Designing Architecture and Landscapes with Nature’s Ecological Wisdom with Carl Welty

EcoJustice Radio

On this show, we discuss how we can revolutionize architecture and landscape design by emulating Nature’s genius. Our guest, Ecological Architect Carl Welty [https://carlweltyarchitects.com/], paints a picture of ancient cities oriented to the sun’s movements, capturing its energy without machines. Modern city design often ignores the natural context, the flow of water, sensitive ecological habitats, in favor of geometric patterns – with problematic implications for the complex web of nature’s closed-loop systems. Carl Welty sees solutions to our climate and environmental messes through ecological design. Employing simple passive solar design strategies like orienting buildings south, using overhangs and thermal mass, makes homes and offices 50% to 80% more efficient while costing the same. In fact, timeless techniques from ancient and Indigenous societies that mimic Nature’s design offer a resilience that is key to a truly sustainable, regenerative architecture. Thus we can build communities that generate – instead of consume – more resources (energy, water, and building materials), and at the same time restore native habitat. For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/posts/carl-welty-on-89880683 Carl Welty. Ecological Architect and Principal of Carl Welty Architects [https://carlweltyarchitects.com/]. has over 35 years of experience in the field of architecture and is based in Southern California. Carl's experience includes projects with difficult sites and complex structural requirements; a passive solar house that is Certified LEED Platinum; a Water Education campus that embodies important and timely water issues. He designs buildings that are twice as energy-efficient as typical green buildings by incorporating simple, time-tested, climate-appropriate design principles. Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs. Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/designing-architecture-and-landscapes-with-natures-ecological-wisdom/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Episode 191