Joanna, a Swansea born and bred architect, works at an innovation centre researching new building integrated renewable energy technologies, and invested in Gower Regeneration because she likes to know where her money’s going. We caught up with her for a quick chat, here’s what she had to say:
I work at Swansea Uni in a Research Centre called Specific. We look at building integrated renewable technologies, hence my interest in solar energy; everything we do is about generating heat and power from solar energy and storing it in the building. My role involves finding suitable buildings to demonstrate some of these technologies.
“Energy is becoming more of a problem”
Energy is becoming more of a problem but so are other things: the building materials we use, for example and the way we use them. Our reliance on standard materials and methods has to change.
“It keeps money local and we know where our money’s going”
I also invested in SCEES – I like the fact that it keeps money local and we know where our money’s going. Most savings accounts aren’t worth putting anything in, you don’t get much interest. Obviously there are always risks with these things so you have to invest what you’re comfortable with. But more and more these days we have to think about the ethical side of things– we often don’t know what our money’s being invested in. I like the whole ethos behind this scheme, being able to see the social benefits as well as the financial return.
