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Sustainable Design

Sustainability is a nebulous concept but regardless of semantics it is very apparent that many modern-day societies are overlooking the efficient use of the world’s often limited resources. Interestingly, high performance, efficient and “green” systems do already exist and we must act today if the use of natural and human resources will continue to provide useful ecological and economic services for future generations. In the words of Jaime Lerner, mayor of Curtiba (capital of Paraná in southern Brazil) “There will always be a better study, but we do not have the right to postpone” what we can do today – we must act.

The Cape Eleuthera Institute’s efforts to usher in an age of greater sustainability and a more livable future began at its founding. We are shaped by our environments, both the built and natural environments – and our designs, as architect and ecological thinker William McDonough points out, “are the first signal of human intention.” For instance, buildings create over 40% of all of the solid waste generated in the world each year and they consume more than 60% of all of the world’s primary energy. And most of them are still not comfortable, beautiful, or long lasting. Winston Churchill is quoted as saying “first we build our buildings, then they build us” – if we build intelligence and beauty into our buildings, we are building an aesthetic and intellectual endowment that will yield well into the future.

At the Cape Eleuthera Institute, we intend to design spaces that reflect our values and help inspire creative thinking, while reducing the immediate and long-term impacts on the surrounding ecology. From onsite power and water harvesting, to locally derived building materials, native landscapes and innovative waste management strategies – we continually strive to improve our ability to live in more meaningful and less harmful ways.

You can find more information on some of the specific aspects of the CEI campus designs and systems on the Green Building Systems and Renewable Energy & Biofuels pages.

Cape Systems Limited (CSL) was launched in September 2005 as a sister company to the Cape Eleuthera Institute. The systems team at the Cape Eleuthera Institute was the impetus for the creation of Cape Systems Limited, which works synergistically with the staff at the Cape Eleuthera Institute to continue to innovate new ways to design, build and live. The Cape Eleuthera Institute’s formation in 2003 was tied to a set of values surrounding ecological health, spaces that help us learn and grow, stewardship and sustainability. Those values are now solidified in the buildings, systems and curriculum of Cape Eleuthera Institute – and giving life to Cape Systems helps extend those values to a new set of clients and partners. For more information on Cape Systems’ work – please visit www.capesystemslimited.com.