Name:
Liam Devany
Qualifications:
BA (Hons), MSc, PGCE |
| Q:
What types of jobs did you do in your past life? |
|
A:
I started in print and music distribution. Then I moved
to London and trained in film and video production then
worked in tv for the next five years. After that dream was
over I got right into the internet before it went galactic!
I
started working in the voluntary/adult education sector
for a while to see how that operates and specialised in
training. I learnt my chops there whilst doing a PGCE.
I
gradually became a specialist and wrote a few books on the
subject then I instigated a very commercially popular intensive
course in web technologies. The money flowed then the bubble
bust - and it was back to reality!
After
a period of relaxing, holidaying, and generally enjoying
what life has to offer I needed to feed my brain once more,
so I decided to follow my growing passion in all things
environmental and enrolled on the highly popular Advanced
Environmental and Energy Studies MSc at the CAT/UEL campus
in Powys, Wales.
|
| Q:
What experience do you think you gathered from your past lives? |
| A:
Well nothing's wasted that's for sure. Everything
you learn on life's journey will be available to you in the
future - you'll just use the same skills in a different context.
I learned about the power of communications technology and
its hypnotic effects and how appropriate marketing really
works. |
| Q:
What area are you currently working in now? |
| A:
Oh, everything's got very interesting since finishing the
Masters. My association with HBC has taken me on a strange
and wonderful journey. Environmental building has been the
main area of specialisation but I have been studying the practicalities
of when to utilise wind/hydro/pv/heating systems with these
buildings. |
| Q:
What interests you about it? |
| A:
Well I am glad to be working in the real world as well
as in the cerebral one. Trying to attain the correct life-balance
between computer work and outside work is my main objective.
I like the way this area comprises old knowledge that can
be advanced upon by our greater scientific understanding of
physics and materials. Trying to combine these two spheres
is a great mind stimulant. |
| Q:
What aspects of the environment really interest you and why? |
|
A:
Well I am very much an activist in this area. My participation
in HBC is all about trying to implement environmental initiatives
- ones that will have a real impact on the UK environment.
As
the population doubles every 20 years and oil production
declines, it doesn't take a genius to work out that we are
all going to be competing for energy to drive our consumer
goodies and lifestyles. That means much higher energy costs
and a very controlled allocation of resources.
All
but the wealthiest will have to reduce their consumption
and seek renewable ways of generation just to survive. I'm
amazed how many people are totally unaware how they contribute
to greenhouse gas emissions and what the consequences will
be in the not-too-distant future!
|
| Q:
How do you see the environmental agenda progressing in Britain? |
A:
Very poorly at its current rate. The more affluent classes
are generally aware of the problem but do very little to solve
it, and as for the rest - its invisible! The government hasn't
helped either by refusing to give tax breaks to organisations
and initiatives trying to achieve its self-proclaimed renewable
energy targets by 2010. Their most recent white papers are
starting to show awareness of measures that need to be taken.
|
| Q:
What sustainable technologies do you see finding adoption
in the UK by 2010 and why? |
|
A:
Well, what will be the cheapest? For the 30% of citizens
who are not homeowners, environmental buildings can offer
much cheaper and vastly more energy efficient homes. Of
course they will have to live remotely due to the super-inflated
price of land near most metropolitan areas - its a trade-off.
I
see biofuels taking off in certain localised markets where
it’s expensive to ship oil to. I also think wind power
is growing to competitive rates with other power generation
sources, although there is much more resistence to it from
sections of UK society that we have not seen in other countries..
|
| Q:
How does your field fit in with the environmental agenda? |
| A:
My field is the environmental agenda. It’s an all-encompassing
area with many interesting angles to it. I could easily see
it taking up the rest of my life. |
| Q:
Is it a burgeoning sector in the long term or just a fad? |
A:
Oh it’s definitely burgeoning. As energy shortages
increase and climatic conditions get crazier it will mean
more people adopting renewables just for cost reasons alone,
forget the ideology. In 10-15 years time it will be the norm.
|
| Q:
What are your other current/continuing interests? |
|
A:
When I do not have to be in one location for an extended
period because of work, I think travelling is the most exciting
thing for me. Whether in another country or just another
county in the UK, nothing makes me feel happier than walking
on an off-the-beaten track and just taking in nature pure
and simple.
Everything
is just a moment in time for me and walking through a landscape
is a constant delight of surprises and a million frames
of new images. What could be more refreshing for the mind?
|
| Q:
Are there any other subjects/areas that you are just starting
to take an interest in? |
|
A:
Working for HBC means that the strategy has to constantly
change according to what initiatives we are involved in
gains most currency. So, from environmental building we
seemed to have moved into apiaries and green roofing in
2004.
Consequently
I am learning beekeeping to study everything about bees
in greater detail (part of a healthy living initiative)
and I would really like to build some greenroofs this year
too.
I
also do some carpentry to try and keep sane while I am waiting
for responses to people/organisations which often takes
weeks. Its a strange journey but one which I love.
|
| Q:
How do you see your role as a member of HBC? |
| A:
Well I am definitely at the coalface of strategy, trying
to think of initiatives that will have an impact in the UK.
I am involved with a lot of the organisation of the initiatives
and implementing them. |
| Q:
If HBC reaches its stated goals of achieving national
training schemes throughout the UK in the environmental field
in the next couple of years - what role do you see yourself
playing in the organisation at that stage? |
A:
I would definitely like to continue some aspect of what
HBC covers in greater research detail. I genuinely want to
bring innovation to the field and am prepared to spend a few
years studying some environmental aspect in greater detail
to draw some conclusions that could be useful to everyone.
|
|
Name:
Andrew
Smith
Qualifications:
BA (Hons) PG. Dip |
| Q:
What types of jobs did you do in your past life? |
|
A:
I started my education in building, carpentry, livestock
management, welding, light mechanics, rural science, art
and design.
From
there I went on to study computer science, CAD design, graphic
design, audiovisual design, production design, 3D design
and electro acoustics.
Working
as a practicing artist, I have built several multimedia
gallery installations all based on building and industrial
themes and taught a variety of practical production courses
from community based teaching to postgraduate level.
|
| Q:
What led you to the environmental field? |
|
A:
A keen interest in 'alternative energy' led me
to 'recycling' and it's endless possibilities. Whilst travelling
round the world I had the opportunity to study building
design in other cultures.
After
seeing houses and communities in BC Canada, Western Australia
and parts of California, built entirely from 'waste' materials,
this interested me and led me into the many areas of sustainable,
renewable building design and eco living principles.
As
a team member of HBC I want to keep on learning new building
techniques and educating communities in these skills to
meet the ever-growing future global demand for a complete
change to a more organic way of building and living.
|
| Q:
What area are you currently working in now? |
| A:
Eco Training, Sustainable Building. |
| Q:
What interests you about it? |
| A:
The global necessity for a change to Eco living. |
| Q:
What aspects of the environment really interest you and why? |
| A:
Eco building techniques, Animal welfare / biodiversity. |
| Q:
How do you see the environmental agenda progressing in Britain? |
| A:
Slowly, the UK has a total lack of effective green policies
in place compared to other European countries. |
| Q:
What sustainable technologies do you see finding adoption
in the UK by 2010 and why? |
| A:
Green roofs, as there is such a lack of green public spaces
in urban areas. |
| Q:
How does your field fit in with the environmental agenda? |
| A:
Education, very few people in the UK have an environmental
agenda. |
| Q:
Is it a burgeoning sector in the long term or just a fad? |
| A:
More people are getting interested as they realise there is
a need for global change towards a more sustainable way of
living. |
| Q:
What are your other current/continuing interests? |
A:
Recyling, eco travel alternatives. Steam power, surround
sound, acoustics design, vintage synthesisers, improvised
music,
competition cycling, organic gardening, wildlife, ancient
buildings, backpacking and hill walking. |
| Q:
Are there any other subjects/areas that you are just starting
to take an interest in? |
| A:
Beekeeping. |
| Q:
How do you see your role as a member of HBC? |
A:
I will be training others in how to construct environmentally
friendly buildings, and further on, training assessors in
this
field. |
Q:
If HBC reaches its stated goals of achieving national training
schemes throughout the UK in the environmental field in the
next couple of years - what role do you see yourself playing
in the organisation at that stage? |
| A:
Project Co-ordinator / Trainer. |
|
