Full Resume
Steve Charter: Personal Profile
Steve has extensive policy and project experience working with local government, NGO’s, business and individuals in developing effective sustainability projects and strategies that bring results. He has particular expertise in sustainable construction strategies/projects, sustainable living, sustainable communities and the relationship between health and sustainable lifestyles. He is a consultant, author, and trainer/tutor, was one of the UK’s first Agenda 21 coordinators (Leicester Environment City/environ 1993-95), and has subsequently worked both freelance and in the not-for-profit sector, notably on the establishment of the pioneering Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development.
Steve focuses on the practicalities of achieving personal, local and regional sustainability. With specialisms in sustainable construction, sustainable lifestyles/sustainable living, and sustainable communities, as well as naturally healthy lifestyles, a particular strength Steve’s his holistic view and understanding of sustainability issues, from strategic to household levels, supported by a depth of experience arising from 15 years work in this field, in public, private, not-for-profit and education sectors, from grass-roots to national policy.
SC2: Special Areas of Interest / Opportunity
· Project and strategy conceptualisation and development, stakeholder engagement and partnership for sustainability projects;
· Sustainable Communities Planning and Strategy: planning for sustainability and sustainable design and construction; integrating economic, social and environmental needs; integrated planning of energy, water, waste, transport, landscape etc.; Creative communities;
· Sustainable Construction and Design: of sites, including buildings, infrastructure and landscape, of developments and community projects;
· Local and Regional Economic Sustainability: local and regional multipliers, creative economies, closing the loop, skills development and retention, core areas of economic activity, etc.
· Policy planning to encourage sustainable development: LDF and AAP policies, SPG/Design Guides, Development Briefs;
· Sustainable Living: lifestyle change to achieve a sustainable ecological footprint; integrating health and sustainability; high quality of life; the shift to sustainable livelihoods;
· Education for sustainability: integrating environmental education (‘ecoliteracy’), development education, learning creativity/problem solving, learning effectiveness.
Particular Areas of Experience and Expertise:
· Currently: lead coordinator on ‘Foresight’ project, working with a multi-sector partnership in Kent (and possibly Hampshire), to establish a strategic approach to delivering many aspects of sustainable development, using iconic sustainable construction projects to strengthen learning and skills delivery, new enterprise and sustainable supply chain development, sustainable public procurement, sustainable product innovation and sustainable manufacturing capacity; projects include sustainable enterprise cluster with sustainable innovations lab, sustainable construction training, research and visitor centre, creative, knowledge and social enterprise clusters, all to be integrated with large scale housing and mixed use sustainable communities development;
· Facilitation of strategy development, workshops, project and policy development processes, etc. e.g. formulation and development of the South Somerset Sustainable Construction project (1999) leading to the formation of the Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development (2000), significant involvement in development and facilitation of Leicester Environment City and Leicestershire County Council Agenda 21 processes (1993-95); work with Surrey CC and North Somerset, etc..
· Event design: objectives and outputs, meeting participant needs, maximising gain from participant involvement, etc. (conference, seminar and training programmes designed for South Somerset Partnership Sustainable Construction project, Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development, Surrey C C, North Somerset);
Research: skills in refining and undertaking research projects to achieve the maximum beneficial outcome; action research; research integrated in creative processes (see publications below);
· Publications: sustainability guides and reports. Past publications include: Guides to Sustainable Design and Construction for: School and Education Buildings (WWF supported), Community Buildings and Village Halls, Planning for Sustainable Design and Construction; Somerset Sustainable Housing Study; contributing author to Building Sustainably (Sustainable Housing Forum), various Leicester Environment City publications; joint author of reports on integrating sustainability into a Local Authority Economic Development Strategy, and the influence of the sustainability agenda on the UK higher education market. Also author of Eat More Raw: a guide to health and sustainability (Permanent Publications, 2004), and The Earth Dwellers Guide to Sustainability (self-published).
· Training and Education on sustainability issues, sustainable construction and planning for sustainability: a range of workshops and seminars for South Somerset DC, North Somerset and Surrey County Council; Visiting Lecturer University of Nottingham Planning Department (1993-95); lead tutor of 10 two week permaculture design certificate courses, and tutor to apprentices working and studying towards the Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design.
Associated consultants and expertise:
· Julian Brooks Associates: sustainable construction and development consultant – www.julianbrooks.com
· Professor Martin Charter, Coordinator Centre for Sustainable Design, SIAD (Surrey Institute of Art & Design): sustainable product design and management strategies – www.cfsd.org.uk
· A range of consultancy expertise, specialist ecological building and design contacts, and consultancy expertise on local for and energy issues.
Qualifications and experience:
· Masters degree Environmental Planning (1990-92, University of Nottingham), including course prize for highest dissertation mark (title: Planning for Sustainability?) and excellence in examinations (60%+ in all papers);
· BA (Hons) Economics and Geography, (1980-83, University of Exeter);
· Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design (1999);
· Proposer of and co-founding Planning & Research Director of Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development (2000-2003, STSD);
· Designer of and consultant for initiation and development of the South Somerset Sustainable Construction Strategy (1999);
· Co-founder/director of Somerset Sustainable Housing (1998-2000, community enterprise);
· Visiting lecturer on Green Planning at University of Nottingham (1983-85);
· Lead tutor for 10 two week Permaculture Design Certificate courses (2000-present);
· Pioneering Agenda 21 development work, training and consultancy with Environ / Leicester Environment City and Leicestershire County Council (1993-95);
· Research work and writing on business aspects of sustainability with Professor Martin Charter of the Centre for Sustainable Design/ KPH Marketing (1999-2004);
· Export Executive (1984-1990): Barmond International, specialist steel exporters selling to US and Canadian markets, significant responsibilities including front-line sales and customer support, foreign exchange management, purchasing and stock management, shipping, etc;
· Author of:
- Eat More Raw: a guide to health and sustainability (2004);
- The Earth Dwellers Guide to Sustainability;
- Somerset Sustainable Housing Study (1998);
- STSD guides to sustainable construction for: schools (2003, WWF supported); village halls and community buildings (2002); planning (2002).
- Contributing author to Building Sustainably (first Sustainable Housing Forum report, 2004) and various Environ publications (1993-95).
· Proposer, resident, coordinator and Trustee of Ecoforest Education for Sustainability (low impact sustainable living and natural health project in southern Spain; (2000-present).