Themselves. Technology, markets, financial vehicles, business methodology, government regulations, entertainment, media, and so on, all aspects of our professions and our entire lives will change at a continuously increasing rate in perpetuity. Which technology, market, industry should I commit to? I don’t believe this is the most relevant question for a student. More relevant questions … Continue reading “Be Students of Life”
Author: Robert Noble
Robert Noble is an architect, environmental designer, industrial designer and environmental technology entrepreneur, which he calls an "ecopreneur." He has received numerous regional and national awards for his industrial and architectural designs, and green technology innovations. Over his 29-year career, he and/or his work has been awarded Entrepreneur Magazine's Environmental Innovator of the Year, the Edison Award for Environmental Achievement and "Best of What's New," Popular Science 100 Best of 1993, and awards from the American Institute of Architects, and the Urban Land Institute.
Noble is the founding CEO of Envision Solar, a San Diego architectural firm that is a worldwide leader in integrating solar photovoltaic technologies with the conventional building, real estate and transportation industries. Envision Solar designs, engineers and installs photovoltaic solar parking arrays and other commercial and residential solar-integrated building systems. As CEO of San Diego's Tucker Sadler Architects, he led a turn-around of the 50-year-old firm into the leading sustainable design firm in the region.
He is Past Chair of the US Green Building Council of San Diego, Past President of the American Institute of Architects of San Diego, Chairman of the Board of the California Center for Sustainable Energy, past Chair of the California American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment, and Member of the San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership.
He has written over 40 articles regarding sustainable design, USBGC LEED Certification, emergency shelter for disaster relief, renewable energy and other subjects. He has been a highly committed and vocal local, regional and national advocate of environmentally responsible manufacturing, design and planning, and low-cost, emergency and affordable housing for over 20 years.
He attended UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, Harvard Graduate School of Design and Harvard Business School, and Cambridge University Graduate Department of Architecture.
Greenwashing
[Editor’s Note: We asked selected Xconomists a series of questions designed to zero in on the big issues of the year, including “What would you be willing to throw a punch over?”] In both of my fields of distributed renewable energy infrastructure and environmental composites, I would throw a punch at corporations and/or public sector … Continue reading “Greenwashing”
All-Electric Transportation
[Editor’s note: As a New Year’s exercise, we asked a select group of Xconomists to answer this question: “What’s the craziest idea out there that just might succeed?”] All-electric commercial boats, ships, railway engines, and aircraft. The hyper-convergence of energy generation, battery storage, electric vehicle systems development, and electric charging infrastructure has first focused commercially … Continue reading “All-Electric Transportation”
Beyond the iPad to the hPad
[Editor’s note: We asked a group of Xconomists to answer the following question: “If you could patent one thing, what would it be?”] Two patents: a. A low-cost holographic pad: an “hPad,” which would sit on your desk and project three-dimensional fixed and moving images. It would include a touchscreen-like functionality. This would not only … Continue reading “Beyond the iPad to the hPad”
Growing Green: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Cleantech Innovation in San Diego
[Editors note: Architect Robert Noble wrote this article with Glenn Croston] The San Diego area is the home of numerous cleantech businesses that are developing innovative green cars (Aptera, V-Vehicle Co.), developing alternative fuels (GreenHouse International, Synthetic Genomics Inc., Sapphire Energy), finding alternatives to petrochemicals (Genomatica, Verdezyne), and providing renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions … Continue reading “Growing Green: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Cleantech Innovation in San Diego”
That Neighborhood Solar Nut is Now a Keynote Speaker
As a longtime advocate for sustainable building design, I have spent decades listening to people associate solar energy with ugly black boxes on the roof of the house that belonged to the neighborhood nutcase. I’m here to tell you those days are gone forever. I now find myself sharing the dais with the owners of those early solar … Continue reading “That Neighborhood Solar Nut is Now a Keynote Speaker”