To be fair before the Institute began, we have been doing things in the public eye much earlier, with our wildflower habitat, natural fencing, and container gardening. However perhaps the most crystallizing event for the Institute began at our first public introduction last year at the Allegheny Green and Innovation Festival.

It was here that we first introduce the public to the idea of sustainable design incubator that creates quality products utilizing the right balance of materials, efficient design, and minimal energy consumption. Specifically those products work in modular solid cedar planter box for micro-farming, elevated gardening stands, natural milk carriers, and handcrafted jute plant hangers.

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Most important was the idea that the building that housed this design lab also maintained and acted as the design shell since many of the issues related to sustainable design truly need to be applied to our existing infrastructure. Maximizing the efficiencies of our natural resources through minimizing the waste byproduct of poor or inefficient processes should be the goal in society.

Needless to say, being able to interface with a diverse group of people interested in design efficiencies while hearing their frustrations over certain cost barriers that produce slow returns on their investment, seem to confirm that an organization that demonstrates various technologies and approaches would be of some value.

Upon returning from this festival a rough outline was created that embodied what is currently now known as "the Church Institute" - an organization that seeks to share in the creative development of sustainable design paradigms that appear currently hidden from mainstream society.

It's my personal hope, that initiatives like this can create a generation of citizens that actively consider how simple solutions can make large differences in improving their lives.

As you'll read throughout this website, we understand that much of what we do isn't "new" thinking but hopefully a different approach when some very common sense thinking.