Communities across Ireland are implementing new initiatives to combat the rising environmental and financial costs of fossil fuels. These efforts help them take control of their energy needs and empower their communities.

This episode focuses on the Arann Islands and the Drombane Upperchurch Energy Tipperary (DUET) group, demonstrating how they've embraced new technologies to secure their energy future.

Published on February 4, 2014.

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Gerhard is a true entrepreneur. He had sold his company in 2008 and moved to Florida for a living. When the earthquake in Haiti happened in 2010, he saw how bad the situation was and decided that he

Gerhard is a true entrepreneur. He had sold his company in 2008 and moved to Florida for a living. When the earthquake in Haiti happened in 2010, he saw how bad the situation was and decided that he wanted to help. It put him on a ten-year journey in which he developed a polymeric concrete made out of desert sand and PET plastics, hard as granite and in the form of LEGO bricks. With his solution, houses could be built literally in one day. Innovation is the application of an invention, so Gerhard took his chance in Africa to create a local circular economy and empowered the people to take their chance. In his talk he will take you on his extraordinary journey, in which his current achievements are just the beginning of the transformation of the construction industry. Dr. Gerhard Dust, born 1952 in Soest, Germany, started his career in the construction business. After service in the Luftwaffe and graduation from university he followed his family tradition of working in the book industry. Being COO of the company Libri from 1991-2008 he earned an international reputation for the analysis, design and implementation of high-level automated storage and distribution systems. During these years he was also founder and general manager of the book transport company BOOXpress, member of the Board of Top Holding AG and chairman of the International Group of Book-Distributors. 2010 under the impression of the earthquake in Haiti he founded PolyCare and has won more than 20 international awards for the revolutionary PolyCare construction process in recent years. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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