The Construction Process with Adam Sgrenci
"It's not about the product, it's about the process."
This is the mantra that Adam Sgrenci extols when he talks about applying regenerative values and principals to the field of construction management. Adam's work as the co-founder of the Center for Infrastructure and Society often put him in project management roles to help advance large-scale regenerative projects around the globe.
Working for clients doesn't always mean you get the latitude to test out new ideas though. In January of 2021, Adam found a house in the Bay Area that showed signs of potential. The house and land were sick, however, and needed someone like Adam, as most buyers would have scraped the house and started over.
Adam and his wife decided this was going to be the site of their new home. Instead of hiring a bulldozer to first level the site, Adam called in a permaculturalist. From there he set off doing what would best be described as a Regenervention: a detailed process of looking at the whole, being mindful of the materials and resources that went into and out of the site, and integrating the community into the project.
As the real estate and construction industry is looking for ways to embrace sustainability, reduce waste, and be more equitable, Adam is helping to pioneer a new path that is surely unlike any other construction project in the world. Through this project Adam is not only addressing sustainability and building community, but also developing the capacity of everyone who is part of the process.
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