In the cover story of November’s Fast Company, author Danielle Sacks argues that Bill McDonough is the biggest obstacle to his own success, and he’s pulling the sustainability movement down with him. The Charlottesville architect is the world’s most celebrated eco-architect, and many people (including me) regard him as a visionary. His trouble is that he’s been repeatedly presented with the choice between making a difference and making money, gone for the latter, and wound up with neither. Most recently he’s butted heads with Charlottesville non-profit industrial eco-designers GreenBlue, an organization that he founded, but now he wants them to license the use of the term “cradle to cradle,” though he didn’t even coin the phrase. As Sacks presents it, McDonough is great at the vision thing, but not so great at the doing stuff thing.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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Disclosure: I did a tiny amount of consulting for his firm 14 years ago and my wife works for GreenBlue.
While I think he is quite bright, the amount of money he took to make Monticello High school “green” has also bothered me. I believe it was about $250k and made the high school delay other things that cost more to build later.
I don’t oppose green buildings, it’s just that I didn’t see the value for the money. If someone remembers the details better please correct me.
The fact is GreenBlue was never asked to pay anything for the use of trademarked terms. From the outset GreenBlue was offered a royalty free license to use the terms which it chose to decline.
I was about to reply to your comment, Ken, and say that I was only repeating what I’d read in the article, but reading through the article, I see that there’s actually no mention of payment for that license:
I’ve got no special knowledge here, and since it’s usually best to assume good faith, I’ve excised the words “to pay” from before “to license” in my brief write-up. Thanks for the clarification!
Visionary? What visions did he have when he designed the village in China? Who would design a village for rural China that has houses with garages for people with no cars and then puts the houses on lots that are so small that they can’t keep livestock or grow produce even though the people depend on their gardens and sheep for their livelihoods? Do a web search for Huangbaiyu if you want to see the real impact of McDonough’s “vision.” His real “green” vision is of supplicating sycophants surrendering stacks of green for his bank account. A lot of people have been misled by this man and the truth should be told. A good cause has been used and abused by an incompetent self promoter.
More info on cradle to cradle can be found here: http://www.product-life.org/en/cradle-to-cradle