Empowering Bay Area Sustainability Networks Overview: This project is proposed as a Real Estate Investment Model designed to leverage the value of local sustainability networks to maximize real estate values as well as human potential. Going beyond traditional real estate investment models this project will position itself to take full advantage of a massive consciousness shift in how we think and live out our lives.
The Core investigatory question that we seek to explore in the development of this proposal is: Would it be possible to design a built environment to incorporate some of the sustainable innovations, visions and spirit in the local Bay Area sustainability Networks (such as the Digital Be-In crowd)?
Vision: The Proposed Bay Area EcoCentre Project will channel mainstream capital streams effectively into real estate based investments in sustainable development to create “sustainable empowerment” for Bay Area Sustainability Networks. Sustainable Empowerment means that everyone who wants to walk the sustainability talk can be supported to actively move towards the path of “being the change they want to see in the world”.
We envision a showplace for the Bay Area that demonstrates how a socially and ecologically responsible can achieve multiple and synergistic goals relevant to building regional momentum towards sustainability benchmarks and milestones leading ultimately to a socially and ecologically sustainable global society. This includes the transformation of the Bay Area so that it is a leader in this global sea change/metamorphosis.
Focused Plan for Collaboration: The below items is a possible scenario for designing a process to scale things up for such a large scale vision:
- Develop Plan for Ecovillage/Co-housing/Sustainable Village Prototype in USA – Offer a practical model of sustainable community development that is ecologically and socially sustainable as well as highly profitable;
- Promote Global Collaborative Efforts Linking Developed Regions with Emerging Markets – Develop companion sister project in Ghana and coordinate with them to scale out the program/knowledge/dialog to other groups in our Africa networks co-evolving that process with them;
- Develop integrated online platform to promote collaboration – Focusing on sustainable business development and improving collective human intelligence;
- Organize Green Conferences/Workshops/Seminars (based on above) – Pull people into the process from Various networks and sectors relevant to the integrated development model;
- Design Conventional Center for Green Events – Bay Area needs a space to put together green conferences gathering in a sustainable setting (walk the talk!);
- Form Consortium of Co-collaborators for Sustainable Empowerment and Right Livelihood (focused on Bay Area first) – Set benchmarks and goals building on human scale approach. Commit to providing employment to everyone in our networks committed to sustainability. Collaborate to provide training, skills and services to move this vision of sustainability forward;
- Global Roll Out of Consortium – Scale out the model rapidly to the Global Mainstream.
Core Concepts For Keeping It Real: Here is the basic design concept for my approach (which could eventually lead to more larger scale applications as envisioned by GCI):
- Ensure Maximum Manageability (keep control of the project local and with the key stakeholders who actually live in the proposed project) – In terms of leveraging the resources in our networks on a focused converging effort that is appropriate to past scale of efforts/work in network;
- Foster Human Scale Design Process – Keep it real and authentic and accountable by designing a real estate development model around the concept put forward by Gifford Pinchot (Bainbridge Institute). He spoke about scaling human organizations with consideration to a 150 person threshold – human scale. Tim Foresman just mentioned that he spoke to the Gore Tex people about this – apparently they design their business model based on this concept (so then we could be the pioneers in terms of incorporating this into a innovative real estate model to rapidly scale sustainable human habitats in a human scale way). The goal is to start small and focus on small scale community development. You need to start at the village/neighborhood level first, before effectively planning and designing a 15000 person “Califia Ecocity”.
- Maximize Profit/ROI – Integrated Development Architecture considers the appropriate use of technology (its really a critical thinking process that enables the most appropriate development plan for the region/network involved) with consideration to indigenous/local culture development, while maximizing the value of the real estate investment.
EcoCentre – Promoting Investment Value Maximization through the Development of Sustainable Human Habitats: EcoCentre prototype will be designed as a mixed use development. This proof of concept will provide a range of services and amenities minimizing the ecological footprint of residents, while maximizing their economic potential as well as the real estate investment of the property. It will do this by deploying a highly integrated and synergistic suite of sustainable technologies and approaches including:
- Food production facilities onsite will include the testing of state of the art Regenerative/bio-integrated food production systems that will sequester carbon, while conserving water and producing valued added products and services for local use and export;
- Ecologically designed buildings and support infrastructure will be designed based on site feasibility study to determine best sourcing of building materials;
- Sustainable Energy production will include a multi-pronged strategy that includes: lifestyle changes; energy conservation; passive solar design; and the development of appropriate renewable energy systems based on a detail site analysis.
Project Phasing: Project will be designed in stages to carefully leverage networked resources to ensure the development of a trusted network to effective manage and guide the process so that it stays inline with the original intent of the founders.
- Phase I Proof of Concept – Starting small this project will effectively deploy novel technologies that will provide a compelling experience for both 15-50 eco-innovator pioneers participating active in the project as well as the surrounding communities and the public at large. This will include the hiring of a media consulting and implementation group to make maximum use of the project innovations to promote the concept and develop a high value brand that can increase the initial real estate investment value of the project;
- Phase II Operational Sustainability Achieved – Modern day pioneers/Bioneers will develop, prototype and evolve relevant technologies and approaches. We anticipate that with the proper business incubation model that these technologies will have high potential for mass dissemination in both developed and emerging markets. As technologies are commercialized project operational budget sustainability will be increased.
- Phase III Critical Mass Scale out – This project will be designed to scale out rapidly. Additional financing will be leveraged on achieving operational sustainability milestone. A range of housing options will be offered that will encourage more clustered development. Project will be partially financed from the rising real estate value of the project property. Project will build out to maturity within 3 years with a full population around 500 broken up into several neighborhood “pods” of approximately 150 people each. In the process of the build-out project is anticipated to provide revenues to investors.
- Phase IV Replication – Replication will include working with select stakeholder client networks in the Bay Area and around the world to expand on the successful prototyping of this project.
EcoCentre Amenities: Central multi-use facilities may include and incubate the following services and related business ventures:
- Multimedia Center – to showcase Bay Area/Silicon Valley tech innovations (themed along the lines of the Digital Be-In, Burning Man, Planetwork, Digital Earth and similar events)
- Permaculture Gardens/Sustainable Farms – Featuring closed loop designs that recycle all organic wastes onsite as well as importing waste biomass for processing to provide energy, agricultural produce, fish and fertilizers/compost teas for export as value added products;
- Pool, Spa and Health Arts Center – for both local and ecotourism uses
- Modern Convention Center & Meeting facilities – Facilities to host events such as the Digital Be-In, offering a community setting that is designed sustainable from the ground up.
- What else?
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