#leed project

[shxrkk]

Peter is multilingual.

It started as a kid, of course, talking small tidbits of Italian with May and Ben that just continued to grow when he met Tony.

Then, he learned Filipino for Ned and his grandmother. Spanish for Mr. Delmar came soon after.

Once he met the rest of the Avengers, Russian and Romanian quickly joined the roster thanks to Natasha and Bucky.

Not to mention the fact that he knows ‘help’ in pretty much every language he can think of just in case he needs it on patrol and some other offhanded phrases from those he saved because if there’s one thing both Spider-Man and Peter have in common, it’s understanding.

[prettystylinson]

with it being glastonlarry weekend… is now a bad time to tease a track from my upcoming album? 👀

maybe… just maybe… it’s inspired by a certain leeds festival 👹

parallel lines

🗓️ 9.28.2025

🎙️ vocals by paralyzedtm

real promo coming soon

[awesomebutunpractical]

I'm trying to pick which of the original projects to work on for Camp Tolkien. Ogre and Princess, Idiot Space Cousins, Paris and Leeds... oh shoot Wyatt da Vinci, Imaginary Fiend Removal Specialist is another option. Specifics. Gotta choose something to invent specifics for. Get a solid base to build off later.

[short-gremlin]

the amelia project you have my entire heart....

[harveyguillensource]

Harvey's in a new pilot called Bulldozer that will be premiering at Sundance 2025!

[goos3-345]

Pencil sketches for college

Last week I went to the Royal Armoury museum in Leeds for a class trip. It was pretty cool - even if it didn't really help me with my current project.

These drawings are of armour (and a gun) from around the 1600's used by the british. I think my favourite one is probably the bottom left one just because of how detailed it is (I mean it's got hearts on it, how could it not be my favourite?).

[userrottendotcom]

My time in Leeds and Nanashi Disco! 🎀

[asestimationsconsultants]

Designing for Climate Resilience with Help from a Construction Estimating Service

As climate change increasingly affects global infrastructure, designing for climate resilience is now a fundamental priority in construction. Climate-resilient structures are built to endure extreme weather events, rising temperatures, flooding, and other environmental stressors. However, translating resilience goals into a feasible, financially sound project requires more than good intentions—it requires precise budgeting and forecasting. A construction estimating service provides the essential financial foundation to help design and implement climate-resilient construction projects.

Understanding Climate Resilience in Construction

Climate resilience in construction refers to a building's ability to anticipate, absorb, adapt to, and rapidly recover from hazardous events. It includes features like elevated foundations, green roofs, reinforced building materials, efficient drainage systems, and energy redundancy. These features are increasingly necessary to mitigate risks and safeguard investments. However, incorporating them can significantly affect project costs, timelines, and resource needs. A construction estimating service brings clarity by assessing the financial implications of each design choice.

Cost Transparency for Resilient Features

Designing for resilience often requires higher upfront costs. Flood barriers, wind-resistant windows, or additional structural reinforcements might push initial construction budgets beyond standard levels. A construction estimating service evaluates these additions line by line, providing detailed cost breakdowns for climate-resilient features. This transparency allows clients to compare design options and prioritize investments based on site-specific risks and budgets.

For example, a waterfront project might require elevated slab levels and seawall reinforcements. A skilled estimator will calculate the associated material, labor, equipment, and contingency costs. With this data, owners can make informed decisions without risking budget blowouts or compromising safety.

Location-Specific Risk Planning

Every region faces unique environmental challenges, from bushfires and hurricanes to heavy snowfall and drought. A construction estimating service helps tailor climate-resilient designs to local risks by evaluating how these threats affect cost variables. This might include analyzing regional labor rates, local material availability, or permit and inspection costs related to resilience upgrades.

Estimators also factor in long-term climate projections, ensuring designs and budgets align with expected conditions over the building’s lifespan. This approach allows project owners to go beyond present-day minimum standards and adopt a proactive, rather than reactive, strategy.

Value Engineering for Resilience

While resilience-focused design can be expensive, a construction estimating service can help optimize those costs through value engineering. This process identifies alternative materials or construction methods that provide the same level of protection at lower costs. For example, switching from poured-in-place concrete to prefabricated flood-resistant panels may yield significant savings without compromising resilience.

Estimators collaborate closely with architects and engineers during the early design phases to ensure that cost-effective options are explored without diluting the climate resilience objectives. These strategies protect both the physical structure and the project’s financial health.

Lifecycle Cost and Benefit Analysis

Climate-resilient features often come with lifecycle cost benefits, such as reduced damage repair, lower insurance premiums, and fewer disruptions during climate events. A construction estimating service offers lifecycle cost analysis (LCCA), helping clients see the long-term return on their investments in resilient infrastructure.

By showing the financial benefits of future-proofing, estimators help justify upfront costs to stakeholders, lenders, and investors. This analysis can also strengthen applications for government grants or green building certifications, which increasingly require financial evidence of sustainable and resilient design.

Incorporating Redundancy and Recovery Planning

Resilient buildings are designed not just to survive, but to recover quickly. Backup power systems, redundant water supply lines, and modular repair options are critical to minimizing downtime after an event. These systems can be complex and expensive to install.

A construction estimating service breaks down the installation, maintenance, and potential replacement costs of these features, ensuring they are realistically accounted for in the budget. This approach ensures there are no surprises when it comes to implementing recovery strategies and that facilities can bounce back quickly after climate-related disruptions.

Compliance and Certification Support

Meeting the requirements of climate-resilient certifications such as LEED, Green Star, or climate-adaptive building codes can be financially challenging. A construction estimating service helps navigate these demands by calculating the exact costs of meeting each criterion. Whether it's improving envelope insulation, installing water-efficient systems, or meeting energy benchmarks, estimators provide a cost framework that supports both compliance and budget management.

They also ensure that estimates include inspection fees, certification processes, and any costs related to documentation, preventing budget oversights during the approval phase.

Strengthening Stakeholder Confidence

Climate resilience is often a shared concern among investors, insurers, regulators, and community stakeholders. A well-prepared construction estimate that includes resilience planning communicates project readiness, foresight, and professionalism. By demonstrating financial accountability, a construction estimating service helps build trust and facilitate smoother project approvals.

For municipal or institutional projects, transparent estimates of climate resilience costs also assist in securing public funding or support from environmental initiatives.

Conclusion

Designing for climate resilience is not an optional design enhancement—it is a practical necessity for the future of construction. With climate threats escalating, construction projects must incorporate protective features that align with environmental realities. A construction estimating service plays a central role in turning those goals into budget-conscious actions. From evaluating region-specific risks to identifying cost-effective solutions and long-term financial benefits, estimators bring clarity, control, and strategy to climate-resilient construction.

Through their expertise, they enable clients to create structures that not only survive but thrive in a changing world.

[ladyluscinia]

Ok now to spend an hour seeing if I actually know what the fuck a wattage calculation is supposed to look like

[lilyaminacreative]

T-shirts and posters made during the Covid-19 lockdown - profits went to Age UK.

Artwork Copyright © Lily Amina Creative

[thollandneedy]

Masked- Peter Parker

A/N: Since y'all enjoyed so much the Ned's sister prompt... (last halloween themed fic btw)

Summary: Peter hooks up with someone on a Halloween party, but he didn't know that it was Ned's sister

Warnings: Language, teasing, mentions of alcohol, sexual content (p in v; fem!receiving, and praise kink)

Don’t forget to share, like, comment and leave your ideas here

Bellah’s Masterlist 🪻

The sound of classic Halloween songs blared from the speakers scattered around Ned's house, while the wind blew the orange leaves into his yard. The boy in the Zorro costume cursed to himself every time he saw the leaves falling, as it would be another chore to do the next morning, since his parents were out of the house. With hurried steps, he ran to the door to open it for the guests of his not-so-secret party (since his younger sister had told the whole school that there would be a party at her house on the thirty-first).

Unlike Ned, Y/n was considered popular in Midtown because of her charisma and, above all, her beauty. Like her brother, she had inherited good genes and had a mental capacity to envy. The girl was only a year younger than Ned, and yet he made a point of treating her like a child. After many fights and discussions to find a theme that met his sister's “aesthetic pinterest” requirements, Ned agreed to have a masquerade costume party where everyone had to wear personalized masks for their characters to “encourage creativity” in his words.

Although it wasn't much talked about, everyone knew that Ned and his family were well-off, and that consequently their house was big enough to easily house more than 100 people without them all bumping into each other. Ned looks back one more time before opening the door, already leaving a jar of sweets at the entrance for the guests to pick up as soon as they arrive at the house. The dark-haired man opens the door, only to find Peter standing there, while other cars are already parking so as not to have any problems, but late in the day with a lack of space on the street.

“What's up, man?” Ned smiles when he finds his best friend, Peter Parker, dressed as the Phantom of the Opera. “I liked the costume, but I thought you'd come as Zorro with me.”

Peter wasn't one to talk about liking musicals, but one of the few ones he really admired was “The Phantom of the Opera”, which became one of his secret passions after his aunt took him to see it on Broadway a few years ago. Parker didn't have his face completely hidden as it should have been, but it was what he had for that day, and he was going to use that to his advantage rather than spend more time making an artwork that would probably look terrible.

“That one was on sale.” The student says quietly, then laughs and enters the house as soon as the door closes behind him.

The house was decorated with mainly purple and blue neon lights, while the windows bore handprints smeared with fake blood. On some walls you could see some mystical beings pasted on, while some projected ghosts were flying over the kitchen ceiling. Cobwebs were used on furniture, themed food was displayed on the kitchen worktop, and the rest of the decoration was based on cushions, candles and decorative utensils.

“Let me think about who did all the decorating.” Peter looks around, admiring Ned's sister's creativity.

“Don't even tell me about it.” Ned rolls his eyes. “I told Y/n to keep it simple, but you know how she is about parties. It always has to be her way, or she'll freak out.” Ned comments, taking a seat among the decorative pumpkin cushions in the living room.

The sound of the doorbell ringing catches the boys' attention, while Leeds spares no effort to call out his sister's name so that she can welcome the guests. The girl doesn't answer, causing her older brother to curse to himself and shout once more:

“Y/N. COME DOWN HERE AND WELCOME THE GUESTS ALREADY.”

“I'M FINISHING MY HAIR, YOU SELFISH PRICK. I DON'T HURRY YOU WHEN YOU'RE TAKING TOO LONG TO GET READY TO GO OUT WITH BETTY” The girl shouts, opening the door to her room and then slamming it shut.

“Son of a bitch.” Ned puts one of his hands to his face, getting up from the sofa to greet his sister's guests, while Peter reacts with a low laugh. “Make yourself at home, Pete. My sister will be down soon, and you talk to her.”

(...)

The sound of the conversations seemed to overpower the loud music, and apparently Y/n's idea was working. The girl had the masks in mind so that there would be no differentiation between groups of friends, allowing everyone to express themselves as they saw fit, and to be able to talk to people outside their group of friends without feeling threatened. Y/n was sitting at the kitchen table, her two hands resting on the side of her body as she chatted with some friends. Her white dress hugged her hips, while her loose hair only enhanced her beauty.

From afar, it was possible to see the house full. Some were in the living room playing “Just Dance”, while others were in the kitchen drinking and some in the games room using the pool table for their drinks bets. Fortunately, it wasn't as rowdy as university parties, but Ned was certainly a lot more worried about someone using his motel room. The student was sitting in the living room, watching his colleagues from the robotics class sweating in their costumes as they danced to 'Timber', and doing extremely badly. Peter, on the other hand, was chatting to some girls in his class.

Peter Parker never stopped being a nerd, but he also never stopped being extremely attractive. Many girls liked Peter, while the boys didn't know whether to try to befriend Parker in order to benefit from the girls, or just swear at him so that he would lose their confidence.

“I didn't know you were in a couple.” One of the girls dressed as Doroty commented to the brunette.

“I'm not.” Peter commented, grimacing and looking around in search of a twin of his costume.

“That girl is wearing the Christine Daaé costume,” another girl pointed out, causing the brunette to turn quickly to face her.

She was beautiful, delicate and her eyes were mesmerizing. Her legs were exposed, while her feet wore low heels in the same pearly color as her dress. The girl also had little sparkly star-shaped clips in her curly babylined hair. Her mask was white with lace around it, making her eyes stand out even more

It was sexy, tempting, intriguing.

“Do you know who it is? Her mask doesn't let me identify who it is.” The brunette commented, still watching the girl who was laughing at other people's conversations with her apparent friends.

“Go and ask.” The other girl dressed as Glinda comments, watching as Peter says goodbye and heads in the direction of his character's romantic partner.

Peter approaches with slow steps, adjusting his mask and cape, trying not to look strange as he approaches her, but before he can say anything, the girl calls out to him with a smile on her face, waving one of her hands at him.

“Hi, Peter.” The girl calls out.

“Hi.” He replies awkwardly. “I like your costume.” He points to the white dress, along with the corset that makes her breasts look higher.

“And I like yours.” She replied, realizing that he hadn't recognized her.

Y/n was no different from her classmates, and the other girls in the other classes. Y/n would never tell her brother about the little crush she had on her brother's best friend, but she always watched from afar. Taking advantage of the fact that she was wearing a mask, she thought she could use this to her advantage. Because if he didn't recognize her, maybe she could try something more like the way she daydreamed when she had her imaginary scenarios before bed. She was his best friend's sister, and if he knew that, he would never try anything.

“Are you friends with Ned's sister?” The girl asked, getting off the workbench and approaching the brunette, who came closer to her ear so she could speak.

“I know her, but I don't talk to her that much. Whenever I come here to study with Ned or play video games, she's doing something. Or at school in the drama club, or book club, or at the mall with her friends, or even sleeping in her four-poster. Anyway, it's very difficult for us to meet other than at school.” The boy says loudly into the girl's ear, who agrees with a smile on her face as she feels him close to her.

“Have you and Ned been friends for a long time?” The girl stands on her tiptoes to comment in the costume designer's ear.

“We have been for quite a while, actually. Since they were 12, and you? Are you friends with his sister?” Peter asks, leaving Y/n against the wall at his question.

She didn't want to lie to Peter, because if he found out about this little lie, he might look at her with different eyes. The girl just nodded, turning quickly to the side, where some drinks were positioned on the counter decorated with cobwebs and toy spiders. The girl faced the table, picked up a red cup, and looked at Peter as if to ask if he wanted a drink. Peter doesn't usually drink, but he would, just to be able to keep up with the mysterious girl.

“What do you recommend?” He moves closer, standing with his shoulders side by side with hers.

“What do you like?” The girl asks, opening the clear bottle of vodka.

“Girls dressed as Christine Daaé.” He tucks a piece of Y/n's loose hair behind her ear, causing the girl to let out a low laugh and nod. “And you?”

Y/n stares at him, making a point of penetrating him with her eyes, as if he could be restrained alive by intention alone. The younger girl approaches, raising her head to answer him as he narrows his gaze:

“Boys with attitude… and tequila sunrise” Y/n comments, drawing a silly laugh from Peter.

At that moment, not even the people passing by could make the tension disappear from the air, and only those who could feel the heat of desire take over their bodies were attracted. Peter wasn't the type to do things quickly, as he liked to pay attention to detail, but it was a party and not a play for him to declare himself. The girl looked at the table with several bottles on it, stared at them for a few seconds, and then turned her gaze to Peter once more, waiting for him to do something other than talk. Fortunately, the brunette slid one of his fingers down the younger girl's exposed arm, reaching her free hand and saying:

“Do you want to go somewhere else?”

(...)

The music and side conversations were no longer loud, and there was a certain peace wherever they were going. Y/n had her hands intertwined with Peter's, guiding him into a room that was being used as an office. It was large, with dark wooden shelves and a glass table in the center behind a large window that mirrored the moonlight. Y/n and Ned's parents were realtors in New York, but the bad part was that they also owned an agency, which meant that every month they had to travel out of state to resolve or improve an issue in the company.

Y/n closed the white door behind her, allowing Peter to step away from her and look at the books on the shelves, and some paintings too. Y/n was easily charmed by Peter's knowledge, as he was good at everything he did and knew a bit about everything. The brunette gently touched the base of the books, pulling them out to read their titles. The girl didn't hurry, she just followed him, putting her hands on his shoulders and kissing his neck without pulling him away, but Peter wasn't there to look at books.

The boy turned to the clean, innocent image that Y/n was passing by, putting his hands on her waist and finally pressing his lips to hers. The kiss began slowly, increasing in intensity as their tongues caught fire and their hands roamed their bodies. Parker moaned softly against the younger girl's lips, holding onto her waist tighter and tighter, waiting for the slightest sign that he could lose himself completely in the mysterious girl's body. Y/n, for his part, ran his nails down the buttons of his white shirt, slowly unbuttoning them.

And that was the last straw

“Can I touch you?” Peter asked breathlessly.

“Please.” Y/n asked in a low grunt, causing the boy to hold her in his lap, placing her on the glass table.

Peter put his weight on Y/n, lifting the rest of the dress that fell down her legs, to finally reach her smooth thighs. The girl tilted her head back, as if asking him to go deeper. Peter could feel his pants getting tighter and tighter, while his fingers seemed to search for a treasure in the middle of Y/n's legs, leaving him completely kneeling for her. He quickly removed his mask, throwing it on the floor and enjoying the wet core that was already waiting for him. Peter held Y/n's thighs tightly, pulling her closer to his mouth, which couldn't seem to take the pleasure. His tongue slid between her clitoris and her entrance, painting her orgasm in an explosion of guarded feelings. The girl held tightly to Parker's hair, which was now messy.

“Fuck, you taste amazing,” Peter said against her wet pussy.

“Keep going, please.” The girl pleaded desperately, having her request granted as soon as she felt the student's tongue enter her pussy. “That's fucking it!”

Peter stood up, noticing that Y/n's legs already seemed to be shaking. In a moment of anguish and desire, he held her from behind, allowing her to taste him. They both moaned in satisfaction, allowing the younger girl to touch Peter's penis, which marked his pants. Y/n bent down, trying to unbutton Peter's pants, quickly unzipping them and placing the black fabric on the floor. When the girl tried to put her feet on the carpet and kneel down, Peter stopped her with a kiss and denied her with his head, saying:

“I want you.” He said with swollen lips. “Do you want me?”

Y/n doesn't respond, but his body does. His hair stood on end, and his legs spread wider so that he could fit in. Quickly taking off his underpants and throwing them to a forgotten side of the room, Peter pumped his penis a few times, and you could see the glow that his tip exuded from his over-excitement. The brunette kept his hands strong, biting his lip to control the loud moans that begged to come out. Y/n just watched, putting her hands behind her corset to untie her belly, which was compressed by the garment. They both stared at each other for a moment, appreciating their bodies from top to bottom, exuding their desire through their sin-subdued gazes.

“Shit. The condom is in my wallet pocket that was left in the car.” Peter remembers, cursing under his breath for having forgotten the fact.

“I take birth control. It's fine.” She says, knowing that Peter would be trustworthy enough to use the privilege of using a contraceptive.

“Really?” Parker questions her to make sure of what she was saying.

“Yes.” She shakes her head energetically.

Peter moves closer to Y/n, already feeling that his legs would collapse just from her touch. Y/n bites her lower lip at the image of the boy entering her sensitive spot, absorbing all of her thickness to the point where the girl in the white dress puts her own hand over her mouth to cover the loud moan that escapes her pink lips. Peter holds her by the waist, while the girl's body is practically leaning over the table, giving the brunette room to reach the bottom of the woman's pussy. They can both feel their sweaty skins coming into contact, and the sound of them slapping together as the movement increases.

“Peter.” The girl moans.

“Do you like it? Tell me how you like it.” The brunette asked, furrowing his brows as he moaned lowly, waiting for an answer.

“I've wanted you for so long. You have no idea.” Y/n moans louder, feeling the tip of Peter's penis hit her G-spot.

“We should have done this before then, princess. You fit me so well.” He grunts, increasing his speed and feeling his legs tremble with each thrust.

“You wouldn't notice me.” She comments impatiently and slyly.

“It's impossible for me not to notice someone like you, angel.” He stretches his hand out to one of the woman's breasts, making her place one of her hands on top of his, indirectly asking him to squeeze them. “I'm going to come like this, princess.”

“Me too. Please don't stop.”

Y/n moved her hips, searching for more pleasure, following the movements of the older man who, in a few seconds, hugged her tightly, putting his member in much deeper than before, ejaculating his hot liquid at the same time as his partner dug her pink nails into his shirt, screaming into his shoulder with her legs wrapped around his hips. Their legs tremble and their mouths return to a calm, wet kiss, catching their breath and slowly pulling their faces apart until their eyes penetrate each other once more, even interpreted in such a dirty way that it could be considered a crime.

“Are you all right?” Peter asks, running one of his hands through Y/n's messy hair.

“Yeah, and you?“ Y/n asks.”Shit, my friends must be looking for me.”

“Sure, mine too.” Peter agrees, slowly withdrawing his member from Y/n's vagina, and looking for the rest of her clothes while the girl re-ties her corset. “I still don't know your name.” Peter comments.

“And would it be important to know?” Y/n smiles softly, watching him only in the moonlight.

“Not really.” Peter comments, finishing putting on his pants, which were lying on the floor. “I wasn't surprised you chose Phantom of the Opera, by the way.” Peter commented, pointing with his chin at the girl's outfit that had come down from the table.

“And why not?” Y/n fixes her hair, tilting her head to one side as soon as Peter asks.

“Because I was the one who left the flowers in your dressing room after you finished your performance, Y/n. By the way, great idea to reuse the costume. You look hot in it.” Peter buttons up his white blouse.

Y/n stops for a second, realizing that she wasn't as cunning as she thought she was. The girl opens her mouth to try to say something, but realizes it was all a game. Peter walks over to her, finishing buttoning his last button. The brunette bends down to pick up his mask and then puts it on, still watching Y/n's perplexed face.

“Why didn't you tell me you knew who I was?”

“Isn't that what masks were for?” Peter gives a sideways smile, kissing the top of Y/n's head gently.

The boy turns around, opening the door and leaving the room.

“ Motherfucker” Y/n curses him, smiling at his incredulity.

[city-of-ladies]

"A marginal note written in Latin and buried deep within one of the 16 heavy registers used by to record the business of the archbishops of York between 1304 and 1405 first alerted archivists to the adventures of the runaway nun. “To warn Joan of Leeds, lately nun of the house of St Clement by York, that she should return to her house,” runs the note written by archbishop William Melton and dated to 1318.

Melton, writing to inform the Dean of Beverley about the “scandalous rumour” he had heard about the arrival of the Benedictine nun Joan, claimed that Joan had “impudently cast aside the propriety of religion and the modesty of her sex”, and “out of a malicious mind simulating a bodily illness, she pretended to be dead, not dreading for the health of her soul, and with the help of numerous of her accomplices, evildoers, with malice aforethought, crafted a dummy in the likeness of her body in order to mislead the devoted faithful and she had no shame in procuring its burial in a sacred space amongst the religious of that place”.

After faking her own death, he continued, “and, in a cunning, nefarious manner … having turned her back on decency and the good of religion, seduced by indecency, she involved herself irreverently and perverted her path of life arrogantly to the way of carnal lust and away from poverty and obedience, and, having broken her vows and discarded the religious habit, she now wanders at large to the notorious peril to her soul and to the scandal of all of her order.”

Professor Sarah Rees Jones, principal investigator on the project, said the story of Joan’s escape, which she and her team discovered last week, was “extraordinary – like a Monty Python sketch”.

The scribes did not record whether Joan was returned to the convent or not. “Unfortunately, and this is really frustrating, we don’t know the outcome of the case,” said Rees Jones. “There are quite a lot of cases of monks and nuns who left their religious house. We don’t always get the full detail or know what the outcome was.”"

"Archive shows medieval nun faked her own death to escape convent", Alison Flood

[unreesonable]

Shall we have a little clip of Reece lipsyncing to Morrissey, projected at a Morrissey gig?

Go on then. As a treat. (From Morrissey's Leeds show, 6th Mar 2020, originally shared by Adrian Jennings on Twitter)

[cambriancrew]

You know what I'm both looking forward to, and dreading?

The eventual publication of books where plurality is a big part of the narrative. Maybe, with any luck, those books getting popular.

There's already Brandon Sanderson doing a bit of that - His character Stephen Leeds from Legion, though that was resolved VERY poorly with the end being horribly stigma-influenced "omg they all started killing each other for no gods damn reason whatsoever" until Stephen was left the only person in his head. There's Shallan from Stormlight Archive - I haven't read the fifth book yet though and I'm very nervous about how he's going to resolve her and her system's storyline. There's the Hybrid Chronicles by Kat Zhang which we've read the first book of and is decent.

But we know several writers within the community who are really good, who are writing stories centering around plural characters. There's ours, which is going to be a massive project with at least five different kinds of plurality and at least three main books where that plurality is a focal point. There's people writing memoirs, including us, ours centering on our syscovery.

When this stuff gets published - and as the community grows and more storytellers, many of them REALLY GOOD storytellers, among us keep chipping away at our projects, that's going to happen just as a matter of statistics if nothing else - eventually there's gonna be publicity. There's going to be interviews where writers talk, not just about their stories, but about themselves. About their plurality.

And, with any luck, some of these are going to end up being filmed. Made into movies and TV shows. Which is going to get a lot of people talking about plurality.

And as much as I hope it helps people understand plurality, I'm dreading the inevitable ignorance of so many people turning them against plurality.

I've seen the ugliness of stigma up close and personal. And I and my system have seen it online. Not even just syscringe - we did an interview on tulpas that became a really popular episode of a popular podcast, and did an AMA on the tulpas subreddit, which was full of good, kind, understanding people. At the same time as that AMA, unbeknownst to us at the time, there was another thread on the podcast's subreddit tearing us down with assumptions. And they got personal with it. And the worst part is, they weren't even being bad people. They honestly thought they were caring about the "poor deluded jobless girl" (we had a job. Bits about it were trimmed out for time, leading to the misunderstanding that we never got a job.)

I think we can handle the outright stigma. The anger and hate of bullies who see us as a target. The people who hate those different from themselves, who don't see a reason why they should be considerate of people who are different. Those you can just ignore for the most part.

It's going to be the misguided caring of ignorant people that's going to be the hardest to fight. People who think they're intelligent and informed, and who have some good solid chunks of knowledge, but really know so little about the wide variety of plurality that their knowledge becomes the foundation for building boxes around us that never should be. And people are going to listen to them because they sound smart and like they know what they're talking about.

So to fight that, we're going to have to control the narrative in the best way we know how:

By writing a LOT of plurals.

[asestimationsconsultants]

Optimizing Carbon-Neutral Infrastructure with a Cost Estimating Service

The drive toward carbon-neutral infrastructure is reshaping construction and engineering worldwide. Governments, corporations, and communities are committing to reducing carbon footprints by adopting renewable energy, low-emission materials, and sustainable design principles. However, achieving true carbon neutrality requires rigorous financial planning and careful balancing of upfront investment against long-term benefits. This is where a specialized cost estimating service becomes invaluable.

AS Estimation & Consultants plays a crucial role in helping clients optimize carbon-neutral infrastructure projects. By integrating environmental goals with financial analysis, their cost estimating service provides comprehensive insight into the true cost of sustainable construction—supporting smarter decisions that maximize ecological impact while controlling budgets.

Understanding Carbon-Neutral Infrastructure

Carbon-neutral infrastructure means building and operating assets with zero net greenhouse gas emissions. This can include energy-efficient buildings, renewable power installations, green transportation hubs, and sustainable water systems. Key strategies involve reducing embodied carbon in materials, using clean energy sources, and designing for energy efficiency and resilience.

While the environmental benefits are clear, carbon-neutral projects often involve new materials, technologies, and regulatory requirements that complicate cost estimation. Accurate budgeting must incorporate lifecycle analysis, carbon accounting, and potential incentives or penalties related to emissions.

Role of Cost Estimating in Carbon Accounting

Cost estimating services like AS Estimation & Consultants go beyond traditional budgeting by embedding carbon accounting into their methodology. They assess the embodied carbon of materials such as concrete, steel, and insulation, translating environmental impact into financial terms.

This enables clients to compare low-carbon alternatives, evaluating both cost and carbon savings. For example, switching from traditional Portland cement to low-carbon geopolymer alternatives may have a different upfront cost but significantly reduce carbon emissions. An integrated cost estimate helps reveal the net benefit.

Incorporating Renewable Energy and Efficiency Measures

Carbon-neutral infrastructure relies heavily on renewable energy integration—solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal systems—and energy-saving technologies like LED lighting, smart controls, and high-performance HVAC.

Estimating the cost of these components involves analyzing equipment pricing, installation complexity, and maintenance. AS Estimation & Consultants also factor in potential government subsidies, tax credits, and renewable energy certificates that may offset initial expenses.

By embedding these variables into cost estimates, clients understand the full financial impact and payback timeline for carbon-reduction technologies. This comprehensive view supports strategic decisions about which measures to prioritize.

Lifecycle Costing and Long-Term Savings

A true carbon-neutral approach must consider lifecycle costs—not just construction expenses but operational energy, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning or recycling. A cost estimating service integrates these long-term factors, providing clients with total cost of ownership models.

AS Estimation & Consultants use predictive analytics and historical data to forecast energy savings, equipment lifespan, and maintenance schedules. This helps quantify the economic value of carbon-neutral design choices over decades, encouraging investments that reduce emissions while improving financial performance.

Balancing Innovation with Risk Management

Carbon-neutral infrastructure often involves emerging technologies and novel construction methods that carry higher uncertainty. Cost estimating services evaluate potential risks such as technology performance, supply chain variability, and regulatory changes.

By conducting sensitivity analyses and scenario planning, AS Estimation & Consultants help clients anticipate budget fluctuations and build contingencies. This risk-aware estimating approach balances innovation with financial prudence, avoiding costly surprises.

Supporting Green Certification and Compliance

Many carbon-neutral projects seek certification under standards such as LEED, BREEAM, or the Living Building Challenge. These certifications require documentation of environmental performance and often entail additional design, construction, and verification costs.

A cost estimating service includes certification-related expenses in the project budget, such as commissioning, testing, and reporting fees. This ensures clients can plan accurately for the full scope of carbon-neutral infrastructure compliance.

Driving Stakeholder Confidence and Financing

Transparent, comprehensive cost estimates strengthen stakeholder confidence in carbon-neutral projects. Investors, government bodies, and community groups demand clear evidence that environmental goals are achievable within financial constraints.

AS Estimation & Consultants deliver detailed, data-driven estimates that combine environmental and economic metrics. This clarity facilitates project approvals, funding rounds, and partnership alignment—accelerating carbon-neutral infrastructure development.

Conclusion

Carbon-neutral infrastructure represents a vital path to a sustainable future, but its complexity demands expert cost estimating. By integrating carbon accounting, lifecycle costing, risk management, and certification compliance, a specialized cost estimating service delivers the insight needed to optimize investments and maximize impact.

AS Estimation & Consultants help clients navigate this evolving landscape with precision and foresight. Their expertise transforms carbon-neutral ambition into executable, financially sound projects—paving the way for resilient, low-carbon infrastructure worldwide.