Living Lab

The Foundry serves as a living laboratory—testing sustainable practices, training members, and demonstrating what's possible to the wider community.

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🔬 Living Lab Overview

🧪 Test	📚 Learn	📢 Demonstrate	🔄 Replicate
New methods	Train members	Show community	Scale solutions

🎯 Purpose: Innovation through hands-on experimentation and education

🌍 Impact: Develop and share sustainable building practices

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🧪 Experimentation

🧪 Testing & Innovation

What We Test

Area	Examples
📦 Materials	Salvage techniques, new products
🔧 Methods	Construction approaches
⚡ Systems	Energy, water solutions
🛠️ Tools	Equipment, processes

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Testing Process

Step	Activity
1️⃣ Identify	Find promising innovation
2️⃣ Research	Understand the approach
3️⃣ Pilot	Small-scale test
4️⃣ Evaluate	Assess results
5️⃣ Document	Record learnings
6️⃣ Scale	Implement if successful

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Current Areas of Focus

Focus	What We're Testing
🪵 Salvage lumber	Grading methods, uses
🧱 Masonry	Cleaning, reuse techniques
🏠 Insulation	Natural, recycled options
⚡ Energy	System configurations
💧 Water	Conservation technologies

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Innovation Criteria

Criterion	Question
🌍 Sustainability	Does it improve environmental impact?
💰 Economics	Is it cost-effective?
📈 Scalability	Can it be replicated?
🔧 Practicality	Can our teams implement it?

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Failure Is Learning

Outcome	Response
✅ Success	Document, implement
⚠️ Partial	Learn, iterate
❌ Failure	Document why, share learnings

📚 Training

📢 Demonstration

📋 Documentation

🔄 Replication

🏗️ The Facility

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📊 Living Lab Impact

Innovations Developed:

• Salvaged lumber grading system

• Brick cleaning process

• Deep energy retrofit approach

• Circular material tracking

People Trained:

• Members in sustainable practices

• Community in DIY skills

• Industry in best practices

Knowledge Shared:

• Documentation library

• Public presentations

• Research publications

• Open-source tools

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🔬 Learn and Share

• 🧪 Test new approaches

• 📚 Train in best practices

• 📢 Demonstrate possibilities

• 🔄 Share what works

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🔗 Related Pages

🌱Overview🏭OverviewProgramsOur Commitment