Hoffman Building Technologies hosted Distech Controls in our Charlotte office this week to work through the Climate Fresk — a workshop that reviews the science behind climate change and encourages participants to think about the future.
The Climate Fresk — or La Fresque Du Climat to its French originators — is a card game in which groups are given a few cards at a time (reading things like “human behavior,” “carbon sinks,” and “increased ocean temperature” to name a few) and instructed to lay them out in terms of cause and effect. It gets harder with each round; the scientific concepts get more difficult to understand, and the causal relationships become more muddied, like the classic “chicken and the egg” riddle.
By the end of the exercise, each group has a large piece of paper covered in cards and arrows, indicating how certain environmental phenomena relate to each other. A good example is melting glaciers. Glaciers melt because of increased temperatures and a heightened greenhouse effect and in turn, rivers may flood due to excess water, which can cause trouble for wildlife, agriculture, and more.
Then participants consider the future: What might happen if we don’t try and fix some of the climate damage humans have wrought? Climate experts predict mass hunger and displacement, disease, armed conflict over limited resources, and more. From there, participants discussed the emotional impact of the Fresk, and brainstormed what we are doing well, or could be doing better, to protect the climate.
As more companies seek to align their corporate goals with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, we at HBT seek to help our customers reduce energy consumption through building automation — working towards a greener future and lowering operating costs. Our partnerships with Distech and other manufacturers are a key part of this goal.
Distech offers myriad products to help building owners meet, maintain, and exceed their sustainability goals. Their building automation systems and HVAC controllers increase energy efficiency, and their apps and software offerings allow end-users to better understand and monitor energy consumption.
Beyond that, HBT’s experience working through the Climate Fresk with Distech representatives allowed us to collaborate on how we can do better for the environment as a team. Something as simple as choosing to have a video call instead of traveling across states for in-person meetings can have a big impact on our carbon emissions. We plan to work together to reduce travel, educate our clients on how Distech and HBT can help them reach ESG goals, recycle more equipment, reduce product packaging, and make thoughtful choices around freight.
Contact our sales team today to learn more about Distech Controls products and all the ways HBT can help you reduce your buildings’ energy consumption — for your wallet, and the future of our planet.
