awarded a Jordanian PhD scholarship to study at Edinburgh Napier University where her research relates to Architecture for Emergencies in the Middle East. Lara now focuses on humanitarian issues within the built environment. Her investigations include proposing a shelter design criteria for the Middle East and the development of a new ‘transitional’ shelter that will help fulfil the societal, cultural and building technology needs of refugees and displaced populations. This work will provide the keystone towards innovative designs and construction technologies to support the rehabilitation process for such scenarios.

This was a first for me. I've been interested in refugees' stories for quite some time but had never talked one to one with someone who's been involved in the on the ground reality of life in a camp. Do check out more of Lara's work below.

Resources

https://www.napier.ac.uk/people/lara-alshawawreh

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lara_Alshawawreh

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-alshawawreh/

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Theory U - an offgrid and connected theory?

Elizabeth Williams works with multidisciplinary, multi-interest groups of people to help them find common ground, energy and direction.

This conversation was a little different in that it was focused on the "connected" part of "offgrid & connected". It was good to open up the conversation and step out of the strictly offgrid arena.

Currently based in London, UK most of Elizabeth's work is with collaborative entities working together to bring large infrastructure projects to life. As an occupational psychologist, she uses tools and techniques such as group dialogue, leadership and team development and facilitated explorations to help people find their own generative sparks. Much of her work is influenced by Theory U, an approach which helps individuals and collectives from inspiration to action in ways that are collaborative, fresh and driven from an eco centric rather than ego centric view.

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One generation ready - many more to come!

Matt is executive director of Long Way Home an organisation that uses sustainable design and materials to construct self-sufficient schools that promote education, employment and environmental stewardship.

This conversation was fascinating. It is rare to speak to someone in the offgrid world who has worked for so long and so consistently on humanitarian education projects. We talk LWH's beginnings, what is real "development", hope for democratic systems and lessons learned over 15 years of being all in.

Matt was raised in Lufkin, TX. He first went to Guatemala as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2002. At the end of his service, his in-country counterpart, the director of a local NGO, requested Matt’s help in transforming a five-acre piece of land into a community park. In 2004 Matt filed the non-profit application to start LWH and by Feb 2005, Parque Chimiya was underway. Prior to starting LWH Matt worked in construction and as a 911 Paramedic. In 2013 he earned a Bachelor’s in Sustainability and in 2015 a Masters in Education.

Resources mentioned in this episode

Long Way Home

LWH Facebook

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Natural building in the home of natural building

Peter McIntosh is a natural builder from South Africa with almost 20 years' experience off the grid.

This conversation could be the beginning of more to come. We talk about the reality of regular projects and how to work within the mainstream.

Peter McIntosh started building with natural materials in 1999 when he built his own off the grid, earth-sheltered straw-bale house. For 10 years he embarked on a career as a natural builder working with South Africa's top green architects across the country with the full range of natural materials and techniques. This experience gave him the ability to make decisions based on what is the most appropriate for each given site with regard to available materials, the triple bottom-line of sustainability, client needs and climate. 

In 2010, Peter shifted his focus to training, mentoring and building the profile of natural and sustainable building in southern Africa. To this end he facilitates CPD accredited natural building courses under the auspices of the Natural Building Collective. Realizing that sustainability is about economy and social justice as much as it is about ecology Peter has been exploring the value of alternative building materials including tyres, glass bottles and eco-bricks (plastic bottles stuffed with plastic waste) since 2014. Recently he’s set his sights on social development and innovation within the industry. He has been working in some of the poorest communities in Cape Town with local government and NGOs on several natural and sustainable building projects specifically in the area of Early Childhood Development.

Resources mentioned in this episode

www.naturalbuildingcollective.com

Natural Building Collective Facebook

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