Tag: 3BL

PORTLAND, Ore., October 2, 2025 /3BL/ —Free Geek, a nonprofit with offerings that help narrow the digital divide, has announced a grant of $300,000 from the KeyBank Foundation. Funds from this grant will support the organization’s efforts to provide digital literacy training and education, hardware (new and refurbished) and support through digital navigators. 

Free Geek maximizes its impact by partnering with community-based organizations that are already providing other services in related areas, including affordable housing, workforce development and food assistance. The organization will work in partnership with Home Forward, the housing authority serving Multnomah County and surrounding areas, to establish Free Geek’s ‘Train the Trainer Program’ at its low-income housing buildings and communities. The goal is to first close tool and digital skill gaps community members at Home Forward properties are already experiencing, and then Free Geek-trained community builders will develop plans to further build the specialized skills needed to reach goals that will enrich their lives. 

As community members go through Free Geek’s programs, they will learn to use these digital tools and devices to find success in Home Forward’s key programs, which include employment support, credit repair, building savings, starting a business, youth resources, homeownership, educational goals and basic digital literacy.

“We see firsthand that the digital divide continues to be a persistent challenge for communities in Multnomah County that are home to some of our most disconnected communities who do not own a computer, and many others don’t know how to use them effectively,” said Juan Muro, Executive Director of Free Geek. “Through our partnership with Home Forward, this investment will ensure that these families have the same benefits as others and their children have access to online resources to be successful in school. Free Geek will use the investment to help bridge the digital divide by working to connect more people to the internet, getting devices into the hands of people who need them and providing the digital skills to thrive.”

“At KeyBank, our mission is to help our communities thrive, and that means addressing educational gaps that might be hindering our neighbors from reaching their full potential,” said Josh Lyons, president of KeyBank in Oregon and SW Washington.

“KeyBank was drawn to the far-ranging goals of this program that will help participants advance their skills in myriad ways, from being able to secure higher-paying jobs to obtaining a better understanding of financial literacy to gaining easier access to healthcare and conducting everyday tasks like paying bills and staying connected to their communities,” said Angel Reyes, Oregon and SW Washington Corporate Responsibility Officer.

About Free Geek

Free Geek is a Portland-based non-profit organization with a mission to repurpose technology and discover sustainable solutions while providing educational resources. Its ultimate aim is to foster a vibrant community where individuals are empowered to unlock their full potential. Through their dedicated efforts, they strive to transform the world by leveraging technology, sustainability, and education to create a brighter, more inclusive future, where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and make a meaningful impact.

About KeyCorp

In 2025, KeyCorp celebrates its bicentennial, marking 200 years of service to clients and communities from Maine to Alaska. To learn more, visit KeyBank Heritage Center. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $185 billion at June 30, 2025. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC. 

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Saint-Gobain North America, a leading manufacturer of light and sustainable building products and high-performance solutions, today launched Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities, a manufacturing workforce development program for high-school students. With the goal of bringing visibility to manufacturing as a valuable and rewarding career path, Saint-Gobain will partner with high schools to help grow local talent. Through a classroom curriculum focused on the real world of manufacturing, along with visits to nearby Saint-Gobain facilities, the program experience will give students an up-close look at the industry and its opportunities.

The program comes as the manufacturing industry faces deep workforce challenges. According to a study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, the manufacturing sector will require over 3.8 million jobs over the next decade. At its current trajectory, over 1.9 million of those jobs could remain unfilled if action is not taken.¹ With Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities, Saint-Gobain aims to reach a new generation of workers who may not otherwise consider manufacturing as a viable career path.

“Our Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities program is a win-win for students, the manufacturing industry and local economies,” said Mark Rayfield, President & CEO of Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed. “In the manufacturing industry anyone can have a long and successful career, and by bringing manufacturing directly to high schools, we aim to show students the rewarding role they can play in building the future of the industry.”

Piloted earlier this year with Granville County Public Schools in Granville County, North Carolina and Shakopee High School in Shakopee, Minnesota, the program has shown early success with participants citing a heightened interest in manufacturing following completion. The program is expected to expand to at least ten additional sites during the 2025-2026 school year, with plans for continued growth throughout the United States and Canada in subsequent school years.

Today’s announcement illustrates Saint-Gobain’s strong commitment to the communities where it operates. Other recent community initiatives include:

• In August, Saint-Gobain’s Norton Abrasives plant in Travelers Rest, South Carolina partnered with the Good360 and the City of Travelers Rest to build “welcome home kits” to provide aid to families, including those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
• Also in August, CertainTeed Gypsum in Moundsville, West Virginia donated over 27,000 sq. ft. of wallboard to assist in rebuilding efforts after flash flooding in the Town of Triadelphia.
• Saint-Gobain regularly works with partners Habitat for Humanity Canada, Homes for Our Troops and Rebuilding Together to help provide shelter for those in need of affordable or specialized housing.

With over 160 locations in the United States and Canada, every current and future member of the company’s team plays a vital role in achieving its goals. A current list of job openings at all Saint-Gobain locations can be found on the company’s career website.

To learn more about Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities visit www.sustainingfuturesraisingcommunities.com

About Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities

Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities is a manufacturing workforce development program designed to help empower students to build a strong foundation for careers in manufacturing. The program gives students a chance to explore immersive manufacturing environments with a focus on plant jobs, helping them connect what they learn in school to what is possible in the workplace. Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities is part Saint-Gobain North America’s broader commitment to manufacturing workforce development.

For more information visit www.sustainingfuturesraisingcommunities.com

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€46.6 billion in sales in 2024
161,000 employees, locations in 80 countries
Committed to achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2050

For more information about Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.com and follow us on Twitter @saintgobain

MEDIA CONTACTS
Peter Clark
(+1) 603 513 8513
 

¹https://nam.org/study-manufacturing-in-u-s-could-need-up-to-3-8-million-workers-30626/?stream=workforce

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Kunaal Patel, Michael Chen and Rich Croghan

The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) marks one of the most sweeping legislative shifts affecting corporate governance, financing structures, and compliance obligations for companies operating in high-growth, innovation-driven industries. While the bill’s broad scope impacts companies across every sector, technology and life sciences firms—particularly those that are venture-backed, closely held, or recently public—face unique and immediate implications.

Here is a high-level look at some of the key provisions of OBBBA that are reshaping the landscape for technology and life sciences; areas that present risk and opportunity for companies navigating the act. Whether you’re preparing for a funding round, evaluating M&A strategy, or managing evolving disclosure requirements, understanding how this new law reshapes the playing field is critical.

Key Corporate Implications

1. R&D Expenditures: Immediate Deductibility Restored

Effective for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2024, R&D expensing has been reinstated, which could be especially impactful for life sciences and tech innovators.

• Fully deduct domestic R&D expenses in the year incurred
• Foreign R&D must still be capitalized over 15 years

Planning opportunities:

• Retroactive refunds via amended returns may be possible (for small businesses with ≤ $31 million in gross receipts and that are not a tax shelter). On Aug. 28 the IRS issued guidance in Rev. Proc. 2025-28 for taxpayers to make certain elections and accounting method changes provided under §70302 of the OBBBA. Before making the election, speak with your Baker Tilly advisor.
• Option to continue amortizing expenses from 2022–2024

2. Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS): Expanded Benefits

Modifications to Section 1202, small business stock gain exclusion, which may affect the attractiveness of qualifying stock for founders and investors in emerging technology and life sciences companies.

What changed:

• Holding period: Now phased in (3 years = 50%, 4 years = 75%, 5 years or more = 100% exclusion)
• Lifetime exemption: Increased from $10 million to $15 million
• Gross asset limit: Raised from $50 million to $75 million

3. Reinstatement of bonus depreciation for property

Permanently restores 100% bonus depreciation for qualifying property placed in service after Jan. 19, 2025.

• Property must be acquired and placed into service AFTER Jan. 19, 2025, for 100% bonus depreciation.

4. Interest Expense Deduction: Return to EBITDA-Based Calculation

Reverts to a more generous EBITDA-based interest expense limitation for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2024. This provision will allow a permanent addback of depreciation and amortization when calculating interest expense limits, potentially easing interest deductions for capital-intensive companies.

• Particularly beneficial for VC- or PE-backed tech companies with leveraged financing, improving after-tax profitability

5. Reforms to taxation on foreign income

Changes to Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (GILTI) and Foreign-Derived Intangible Income (FDII) regimes that could reshape cross-border tax strategy for U.S. multinational companies.

• Renamed from Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (GILTI) to Net CFC Tested Income (NCTI)
• Renamed from a Foreign-Derived Intangible Income (FDII) to Foreign-Derived Deduction eligible Income (FDDEI) deduction
• Section 250 deductions reduced, increasing the effective tax rate from 10.5% to 12.6% for NCTI and 13.125% to 14% for FDDEI, respectively
• Elimination of Qualified Business Asset Investment (QBAI)
  • May result in more U.S. shareholders having (and being subject to tax on) deemed inclusions of NCTI where related CFC income would no longer be shielded by QBAI as a substance-based exclusion
  • May result in more eligible domestic exporters reaping newfound (incremental) tax benefits through a FDDEI deduction made available on the first dollar of qualifying export income in the absence of a QBAI floor
• Narrowing of the expenses allocable to NCTI and FDDEI, respectively, generally works to reduce incidence of residual U.S. tax being due on deemed inclusions of NCTI having an effective rate of foreign taxation ≥14% and, separately, increase qualifying export income eligible for FDDEI deduction

Changes to pro rata share rules on allocation of subpart F and/or NCTI deemed inclusion amounts amongst buyer and seller as parties to an M&A transaction necessitate a closer look at agreements and anticipated deal economics

6. Introduction of book-to-tax conformity

The book-to-tax conformity may influence financial reporting and planning, particularly for public companies. OBBBA has sought to narrow some of the gaps between tax laws and financial reporting, introducing new planning challenges.

This is a critical time to continue to engage in meaningful dialogue about how these changes may impact your businesses, especially given the industry’s strong ties to innovation and global operations.

For more information on this topic or to learn how our specialists can help you navigate OBBBA, contact the team.

• Grants, corporate giving, employee donations and volunteer hours help communities prepare for, withstand and recover from storms
• Funding supports first responders, emergency management organizations and nonprofit partners across seven states

CHARLOTTE, N.C., October 2, 2025 /3BL/ – As we reflect on the anniversaries of hurricanes Helene and Milton, Duke Energy Foundation announced that it, together with Duke Energy and its employees, has invested $33.8 million to nonprofit organizations since 2016 to support community resilience, emergency preparedness and disaster relief. 

What the grants support: These investments across Duke Energy’s service territories in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee have funded:

• Training for first responders
• Lifesaving equipment such as AEDs and drones
• Emergency operations centers and shelters
• Community education and storm kits for vulnerable populations, such as seniors and income-restricted customers

How it works: The Foundation partners with state and local emergency management agencies, national relief organizations and community nonprofits to tailor support to each community – both in blue-sky days and after a storm hits. This support is made possible through a combination of corporate giving, employee donations and volunteer hours, in addition to direct grants.

“When disaster strikes, it’s critical that we respond quickly and show up with humanity,” said Amy Strecker, president of the Duke Energy Foundation. “By supporting the nonprofits and first responders who stand beside our neighbors in their most difficult moments, we help ensure communities have the tools they need to respond and rebuild.”

Recent examples:

• Disaster recovery and readiness efforts in North Carolina: This year, the Foundation awarded over $1 million to local organizations focused on storm preparedness across the state and long-term recovery in western North Carolina. Recovery partners have contributed to rebuilding homes and providing essential services following Hurricane Helene in 2024.
• Annual microgrants in South Carolina: In May, the Foundation awarded $500,000 through the 2025 Helping Emergency Response Organizations (HERO) grant program to bolster severe weather emergency preparedness across South Carolina. Now in its fourth year, the annual microgrant program has provided $2 million in total support, funding 137 microgrants to deliver essential aid to nonprofits and local agencies throughout the Palmetto State.
• Enhancing storm readiness in Florida: In June, the Foundation allocated $153,000 to a dozen Florida organizations and agencies to strengthen storm readiness efforts. Funding supported initiatives such as installing AEDs in high-traffic areas, expanding CPR training and providing storm kits for seniors.
• Storm relief in the Midwest: This spring, the Foundation provided more than $47,000 in grants to assist local communities in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky recovering from severe flooding and tornadoes. These funds supported nonprofits and relief agencies as they delivered critical aid and resources where they were needed most.

Learn more: For more on the Duke Energy Foundation’s community impact, visit foundation.duke-energy.com/success-in-action.

Duke Energy Foundation

Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, keeping customer reliability and value at the forefront as it builds a smarter energy future. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables and energy storage.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Contact: Gina DiPietro
24-hour media line: 800.559.3853

View original content here.

Watch Season 5 Episode 8: AI for the Planet: From Tech Labs to Real Life

Effectively tackling complex climate challenges involves juggling thousands of moving parts, from how we power our cities to how insects (think pollinators) sustain our ecosystems. Artificial intelligence is exceptionally suited to take on that scale of challenge—offering capabilities to analyze massive data sets, predict problems before they happen and tap into solutions humans alone could never achieve.

In this episode, hosts Dominique Silva and guest co-host Rebecca Handfield (BrainBox AI) delve into the world of AI with Jean-Simon Venne, co-founder of BrainBox AI and leader of the BrainBox AI business at Trane Technologies, and Dr. David Rolnick, Assistant Professor at McGill University and co-founder of Climate Change AI. They share how AI can slash building emissions, extend equipment life and open up new frontiers in biodiversity research.

Additionally, they explore the focus of Trane Technologies’ new AI Lab in Montreal, where the next generation of AI for HVAC innovations are being developed. Emphasizing practical applications over theoretical concepts, the lab leverages AI as a powerful ally in the fight against climate change, while keeping ethics, responsibility and trust at the center of every breakthrough.

Featured in this Episode:

Hosts:
Dominique Silva, Marketing Leader EMEA, Trane Technologies
Rebecca Handfield, VP Marketing, BrainBox AI, Trane Technologies

Guests:
Jean-Simon Venne, Co-founder of BrainBox AI and leader of BrainBox AI, Trane Technologies
David Rolnick, Assistant Professor at McGill University and co-founder of Climate Change AI

About Healthy Spaces

Healthy Spaces is a podcast by Trane Technologies where experts and disruptors explore how climate technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, learn and play.

This season, hosts Dominique Silva and Scott Tew bring a fresh batch of uplifting stories, featuring inspiring people who are overcoming challenges to drive positive change across multiple industries. We’ll discover how technology and AI can drive business growth, and help the planet breathe a little bit easier.

Listen and subscribe to Healthy Spaces on your favorite podcast platforms:

Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
YouTube 
Amazon Music

How are you making an impact? What sustainable innovation do you think will change the world?

Share your story with us and learn more about the Healthy Spaces Podcast.

October 1, 2025 /3BL/ – B4SI, supported by SLR, is proud to announce the expansion of its global network through the strategic acquisition of LBG España, welcoming a significant number of new Spanish companies into the B4SI community. This strengthens B4SI’s presence in Spain and reinforces its position as the global standard for measuring and managing corporate social impact.

This acquisition:

• Builds on a robust and engaged membership base in Spain
• Aligns with the Spanish market’s mature approach to social impact and commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Unlocks new opportunities to deepen relationships with businesses and partners across the region

B4SI is therefore delighted to open the doors to the B4SI network to leading Spanish companies in the finance, energy, infrastructure, consumer goods and telecommunications sectors.

“Ferrovial’s path-breaking attitude moved us to be one of the founders of LBG España, moreover it drove Ferrovial to be one of the first Spanish companies to join the B4SI network five years ago. Joining B4SI reinforced our commitment to measuring and managing social impact with transparency and purpose. As a global company, adopting a global standard strengthens our ability to deliver meaningful and life-changing impact in the communities where we develop and build our infrastructures.” Ricardo Navas, Ferrovial CSR Programs Manager

“At MAS Business, we are pleased to hand over the coordination of the LBG España group to B4SI. As members of this global network, Spanish companies will be able to continue contributing to the development of the framework. Without a doubt, the LBG España group of companies will bring value and expertise to the global community, enriching it with the knowledge and insights gained over the group’s 18 years of experience.” Sonsoles García, MAS Business

This acquisition marks a major milestone in B4SI’s journey to unify global corporate social impact under one framework. Spanish businesses have long demonstrated leadership in advancing societal goals. Now, through B4SI, they align with a global movement to measure impact with consistency, credibility, and purpose.

B4SI will support these organisations in strengthening their strategies, enhancing transparency, and delivering even greater value to society.

¡Bienvenidos!

To learn more about B4SI and its work in Spain, visit www.b4si.net or contact the team at mail@b4si.net.

Read the B4SI 2024 Annual Review: https://b4si.net/2024/11/b4si-annual-review-2024-celebrating-30-years-of-social-impact/

From a first-of-its-kind approval under Westtown Township’s new solar ordinance to a nearly energized 2 MW array, BioStar Renewables’ featured project at Westtown School is officially in the home stretch. Mechanical installation and electrical integration are substantially complete, and initial power generation is expected next week, marking a major milestone for the campus and community.

What’s happened since groundbreaking

Over the past several months, the project team advanced construction while honoring the commitments made during approvals—maintaining low visual impact with robust landscape screening, meeting stringent stormwater requirements, and validating glare mitigation measures. Close collaboration with township officials, neighbors, and school leadership continued throughout to keep the project aligned with community expectations and the school’s sustainability goals.

Technology snapshot (from the project fact sheet)

• System size: 2.013 MWdc / 1.5 MWac
• Expected annual energy: >3,000,000 kWh, offsetting ~90% of campus electricity use
• Module tech: 550W bifacial panels on single-axis trackers to boost production
• Stringing & voltage: 27 modules per string at 1500 Vdc
• Power electronics: 125 kWac inverters operating at 600 Vac, tied into site switchgear and stepped to 4,160 V at the point of interconnection
• Annual impact equivalents:
• moving 275 gasoline vehicles from the road
• offsetting 159 homes’ annual energy use,
• 417 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled

These details come directly from the Westtown School Solar Fact Sheet.

Why it matters

• Fast, tangible decarbonization: >3 million kWh per year of clean electricity is a step-change for Westtown’s footprint and a model for suburban campuses.
• Regulatory first: This is the first large-scale solar field approved under the Township’s ordinance limiting solar fields to 10 acres, demonstrating a clear, replicable path for future community-scale projects.
• Educational value: The array will serve as a living lab for students and faculty, with visible clean-energy infrastructure and real-world performance data.

What’s next

• Energization & commissioning: Initial power generation is slated a couple weeks out, followed by performance testing, utility witness/acceptance, and permission to operate (PTO).
• Monitoring & optimization: After PTO, BioStar will monitor output, fine-tune tracker settings, and verify that production tracks the modeled >3,000,000 kWh/year.
• Campus & community updates: We’ll share first-week production highlights, drone imagery, and curriculum tie-ins once the system is online.

Thank you to our partners

This milestone reflects deep collaboration with the Westtown School leadership and community stakeholders, Westtown Township officials, and the engineering team at Bohler, whose local expertise helped navigate approvals and site-specific design challenges.

Stay tuned for the official “power on” update— Westtown’s clean-energy future is just about to go live!

#Solar #Renewables #CleanEnergy #Sustainability

Burying waste was never a perfect solution, just the most convenient one we had. Decades later, aging or poorly sited landfills are resurfacing as environmental and community risks, especially under rising seas, extreme rainfall, and expanding urban footprints. In Season 2, Episode 2 of the Rethinking EHS podcast, we explore how regions are confronting legacy sites while raising the bar for modern landfill design and operations.

In this Q&A-style recap, two experts, Paul Walker, Technical Director from Tonkin + Taylor New Zealand, and Andrew Green, Senior Associate from Peter J. Ramsay & Associates in Australia, have a conversation with co-host Anqelique Dickson, President of Inogen Alliance and EVP at Antea Group USA, on what’s working, what’s changing, and where EHS leaders should focus next.

Listen to the full podcast episode here. 

 

Q: What’s the biggest landfill risk in your region right now? 

Paul Walker (NZ): Legacy sites are coming back to haunt us. A 2019 event on the Fox River exposed large volumes of waste along a pristine coast. This was an image that clashed with New Zealand’s “clean, green” identity. That moment triggered a national reckoning: how many legacy sites are vulnerable to climate-driven hazards, and which ones should we prioritize?

Andrew Green (AU): In Australia, especially around Melbourne, urban encroachment is the pressure point. Communities are expanding toward active and closed landfills, prompting stricter expectations across the full lifecycle: siting, engineered containment, daily operations, and rehabilitation. The bar is rising because neighbors are closer.

 

Q: How is New Zealand tackling legacy landfills? 

Paul: The government commissioned a national mapping and risk tool to identify climate-vulnerable legacy sites (many coastal). We’re refining it with agencies and supporting councils, who legally own many sites, to plan and fund fixes. Two big lessons:

1. Data equity matters. Some councils have robust inventories; others have almost none. A predictive tool is only as good as the inputs, so building consistent baseline data across regions is step one.
2. Risk-based funding beats “whack-a-mole.” Visible problems (waste on a beach) attract attention but may not be the highest risk to ecosystems or public health. We need a portfolio view and to prioritize by risk and consequence, not just headlines.

To pay for this, New Zealand aligned policy with practice: diverting a portion of the national waste levy into a fund to investigate and remediate vulnerable landfills and contaminated sites. It’s a smart loop: today’s waste helps finance yesterday’s cleanup.

 

Q: Australia is known for stringent standards. What does “best practice” look like there? 

Andrew: Victoria has one of the oldest environmental protection acts and some of the highest landfill standards in the country. Many other states, and even other countries, reference Victoria’s technical requirements. Key features:

• Specialist design & QA/QC: Geotechnical and geosynthetics expertise is mandatory, and construction is tightly prescribed and verified.
• Engineered containment systems: Composite liners, leachate collection, capping systems designed for centuries-scale performance, not decades.
• Operational discipline: Landfill gas capture, tipping face management, stormwater controls, bird/nuisance management—all with community proximity in mind.

Takeaway: High-quality outcomes require lead time, the right team, and meticulous execution. You don’t get a first-class facility without first-class preparation.

 

Q: How are climate extremes changing the engineering of landfills? 

Paul (NZ): Modern landfills consider climate hazards in design. The challenge is the legacy stock: coastal erosion and sea-level rise will expose more sites over the next 100 years. Expect rising numbers of interventions and the need for hard protections in specific hotspots.

Andrew (AU): We’re seeing more high-intensity, short-duration storms during construction that exceed design assumptions. This can wash out capping before vegetation establishes, especially on steeper caps used to maximize airspace. Over-engineering everything isn’t feasible, so we combine geosynthetics with rapid revegetation and improve construction-phase water management to reduce erosion risk.

 

Q: What happens when communities grow toward landfills? 

Andrew: Airspace gets tighter and operating costs rise to meet nuisance, odor, and gas controls at the urban edge. Profitability is still essential, but operators must prove environmental performance and social license every day.

Paul: Society needs landfills but prefers not to see them. Many legacy sites were once community dumps placed in locations we’d never permit today. As cities expand, reverse sensitivity kicks in and new neighbors face old decisions. That’s why planning, inventory, and proactive remediation matter.

 

Q: What are the most transferable lessons for EHS leaders? 

From New Zealand (legacy focus):

• Inventory first. Know what you have, where it is, and what’s at stake.
• Prioritize by risk. Build a portfolio risk profile and fund the highest-consequence sites, not just the loudest.
• Fund sustainably. Tie waste levies or similar mechanisms to long-term cleanup needs.
• Multidisciplinary by default. Coastal processes, climate scenarios, engineering, ecology, public health—landfills sit at their intersection.

From Australia (forward design):

• Make best practice the default. Codify siting, containment, gas capture, and capping standards and audit them.
• Invest in expertise. Geotech + geosynthetics + construction QA/QC is non-negotiable.
• Plan for operations near people. Design for community proximity: gas, odors, stormwater, traffic, aesthetics.
• Stage for climate. Expect outlier storms during construction. Blend materials + vegetation to stabilize caps fast.

 

Q: Where do innovation and knowledge-sharing fit in to Landfills? 

Paul: We’re importing proven adaptation frameworks such as risk tolerance, acceptable outcomes, and portfolio management, and applying them to landfill portfolios. It’s less about flashy new tech and more about structured decision-making under budget constraints.

Andrew: Australia borrows and contributes in a global loop. American and European guidance informs practice here, while Victorian standards and implementation experience feed back into the international community via networks like Inogen Alliance.

 

Q: If you had to explain this to a non-expert, what would you say? 

Paul: Some older landfills were built in the wrong places. With rising seas and stronger storms, a few will fail if we don’t plan ahead. Our job is to find the riskiest ones first and fix them smartly.

Andrew: Modern landfills are engineered facilities, not holes in the ground. When designed and run well, they protect neighborhoods and nature, even as cities grow around them.

 

Conclusion & Key Takeaways 

• Out of sight isn’t out of risk. Climate change and urban growth are exposing legacy sites in new ways and inventory, and risk ranking are foundational.
• Fund the future with today’s waste. Dedicated, ring-fenced mechanisms (e.g., waste levy allocations) create durable remediation budgets.
• Standards save money. Stringent, codified best practice in siting, containment, gas capture, and capping reduces long-run costs and complaints.
• Design for the construction phase. Extreme storms now happen during build, not just in service life, so stabilize caps quickly with geosynthetics + vegetation.
• Operate at the urban edge. Community encroachment demands tighter nuisance control, better monitoring, and day-to-day social license.
• Prevention still wins. Minimize landfill dependency through waste reduction, materials recovery, and energy-from-waste where appropriate.
• Think like a portfolio manager. Prioritize by risk and consequence, not visibility. Use multidisciplinary inputs and scenario planning to spend where it matters most.

Yesterday’s trash doesn’t have to be tomorrow’s crisis. With clear data, stable funding, proven engineering, and honest community engagement, EHS leaders can turn legacy liabilities into a managed, lower-risk future.

 

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of over 70 of independent local businesses and over 6,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates, listen to our podcast and follow us on LinkedIn.

Overnight on July 30, 2024, rural communities in the western Indian state of Kerala faced the worst flooding they had ever seen. These communities are prone to increasingly frequent and intense storms, but the landslides that followed devastated villages throughout the area and disrupted the delivery of basic health care.

One of Direct Relief’s longstanding partners in the country, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, operates a hospital near the affected communities. Within a week, its Disaster Management Medical Unit had provided more than 1,200 survivors of the landslides with free access to care; Amrita had deployed a bus for medical outreach in affected areas; and Direct Relief had rapidly mobilized additional deliveries of medical aid to bolster their inventory. These deliveries included vital medicines, gloves, masks, and protective face shields, which were crucial for supporting the ongoing relief efforts.

Direct Relief remains committed to supporting partners serving communities affected by disasters long after the initial events occur and the headlines fade. The organization continued to meet significant requests for medicines and supplies for Amrita in the months after the landslides, totaling $7.2 million in medical aid provided in 14 shipments.

Later in the year, as landslide victims and other vulnerable populations in Kerala continued to need support from Amrita, Direct Relief turned to FedEx to ensure that deliveries continued into the area. The largest shipment of sustained medical aid to Amrita in the months after the landslide, providing needed medicines and supplies to treat a range of acute and chronic conditions, was delivered by FedEx.

This collaboration between Direct Relief and FedEx underscores the importance of strong partnerships in times of crisis. By combining Direct Relief’s ability to mobilize resources with FedEx’s expertise in shipping and the expertise and connection to community of healthcare providers on the ground, effective emergency response ensures support for communities affected by the most devastating natural disasters and helps these populations stay on the long road to recovery.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.