Heidi Creighton, FAIA, on persistence, optimism, and building the case
We (Lindsay Baker and Kira Gould) talked with Heidi Creighton, who is Principal Design and Planning Manager at the City of Santa Monica, California. She is spearheading circular economy initiatives, including the creation of Circular SoCal in coordination with AIA Los Angeles, CLF-LA, and USGBC California. Heidi is FAIA, a LEED Fellow, WELL AP, a Fitwel Ambassador, and creator of the Collective Impact speaker series.
Heidi has been intentional about her non-linear career. She has worked in architecture firms; engineering, consulting, and construction organizations; a nonprofit; and now she's on the city government / owner side of things. She has a deep understanding of the industry and movement and insights about how to be effective.
This includes guidance about how we communicate: "Being a good listener, being inquisitive and curious about any project or any client that you're working with is always good to help you build your case. Talking about resiliency, health and well-being, and the circular economy are great gateways to broadening the conversation and getting buy-in. People want lower utility bills and to improve health and well-being. Communities want local job opportunities and economic growth."
Heidi is firmly rooted in the reality of the challenges that communities are facing. "We need to work together toward these shared goals around a healthy, sustainable, and regenerative world," she says. "Traits I have, and that see in other sustainability professionals, are persistence and optimism. Despite headwinds that that might come our way, we have to figure this out. To do so, we've got to constantly evolve."
Today, she works in the City of Santa Monica's City Services Building (known as City Hall East). It's a Living Building project, of which she is justifiably proud. She invites us all to visit, and indeed, there is much to learn from the project. "We have an irresistible staircase with artwork and daylighting," she says. "I love coming to work every day in this beautiful building. And achieving net zero water in a region that's typically in drought nine months of the year, that was a big lift as well."
Listen at https://www.designthefuturepodcast.com/episodes/heidi-creighton or on your favorite podcast platform.
Please consider leaving a review on Apple or Spotify; it helps people find us.
More about the City Hall East building:
https://living-future.org/case-studies/santa-monica-city-services-building/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXAc7orZTF0
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Kira Gould Hon. AIA
Kira Gould CONNECT
Mission Hills KS
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