Category / Environment & Sustainability

by shannonchance

Fresh Off the Plane

Dave met me at the gate when I arrived into Norfolk “International” Airport. We grabbed my bags and he whisked me off to a dinner party at the McClure’s.  He had made-from-scratch two beautiful lasagnas that were to be the centerpiece of our meal.

We arrived at Glen and Marshall’s home just in time to view the sunset off their back desk and take a quick peek into their lovely garden. Even mid-December, the flowers are abloom in their back yard. For Marshall this seemed like nothing special; this type of flower always blooms this time of year, she said. Hampton Roads (our region, comprised of seven different cities in close proximity) is awash in pink blooms right now.

But the sight of fresh winter blooms left me in awe….

View from the McClure deck.
The McClures’ secret garden.
This is what I imagine it would look like if we were opening a Christmas gift — which is fitting because this evening was truly a gift.

I notice that the flowers looked a lot fresher than I did (sporting my glamorous just-off-the plane aura)!

Chatting with Glen McClure.
Dave perused the newest book published by Parke Press, Marshall’s company, which specializes in local history.
Then out of the blue, Jamie and Mark Lewis arrived with party favors and gifts.

As the sun dipped below the tree line, we headed in to the McClures’ cozy living room.  We sat around, petting the animals and chatting for a while.

Then, low and behold, Jamie and Mark Lewis showed up at the front door — with party balloons and Christmas gifts in tow.  Mark is a conservator who works at the Chrysler Museum of Art.  We initially met at an art gallery, where he told me he is job is to “clean dirty pictures with Q-tips and spit.”

What a catchy line pick up line!?!

It’s one that worked.  Mark, his wife Jamie, and I have been fast friends from that moment forward.

Jamie and Mark Lewis with Shannon Chance.
Shannon and Dave Chance.
Festivities among the McClures, Lewises, and Chances.

I’ve so many fond memories of dinners around the McClures’ dinner table(s).

Dinner time!

Dinner time!

As I mentioned, Dave had assembled two delicious lasagnas — one red and one white.  He made them completely from scratch, noodles and all!  The McClures rounded out the selection with a crisp salad and ice cream.

Everyone chipped in bottles of wine they’d socked aways for special occasions.  Dave brought one from Dolceaqua (a Ligurian town we visited this past summer). Marshall contributed some of the finest from her brother’s Virginia winery. And Jamie, knowing Marshall’s preference for pale wines, shared a delightful bottle of white.

Marshall serving up Dave’s fabulous lasagnas.
Glen coming in for seconds.
Teaching Jamie to use Skype.

I have to say:  this was the perfect way to spend my first evening back in the States.  Seeing people I love gave my heart such a lift!

by shannonchance

My Kiddies

Jerry thought all the boys on my blog photos were *my* kids and I’d left them all home with Dave!  Hee!  Hee!

No, such is not the case.  Dave and I have five wonderful *nephews*!  We ourselves only have kats, not kids.

Here’s introducing the whole furry Chance family… we named them for Italian cities.

They are looking forward to seeing their mom (that’s me) in just three days!

Siena, Pescia, and Pisa Chance in formation.

Siena, Pescia, and Pisa Chance in formation.

Lucca Chance, chilling in Dave's office.

Lucca Chance, chilling in Dave’s office.

 

by shannonchance

Chugging toward a Better Future in the USA

Amtrak service is up and running between Norfolk VA and Washington DC. (Photo downloaded from Facebook, by Downtown Norfolk.)

Amtrak service is up and running between Norfolk VA and Washington DC. (Photo downloaded from Facebook, by Downtown Norfolk.)

Today is a big day in Hampton Roads, Virginia, which is the place I call home.

Passenger train service is finally up and running–direct from Norfolk to Washington DC.

I think this route was available long ago in history, but it hasn’t been since I moved to the region in 1998 (and also not for a long time before that). I’ve had to drive all the way to Newport News to catch the Amtrak up to now.

Long ago, the auto-making companies in the US bought up many of the rail lines. In many instances, they dug up the tracks or sold the linear lines to multiple parties–all to make the system unworkable and difficult to reinstate.

But today, Hampton Roads has overcome some major obstacles and re-upped its route.

On Facebook, “Downtown Norfolk” says “the station can be found in Harbor Park. The first train leaves at 4:50am and the station will be open at 4am. Tickets are not sold at the station and must be purchased in advance. Please contact Amtrak to make your reservation or visit www.amtrakvirginia.com“.

I have to say, though, that as happy as I am about the new train service, the photo that Downtown Norfolk posted on Facebook shows just a glimmer of hope in a very bleak landscape.

The photo is a depressing depiction of what we’ve done to the land in the USA. Asphalt. Plastic. Ugliness wall to wall.

We can, and we must, do better.

by shannonchance

Brilliant Day Dawning

Today's encore.

Today’s encore.

Encore sunrise near full tilt.

Encore sunrise near full tilt.

In a magnificent encore to yesterday’s sunrise performance, Mother Nature reminds us that we have another spectacularly unique day before us.

Let’s use it well.

by shannonchance

Sadly, the Sun also Sets

The sun also sets (at 4:30 pm).

The sun also sets (at 4:30 pm).

Here’s a view from my window at 4:30 pm.

Throughout history, there have always been big solstice parties in Ireland.  I mean always.  And I mean big.

Seems pretty clear why that is!

I will miss the celebrations here, which is sad, but thankfully I will be home celebrating the light of my life!

by shannonchance

All the Glory of God

sliver moon

sliver moon

A thin sliver of moon hung in the sky as dawn broke over Dublin this morning. I’d thrown the curtains open, eager to soak in the southern rays I hoped would arrive.

And arrive they did!  In the full glory of God, the universe, and all that is good in the world.

This, my friends, is what Glen McClure calls “God-light.”

And all is good in my corner of the world today.

grlorious rays of morning

grlorious rays of morning

by shannonchance

Years Ahead in Recycling

The Irish are hipper with recycling than we are in most places in the States.  The Dublin Institute of Technology, for instance, provides some bins that are clearly labelled and located in sensible places.

Recycle bins at the train station “guarantee to recycle 70% of the contents” deposited into them.  That beats us by leaps and bounds!

Recycling at DIT’s headquarters on Aungier Street.

Recycling at Heuston Station.

by shannonchance

Green Know-How

Simon McGuinness asked me to speak about LEED with his Architectural Technology class.

Simon McGuinness asked me to speak about LEED with his Architectural Technology class.

65% of Ireland’s architects are unemployed today.  Shocking.  And sad.

Today, I got to speak to a room-full of these architects and architectural technologists.  They come to DIT once a week — from all over Ireland — to learn about sustainability.

To be eligible to take this course, a person has to be receiving some form of unemployment assistance.  The government funds this program as a way to infuse knowledge about green building into the community and help re-train this group so they can help address pressing social needs.

And what a fantastic audience!  I was so caught up in the dialogue that I forgot to take a picture for you.  I believe everyone in the room was older than me and likely had much more field experience.

And they were fully engaged, interested, and attentive!  Full of energy and questions!

The teacher of the course, Simon McGuinness, had asked me talk about the nuts and bolts of documenting projects using the LEED Green Building rating system.  That can be a very dry subject.  But they took it in with enthusiasm.

During the one-hour talk, I got the chance to share some of the findings of my dissertation and the recommendations I made in the article I just published in Planning for Higher Education.  I’ve included a gallery of those slides, below.  Please see the article for details.  (It got over 800 downloads!)

I described the system and how universities and K-12 schools use it.
I got to share recommendations from the paper I just published in Planning for Higher Education….
…these are conclusions I drew from my dissertation study.
I was shocked to find what a motivating factor the point totals were among the 446 universities buildings that earnd ratings prior to 2010.
I was impressed that the USGBC (which runs the LEED program) has been studying the performance of buildings and of its LEED system and making adjustments over time. They’ve upped the ante in the categories of Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, and Energy and Atmosphere.
Here’s an example of how the USGBC is bringing greater attention to site design (by offering more points in critical areas).
I found that the category of Energy and Atmosphere was the #1 predictor of LEED rating among the 181 university buildings in my sample.
by shannonchance

“The Ongoing Evolution of Post-Recession Dublin”

The Atlantic Cities posted an interesting article about Dublin written by Richard Conway, a guy who lives in NYC.  Conway provides an interesting take on what’s going on here–though the suggestion that protests break out left and right is downright absurd.  (But then, maybe he hasn’t been to Greece for comparison?)

Thanks, Chris Bonney, for forwarding this article to me.

by shannonchance

Exploring Material Ethics

A progress review in Patrick’s 4th year studio at the DIT. Patrick, Shannon, and Connor are clearly captivated by this student’s presentation.

I asked the architecture students to tell me what interested them most from the lecture on Materials that I gave today in the studio coordinated by Patrick Flynn.  They said Dave Chance’s images!

I’d been asked to talk about materials in a way that would help students with designing schools.  So I started by downloading pages from Dave’s website.  He travels the world photographing materials in relation to light.

To prepare for this lecture I also attended a review of the class’s proposed designs last Friday.  Patrick invited me as a guest critic, but my primary goal was to find out how I could tailor today’s presentation to their needs and interests.

A slide using Dave Chance’s photograph from the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy. (Copyright Dave Chance Photography.)

I decided to present my thoughts using: (1) Dave’s images to provide inspiration and (2) images of schools as a tool for conveying more pragmatic content.

I structured the talk around themes of Material Ethics, Teaching Capacity of materials, the need to Generate Knowledge regarding materials, Authenticity, and Sustainability.  I titled it “How an Architect’s Material Palette Can Enhance Student Learning” with the subheading “Cultivating an Ethics of Materiality.”

A progress review in Patrick’s 4th year studio at the DIT. Patrick, Shannon, and Connor are clearly captivated by this student’s presentation.
Beautiful design work!
The professors’ view at a studio crit… it’s the best view in the house!
Discussing the construction process.
My (boring) title slide.
Some of the sources I used for this lecture.
A slide using Dave Chance’s photograph from the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy. (Copyright Dave Chance Photography.)
Copyright Dave Chance Photography.
Copyright Dave Chance Photography.
The fourth year architecture studio lead by architect Patrick Flynn, after today’s lecture.