Ebde
AI-enabled &
Radically transparent
Ebde is an evidence-based design tool for design leaders & decision-makers.
Accelerating high-quality, sustainable built environments, at scale & at pace.
For leaders' to reduce risk & gain certainty
What this solves . . .
Designers don’t lack ideas.
They want a credible evidence trail to support their bold decisions.
Procurers don’t lack ambition.
They want incentives to deliver quality projects or increase sustainability targets with reduced risk and higher margins.
Users don’t want to be ignored.
They want better-performing buildings and infrastructure, a seat at the decision-making table and the ability to provide post-occupancy feedback.
Transparency vs opaque decision-making
Why this is different . . .
We’re building a single source of the truth for designers and decision-makers to innovate how we design, develop and deliver future-fit built environments.
Our initial focus is on affordable, sustainable housing because this addresses the two most fundamental and urgent challenges of our time: housing for all and living within planetary boundaries.
Driving radical transparency in the most opaque areas of the built environment.
Connecting sustainable innovation with urgent societal needs.
Aligning technology and incentives to initiate meaningful change.
Leading future-fit built environments with responsibly sourced and governed intelligence.
Translating evidence-based data into design and delivery decisions, specific to context.
Leveraging AI to support designers and decision-makers, not replace them.
Reducing risk while increasing design quality and certainty.
Designers, procurers & users at the table
What is the impact?
Greater visibility of what exemplary looks like, and the people and decisions that led to their success.
For designers, procurers and users to:
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see solutions faster
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implement net-zero targets with stakeholder support
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deliver high-quality, sustainable projects at scale
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trust the data input and output
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adapt for unique project circumstances
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gain a design leadership partner, &
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innovate with confidence
Leveraging valuable evidence
Avoiding unintended consequences
Building better year on year
Designing for people & planet
How it works . . .
Valuable data, buried deep within project files and processes and across a spectrum of mediums and platforms, is synthesised and made readily accessible and useful.
But, this data and evidence gathering must be strictly governed by ethical controls and a human touch. It should be objective, free from confirmation bias and be capable of interpretation, responsible and appropriate adaptation.
We are initially focused on gathering evidence for affordable, sustainable housing because this represents the most pressing societal and environmental need. This market is incentivised to innovate and to deliver results at scale and at pace.
Users answer a few short questions to help tailor their search, and AI responds with design and decision-making evidence, prompts and checklists. You can explore the Ebde Pilot below.
Inspiration x Education x Action
Engaging leaders
Following interviews, panel events and roundtables with industry leaders, a few key themes emerge. Notably, supporting brave new clients, valuing design, incentivising transparency & being uncompromising on ethics & quality.
From founders and directors of architectural and sustainable engineering practices, to developers, chief technology officers and venture capitalists . . . The plea remains the same.
Drive innovation.
Incentivise transparency & avoid the race-to-the-bottom.
Net zero targets are no longer a luxury; they're essential and urgent. Making exemplary projects more visible & closing feedback loops are the next steps.
Alison Brooks, Founder Alison Brooks Architects
Alice Dietch, Director, AL_A
Jane Clay, Principal, Gensler
Chris Williamson, Founder WW+P, RIBA President
Tracey Meller, Director, RSHP
Daniel Hajjar, Managing Director, HOK
Annalie Riches, Founder, Mikhail Riches
Juliette Morgan, Global Sustainability Advisor
Joanna Yarrow, Impact Officer, Human Nature
Mollie Claypool, Founder, Automated Architecture
Doris Lam, Project Director Eco World
Matthew Dearlove, Strategic Design Consultant, ex-Knight Dragon/Eco World
Mark Middleton, Managing Partner, Grimshaw
KP Reddy, Founder & Managing Partner, Shadow Ventures
Marc Goldman, Director of AEC, Esri
Pascale Sablan, CEO, Adjaye Associates
Vanessa Barboni Halik, CEO, Another Tomorrow
Bryony Spottiswoode - Design Lead, Maybourne Group
Natalia Uribe, Founder, Urban World Matters
Mark Kelly, Chief Operating Officer, PLP
Matt Palmer, Exec Director, Lower Thames Crossing
Edgar Gonzalez, Director at Elisava Madrid
Bruce Bell, CEO & Founder, Facit Homes
Ken Shuttleworth, Founder, Make Architects
Melissa Sterry, Founder, Bioratorium
Patrick Bellew, Exec Chair & Founder Atelier Ten, Visiting Professor, Yale
Kay Hughes, Former Design Director, HS2
Philip Watson, Chair & Head of Design, HLM
Sir James Wates, Chairman, Wates Group
Alain Waha, Chief Technology Officer, Buro Happold
The end of decision-making in the dark
Get started . . .
Ebde Pilot
We've built an AI assistant to draw success lessons from the RIBA Stirling Prize-winning affordable housing project, Goldsmith Street, to:
Helping designers understand where key decisions were made and how to apply these to their projects
Benefiting designers, leaders and key decision-makers with specific evidence of real success
Resulting in higher-quality actions being taken on other similar residential projects, with reduced risk and uncertainty.
Building Courage
One conversation at a time
It sharpens your focus and shows you what’s possible.
Built environment as a powerhouse
Bringing together the breadth of experience, creativity and energy from across our siloed industry, and advocating the benefits for greater cross-fertilisation of intel and resources.
We’ll also explore relevant leadership lessons from adjacent industries where courage and conviction have made a positive impact.
