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Username
Carri Beer
Proposer First Name
Carri
Proposer Email
carri@commonecologystudio.com
Proposer Last Name
Beer
Proposer Company/Organization
Common Ecology Radical Architecture
Proposer Job Title
Owner, Architect
Proposed Session Description
What do a retired firefighter, fashion designer, and veteran have in common? - modest incomes, average homes, and an unwavering passion to create environment and culture that is resilient, equitable, and restorative. Our practice has experienced a groundswell of inquiries from normal people wanting to make their homes deeply sustainable. We will present multiple case studies in various phases of design and construction to demonstrate the heart and soul behind deep energy, regenerative retrofits.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
Social justice and equity can only happen with resiliency. This does not refer to just building resiliency, but societies and communities that are resilient, supportive of the whole, and designed to withstand climate or economic catastrophe regardless of financial status, education, or past or current oppression. Our goal as designers is to be mindful of our co-existence as humans and stewards of the earth and support efforts toward resiliency by making design services, retrofits, and land restoration accessible to everyone.
Learning Objectives
Define cultural resiliency, radical and restorative building retrofits and landscapes, emergent, and systems thinking as it applies to design of building and landscape retrofits.
Evaluate case studies of residential and small commercial deep energy retrofits and the values and metrics involved in going beyond the data.
Discuss scalability and accessibility of the concept through presenters’ investigations, designs and published works.
ldentify lessons learned and real world challenges, such as costs, contractor education, and the necessity of acceptance and compassion.
Has this session been presented before?
No
Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 1 - No prior knowledge needed.
Session Format
Presentation followed by facilitated discussion or breakout groups
Session Format Details
40 minute presentation followed by 20 minute Q&A

Strongest Content Connection - Boston 2023

Comments about your speaker roster
Both speakers have recently published articles in the Passive House Accelerator discussing their experiences in Deep Energy Retrofits and the value of exploring and extending this conversation to a wider understanding of the systemic design criteria of building retrofits.
Reviewer 1
Stuart, Stephen
Proposal #
185
Committee Decision
Rejected
Full Description
As practitioners, we are so often distracted by the data, payback periods, or whether a decision makes financial sense, that we lose sight of the real meaning of our work and why it is essential to meet zero carbon and resiliency goals. Our clients are humans of all ages, backgrounds and races and are not concerned with financial return - they want to live a life aligned with their values and steward their property in a way that is restorative to their community and the planet. They want to live somewhere beautiful, productive, safe and be an example of living in harmony with the Earth. Information is powerful. The way we structure discussions with our clients and the data we share can reveal potential solutions and frame them within a concept of a conscientious, restorative cultural shift that cares about the consequences of our actions beyond the bounds of our own property and our narrow financial self-interest. We have data and models to support our case studies. Everyone loves the data – they are excited to see that the power and potential of the decisions they make can truly build resiliency. And, too often, information shared by designers and builders with their clients is focused solely around status, esthetics, or cost. Working with clients has been a compelling reminder that the models and data are in service to human and planetary values of compassion, restoration, and a desire for resiliency. As with most middle class homeowners, few can afford full architectural services, and the cost of ambitious decarbonization and resiliency can be a significant obstacle. As practitioners, we need to be equipped to respond with openness and creativity to meet this challenge. In response, we have created an adaptable, customized retrofit field guide providing scalability and accessibility to respond to this need. Our field guide is a phased, master-planned document with customized building assembly details, systems diagrams, material research, passive optimization, and integrated home and site design options.