Can we build for people, planet, and profit?

Budget and bottom line has long been the focus for building projects. And, that isn’t going to change. 

There isn’t a world in which we wave goodbye to the practicalities and the confines of budgets and welcome in blue-sky thinking. 

Stick with us here. 

Because there is a world where profit and budget is considered, but so are people and planet throughout the design and build process. Instead of focussing on a number alone, we focus on impact, for those who are going to spend time there, and for the land that it is built on. 

Traditionally, the price tag attached to a project has been the only thing worth talking about. The big subject that gets the most airtime and attention, but there is a wave where we are making space for broader conversations. 

How will people experience this space, how will it make them feel?

What will happen to the space once it has served its purpose?

How can the space and community give back to the land that this is built on?

What role does circularity play in all of this? 

Those are just some of the questions taking centre stage, alongside those big budget questions. Gone are the days of price tags hogging the limelight, because we need to change the way we think and build. 

This trifecta of people, planet, and profit, that is the key to creating spaces that are well-built, well-planned, and well-executed. On time, on budget, and on purpose. 

The world is shifting, and considering people and planet in the building process does not cost the earth. In fact, planetary planning in design, build, and construction is a time and money saver, rather than a sucker. Reduced energy and water costs, maintenance costs, and suchlike are some of the savings we tend to see long-term. Short-term, it’s about selecting materials for longevity and their end of life plan, and choosing to build better rather than build twice. 

This is a new wave of building, and while every project won’t change overnight, changing the way we think about success and outcomes is key to shaping a new way of building, working, and living. 

They say you can’t have your cake and eat it, but in this case, we can. Spaces designed and constructed to budget, thoughtfully designed with considered materials, to benefit people, planet, and profit.