Approaching the Future with Optimism

Abstract

The relevance of sustainability first appeared to me during my civil engineering studies at Stanford University. In the early 2000s, concepts such as replacing cement additives with fly ash or the designing of energy-efficient air condition systems were not yet questions included in my weekly problem sets. But luckily, at the time, there were easy ways to self-supplement by being proactive about the information around me. I devoured the now classic books Natural Capitalism and Cradle to Cradle. Visiting local Bay Area construction projects became my hobby. I volunteered at organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or GRID Alternatives so that I could build things with my hands to learn why and how things were built because maybe there was actual logic behind it all. And I followed and supported a new organization called the U.S. Green Building Council, which was so unabashedly challenging the entrenched building codes that dictate the future of the built environment. All of these influences and change points combined to paint a very clear picture: The built environment needs a major upgrade and it would take a vast web of decisions and actions to deliver the results we needed. It is a fascinating challenge that still inspires my career today.