Green Living Projects

Green Living Projects joins the Doughnut Economic Action Lab Community ! !

Advancing the field of sustainability-by-doing-less-damage towards environmental stewardship is part of our mission. In the Transeation project, our focus is the blue economy. The growth projections of this part of the economy risk damaging coastal and marine ecosystems on which we all depend. Our contribution in this European funded project is to develop a framework that guides the development of blue economy related infrastructure in such a way that coastal and marine ecosystems can be restored or regenerated while having a positive impact on local communities. After all, the economy is embedded in our environment and in society. What is the point in developing off-shore windturbines if by doing so we damage the ecosystems in which this infrastructure is located? Would it not make sense to make sure that coastal protection infrastructure goes beyond mere protecion and actively restores and regenerates life in our seas? So our starting point is: "What if each time we decide to develop infrastructure, we make sure it is a catalyst for eco-system regeneration?" If you are involved in the blue economy and this kind of guidance seems of interest to you, reach out. We´d love to talk to you.

Making waves 🌊 We're thrilled to announce our involvement in the European-funded Transeation project, which is expanding our work into the blue economy. The “blue economy”, defined as all economic sectors that have a direct or indirect link to the oceans, is expected to outperform the future growth of the global economy. Our Oceans however are stressed and the UN declared the next decade as the Ocean Decade, identifying 10 critical ocean-related challenges. In light of this economic growth and the importance of healthy oceans, it is clear that we can not afford to use traditional ways to develop coastal and marine infrastructure and we need to find innovative ways to do this while ensuring our oceans' vitality. As part of the Transeation project team, it is our task to craft a comprehensive framework for designing, constructing, and operating blue-grey infrastructure. Our goal is to develop a framework that not just sustains but rather regenerates both human and non-human coastal and marine ecosystems. This framework will include nature-based solutions, stakeholder engagement and ecosystem-based methodologies. Leveraging our expertise in the built environment and frameworks like LEED, along with our deep understanding of living systems thinking and regenerative design, we are looking forward to the development of this next generation framework. As we deepen our knowledge of marine ecosystems, we're eager to collaborate with experts and enthusiasts in the blue space. Do not hesitate to get in touch so we can start connecting with the networks of individuals and organizations that are passionate about ocean health. Shaping tools for a better future requires collaboration so reach out if you are interested in making some waves with us! 🌐💙 hashtag #BlueEconomy #OceanDecade #SustainableDevelopment #RegenerativeDesign #MarineConservation #Collaboration https://lnkd.in/en4bARrA

In the wake of the Second World War, Europe faced the monumental task of rebuilding material wealth from the ruins. The collective memory of the Great Depression and the widespread displacement of people underscored the urgency of this collective mission. It was a time when the individual's efforts were dwarfed by the scale of reconstruction required, compelling a generation to unite under the banners of companies and government organizations. The prevailing organizational model was militaristic: a rigid hierarchy where information flowed upwards and orders cascaded down. This system, effective in wartime, became the blueprint for postwar business organization. Today, we face a different kind of reconstruction—one that is not of buildings and bridges, but of the natural capital that underpins our very existence. We wonder if we have to endure another catastrophic event to spur action? Must we wait for the inevitable migrations, both human and non-human, that will result from our inaction? At Green Living Projects, we believe in the need to evolve our understanding of organizations and start seeing them as living organisms—dynamic, adaptive, and interdependent. By embracing an eco-systemic understanding, organizations can not only become more resilient in the face of change but become capable of regeneration and prosperity. In "The Living Company," Arie de Geus posits that companies that perceive themselves as living entities are better equipped for longevity. These organizations exhibit sensitivity to their environment, a strong sense of identity and community, and a capacity for learning and adaptation. They practice tolerance and decentralization, allowing for a more responsive and innovative approach to change. Our experience in the built environment led us to believe the sector has the potential to work towards the restoration and regeneration of our living natural capital but to do so requires to understand our own organizations as living. It is our aim to enable organizations to embrace these principles and be part of a network of individuals and organizations that collectively work towards the cultivation of a new breed of organization, one that is attuned to the rhythms of the natural world and dedicated to the collective well-being of our planet. We believe it is time for organizations in this industry to transcend the survival mindset and embrace their potential to thrive, not just in the short term but for decades to come. As part of our own transformative journey, we stand ready to support organizations in realizing their evolutionary purpose, fostering a generative culture that is aligned with what our world really needs. Together, we can redefine success, not by the narrow metrics of profit and growth, but by the enduring health and vitality of our living systems. Let us know if you are interested in creating legacies that honor the interconnectedness of life and ensure a thriving future for all. #GreenLivingProjects

As a sustainability champion, you've likely encountered resistance against implementing sustainable practices due to perceptions of increased costs. It is true that sustainability is mostly not about environmental ethics and it is easier to implement sustainable strategies when they are economically advantageous. Many times, the argument that sustainable strategies yield a good return on investment has been key to persuading organizations. Indeed, there are often "low-hanging fruits", such as energy-related savings. Many years ago, The World Green Building Council recognized the need for a compelling business case for sustainability measures and published a detailed report to support this called "The Business Case for Sustainable Buildings. In 2021, this report was archived and replace by reports named "Beyond the Business Case" and "Beyond Buildings" marking a transition towards more comprehensive integration of sustainability values. Nonetheless, we believe we could go further. Integral Sustainability transcends mere integration. It embodies the essence of sustainability as an inherent part of business strategy. This approach is crucial in resolving the seeming conflict between sustainability and financial performance. A fully integral organization is adept at considering the broader environmental impact and leverages this insight to adapt its operations so it evolves towards the creation of value aligned with planetary and societal needs, ensuring long-term viability. In essence, Integral Sustainability isn't just a shift—it's a necessary evolution that recognizes the benefits of aligning business with the collective future of our society and planet. This may not seem obvious for those organizations that are benefiting from some current increases in demand for their products such as those involved in the value-chain related to wood structures for buildings, an increasingly popular strategy to lower carbon footprint. But those short term growth opportunities can lead to a lack of systemic awareness and while they result in short term profits, they may well lead to a sudden and unexpected decline in a not so distant future. Integral Sustainability allows organizations to keep sensing the larger environment enabling them to sense into higher orders of value allowing them to thrive not only today but also tomorrow. #sustainable #ecological #nature #resources #energy #light #clean #commitment #savings #building #architecture #consultancy

From Incremental to Integral Sustainability As our world undergoes rapid changes, the imperative for sustainable practices has never been more evident. The once peripheral concern for the environment has now become a central consideration, compelling us to integrate environmental considerations into every aspect of our work. Initially, our approach was one of eco-efficiency—adding environmental measures as line items in a growing list of costs, with an eye on return on investment of these line items. However, as environmental regulations grow more demanding, the incremental approach to sustainability—adding layer upon layer of cost—begins to cut into profits, creating resistance within our industry This resistance is particularly palpable as companies struggle to align with ambitious environmental pledges towards Zero without clear strategies for implementation. The reality is stark: businesses are now compelled to internalize the true costs of environmental impact, revealing a landscape where profitability is often an illusion masked by unaccounted ecological debts. In the agricultural sector, to use an example that is very present in the news, traditional practices are proving unsustainable, and the only temporary reprieve lies in subsidies—hardly a solution for aligning farming with nature's rhythms. What's needed is a transformative approach to how we produce our food, one that allows farmers to thrive together with the environment. Enter Integral Sustainability, a concept that transcends the limitations of incremental measures. Drawing from Ken Wilber's Integral Theory and many years of studying living systems science, Integral Sustainability is a comprehensive framework that embraces the complexities of our world. Wilber defines Integral as "to integrate, to bring together, to join, to link, to embrace." Integral Sustainability is about the integration of the systemic understanding of the larger world using  climate science data, the identification of the related adaptive organizational challenges that result from that understanding, combined with the organizational capacity to transform these challenges into their business model resulting in value-creating processes and relationships that lead to prosperity, for the organization and our world. By integrating these dimensions, Integral Sustainability offers an approach towards creating thriving, beautiful places that not only meet environmental responsibilities but enhance our business's viability. It is a way to reconcile sustainability and profitability through a mutually beneficial relationship. Stay tuned as we continue to explore this transformative approach and how it can redefine the landscape of sustainability for businesses and the planet. #sustainable #ecological #nature #resources #energy #light #clean #commitment #savings #building #architecture #consultancy

From Green Building to Living Business Consultancy We have always strived to foster a deeper understanding of sustainability in our role as LEED consultants. Remembering back to the early days of LEED, we carved out precious time for reflection and connection, which then influenced strategy and implementation. However, as LEED certification grew, standardized methods for efficiency became the norm, the ability to cultivate such time and space dwindled. Consequently, the focus shifted towards an operationally driven mindset with an emphasis on short-term returns. This experience has taught us that working on the level of the design process is not the right place for meaningful interventions. Many agree that the current process is not designed to deliver high performance sustainble buildings in an efficient way. But somehow the process is being repeated and has been the same for as long as we started 15 years ago. BIM arrived and it has added value, AI is about to arrive and we have yet to see how it will add value. But fundamentally there has been no change. Sustainability remains an add-on and incremental, so do costs. We believe an intervention at a different place in the system where decisions are not merely operational but strategic would have more potential. Project work is inherently operational and tactical; it's only at the organizational level that we can engage in strategic reflection. That's why we're excited to announce a pivotal shift in our focus from project-level engagement to organizational transformation. We're convinced that strategic reflection on work and the organization of work is an acupuncture point where we can rethink how we design and build. Our innovative concept of Integral Sustainability isn't just a strategic approach; it's a beacon that creates opportunities for organizations active in the industry clients toward the creation of new behavioral patterns that promise prosperity for business and our planet alike. #sustainable #ecological #nature #resources #energy #light #clean #commitment #savings #building #architecture #consultancy

Green Living Projects has been around since 2008 and always had the ambition to support the built environment industry with the challenge to reduce its environmental footprint. We worked mostly with LEED as a tool to work on that challenge. 16 years later, we believe the way LEED is applied in the industry is not leading to the changes our world needs. So we decided to stop being a green building consultant. Instead, we will be offering something entirely different. From the outside this may seem like a sudden event. In reality, this is the outcome of a process that started several years ago. It included going through the different stages of grief and the emotional drainage caused by the huge gap between what our world needs and what the actual outcome was of our work. Despite the occasional proclamation of high ambitions, few clients showed willingness to forego first cost considerations. Despite the celebrations of sustainable certification outcomes, no real progress to real-world needs has been made. Even LEED V5 is not going to change that. As part of our developmental culture, we deepened our understanding of living systems science and how this applies to the organization of work. We started applying this understanding on ourselves and our own organization which helped us understand the adaptive challenge ahead of us. This has now led to a very different value proposition. For those interested, check out our website and follow us to see how this new story unfolds. Right now, however, we would like to express our gratitude to those that have been an integral part of Green Living Projects for many years and who are now pursuing their own, different purposes. Jordi will be combining his passion for cycling and nature through his organization Serendipia, Valeria Fiorentino is joining her husband at Camí de Llavors, to grow their regenerative farm project and Roberto Zin Teixeira who will bring his understanding of living systems to other organizations in the built environment. Thank you for all these years and your work and dedication. #sustainable #ecological #nature #resources #energy #light #clean #commitment #savings #building #architecture

¡La formación “Materiales sostenibles” ya está aquí! Por fin vemos como se recogen los frutos del esfuerzo y la dedicación por hacer del planeta un lugar un poco mejor. Os presentamos la décima edición de nuestra formación dedicada a crear una mirada crítica y a aprender cómo valorar materiales y sus usos. La metodología que mostramos es la que aplicamos en nuestro día a día para evaluar los materiales necesarios y la calidad de los mismos para el siguiente proyecto. Cuando termines, te verás capaz de afrontar cualquier decisión técnica necesaria. El curso está enfocado a personas con horarios complicados para poder adaptarnos a todo el mundo. La duración será de un mes, en formato online y podremos vernos las caras y charlar los jueves de abril de 17h a 18h. Entrad al formulario e inscribíos. ¡Corred que ya empieza! https://lnkd.in/eKBQFErU #greenlivingprojects #livingprojects #sostenible #ecológico #naturaleza #recursos #energia #luz #limpio #compromiso #ahorro #edificio #arquitectura

En España, la construcción sostenible y los edificios verdes están ganando terreno significativamente. Según BREEAM, se espera superar los 1.800 edificios sostenibles evaluados en 2022: • Desde 2010, se han evaluado un total de 1.600 proyectos en todas las comunidades autónomas, con Madrid y Cataluña concentrando más de la mitad de estos proyectos. • El sector residencial es el que más certifica sus activos, representando un 32% del total, seguido por las oficinas y el sector retail. • Proyectos urbanísticos como Madrid Nuevo Norte y otros están destacando por su enfoque en la sostenibilidad. Estos datos reflejan la creciente demanda y el interés en la construcción sostenible en España, con un incremento notable de profesionales formados en criterios de sostenibilidad y una expansión en la variedad de tipologías de edificios evaluados bajo criterios sostenibles. Este enfoque hacia la sostenibilidad no solo responde a una conciencia ambiental creciente, sino también a un reconocimiento de los beneficios económicos y de bienestar que los edificios sostenibles pueden ofrecer a largo plazo. La tendencia en España refleja un movimiento global hacia prácticas de construcción más responsables con el medio ambiente y la sociedad. No te quede atrás, pásate a la revolución sostenible, háblanos y te asesoramos. +34 620 48 698 56 info@greenlivingprojects.com #greenlivingprojects #livingprojects #sostenible #ecológico #naturaleza #recursos #energia #luz #limpio #compromiso #ahorro #edificio #arquitectura