🏠 Transforming Indoor Environments

We hope you had a great weekend. Our co-owner recently explored the Greenbuild Expo and how experts are tackling the health of our homes.

Meanwhile, a two-year-old dog survived a 100-foot fall from a cliff in Scotland, and NYC saved $93M by replacing a bridge.

And in Sierra Leone, a British surgeon saved the life of a baby after local doctors turned her away.

—Stephanie S

Human health took center stage at this year’s Greenbuild Expo, where Anthony Samadani saw a clear shift in how leaders think about sustainable building. What was once focused on energy and carbon now puts wellbeing front and center.

Experts across medicine and building science shared how our indoor environments directly shape our health. Human and planetary well-being are deeply connected, and the industry is beginning to treat them that way.

Organizations are also redefining high-performance buildings. Health and wellness are becoming essential, supported by new tools that measure air quality and help create safer indoor spaces.

With packed panels and growing momentum, this movement is gaining real traction. Healthy buildings are quickly becoming part of how we design spaces and support our communities.

A two-year-old collie named Whisp survived a dramatic 100-foot fall down a rocky cliff in Shetland, Scotland. Stranded on a ledge, Whisp was unreachable by his owner, prompting a Coast Guard rescue.

Rescue teams spent three hours using ropes to reach the dog. Despite the steep terrain, they safely brought Whisp back to the top.

Amazingly, Whisp was unharmed and happily reunited with his owner thanks to the rescue crew's dedication.

New York City is replacing a 132-year-old railway bridge along Park Avenue using innovative engineering that keeps trains running. The project uses a massive hydraulic gantry to replace old sections with prefabricated ones, minimizing disruption.

This approach has saved $93 million so far and is 51 months ahead of schedule. Crews completed the first stretch 21 months early, even in a busy urban setting.

Work continues, with completion expected next April.

A British surgeon saved the life of baby Memunatu in Sierra Leone by removing a tumor as large as her face. Local doctors had turned her away, but a chance meeting with a Mercy Ships volunteer led to a free, life-saving surgery aboard the Global Mercy ship.

The four-hour operation was delicate and complex, but Dr. Leo Cheng and his team succeeded. Memunatu is now healthy and home with her family.

Her story is a testament to compassion, skill, and the power of global medical outreach.

55 years ago today, engineer Douglas Engelbart presented the patent for the first computer mouse, a wooden, two-wheeled device described as an “X-Y position indicator for a display system.” Working at the Stanford Research Institute, Engelbart helped lay the groundwork for nearly everything we now take for granted in modern computing: hypertext, networked computers, graphical interfaces, and collaborative digital work. These innovations emerged decades before personal computers became mainstream, all fueled by Engelbart’s belief that technology could amplify human intelligence and accelerate problem-solving across society.

Despite his revolutionary contributions, Engelbart received no royalties from the mouse, as SRI licensed it to Apple for roughly $40,000. Instead, he devoted his life to advancing his vision of collective human improvement, showcased most famously in the 1968 “Mother of All Demos,” which introduced many of the digital tools we still use today.

Other notable November 17 events:

1800: The U.S. Capitol hosted its first session of Congress.

1869: The Suez Canal officially opened, linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas.

1873: Buda, Pest, and Óbuda united to form the modern city of Budapest.

1969: SALT I nuclear arms talks began in Helsinki.

⌨️ Italy: A designer's smart keyboard that helps Parkinson’s patients type more easily has won the 2025 James Dyson Global Award.

🍂 UK: A photographer captured stunning images of birds feasting on sunflower seeds in a vibrant autumn scene right outside his kitchen window.

🐾 Maryland: A pet company granted an ALS patient's wish by creating a custom wheelchair leash, allowing her to walk her dog independently again.

📝 Australia: A message in a bottle written by WWI soldiers was found on a beach and delivered to their descendants more than a century later.

🦋 California: Scientists are uncovering how nature’s origami-like folding in creatures inspires technology by mimicking the physics behind these structures.

— Sigmund Freud

Every day brings incredible advances and uplifting moments that remind us just how wonderful the world can be. Here are five reasons why today is the best time ever to be alive:

💧 Farm Desalination: Solar-powered desal units are delivering safe water to drought-affected farmlands.

🏠 Printed Shelters: 3D printing in disaster zones is creating emergency shelters quickly and efficiently.

🐠 Aquaponics: Community-run farms are providing sustainably sourced fish and vegetables.

🛠️ Maker Challenges: Online maker challenges are inspiring innovations to reduce plastic waste worldwide.

🔆 Solar Schools: Global solar initiatives are lighting up schools in off-grid communities at night.

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