A monthly event program exploring progressive, sustainable and ecologically intelligent solutions to the really hard problems.

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After a successful 2016 program at the Powerhouse Museum, The Greenhouse is back for another season.

This year WWF Australia, Greenups and EnergyLab are partnering on a fascinating event series exploring the role emerging technology can play to help solve some of our biggest environmental and social challenges.

The program launched on Tuesday May 30th with a lively panel discussion and big-picture exploration of the technology and environmental horizon. You can watch the panel from the event.

The Greenhouse 2017 - Planet Saving Technology Series

30 MaySeries Launch Planet Saving Technology – What are the global megatrends and what are the biggest opportunities for planet-saving disruption? | Watch
27 JuneHow Smart Cities will change the way we organise our lives and bring about the third industrial revolution. | Watch
25 JulyHow Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality can be harnessed for social and environmental impact. Watch
29 AugustHow Blockchain will bring power to the people and revolutionise consumption and production. Watch
26 SeptemberArtificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Info
31 OctoberHow Electric/Autonomous Vehicles will revolutionise mobility and change the way our cities are organised.Info | Tickets
23-24 NovemberHackathon - Register

Autonomous Vehicles and the Future of Mobility

Tuesday 31st October, 6-9pm

The future of mobility, with electric and autonomous vehicles

What is the the future of mobility? How will autonomous & electric vehicles change our daily lives? What will be the consequences for our energy systems, how we work, what kind of jobs we'll have have now we'll get to them? How will this shift impact the environment and climate change, and importantly what are the social and ethical implications of delegating vehicle control to AI? Who will be responsible?

For the sixth and final Greenhouse evening we've approached a range of academics and thought-leaders to help us explore this fascinating topic, and help guide us through the future of mobility and autonomous & electric vehicles.

Speakers and Panellists

  • Dermot O'Gorman - CEO WWF Austraila

    It's an exciting time to work in conservation, with technological innovations at our fingertips, that will enhance our impact and help us move to a world where humans can live in harmony with nature.

  • Professor Robyn Dowling - The University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning

    Researching the ways in which urban governance and urban life are responding to climate change and technological disruptions, smart cities, and the new forms of autonomous mobility in particular car sharing and the challenged posed by autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars).

  • Behyad Jafari – CEO, Electric Vehicle Council

    As the CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council, Behyad works with industry, government and the media to accelerate the electrification of road transport, for a more sustainable and prosperous Australia

  • Carola Jonas - Co-founder, Everty (peer-to-peer electric vehicle charging, startup)

    A recent graduate of the EnergyLab Accelerator program, Everty's vision is to accelerate Australia's transition to 100% sustainable transport by establishing a community based electric vehicle charging network

  • Ketan Joshi - Communications Advisor, Data61/CSIRO

    Self-described 'Communications Nerd', Ketan is a Science communicator with CSIRO's DATA61, with a focus on renewables, engineering and economics.

We'll announce the final panel in the week before the event, until then make sure you grab an Early Bird ticket!

Food and Drinks

Drinks and light refreshments are provided, thanks to our sponsors & partners Future Super, EnergyLab & WWF.

Schedule

  • 6:00pm: Doors open
  • 6:30pm: Keynote followed by moderated panel discussion and Q&A with the audience
  • 8pm: Continue the discussion over drinks and light snacks.
  • 9pm: Event concludes

The evening will begin with a half hour of mingling and networking. At 6:30pm the talks programme will begin with a keynote. You will then be invited to join the speakers in Q&A style panel discussion. The talks and panel runs for approximately 1hr. After the panel you are invited to continue the conversation and enjoy some drinks and light refreshments thanks to our sponsors & partners Future Super, EnergyLab & WWF.

Food and drink will be available thanks to our sponsors.

Venue

EnergyLab
Building 25, 4-12 Buckland St, Chippendale, NSW 2008

Tickets

Click here to buy tickets
Sell tickets online with Ticket Tailor

Early bird tickets available now, until a week before the event (unless sold out).

$17 Early Bird, $25 Standard entry, $30 on the Door.

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Tuesday 26th September, 6-9pm

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning. Is it Planet Saving Tech?

Depending on your framing, the coming age of Artificial Intelligence is either the panacea to all the worlds drudgery or heralds the arrival of our robot overloads and ultimate annihilation.

The truth is clearly somewhere in between, and depends a lot on a careful definition of terms, but either way the arrival of Artificial Intelligence and it’s subordinate cousins Machine & Deep Learning, presents a seismic shift and one which demands our immediate and focused attention.

Artificial Intelligence is here and it’s already doing interesting things, from influencing your Facebook feed to influencing US elections, from predicting your text messages to predicting where extreme weather events will hit, from recognising your voice to recognising endangered tigers.

And that’s just single purpose AI, stuff gets real when we begin to join a few of these ‘intelligences’ together, and Artificial General Intelligence emerges. AGI is still the realm if sci-fi, but for how long and what are the implications?

For the next Greenhouses evening we’ve approached a range of academics and thought-leaders to help us explore this fascinating topic, and help guide us as we decide how we can shape Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in to Planet Saving Technologies.

Speakers and Panellists

  • Dr. Katina Michael - School of Computing and Information Technology, University of Wollongong, Editor-in-chief IEEE Technology and Society Magazine.

    Prof. Michael researches the socio-ethical implications of emerging technologies, she will deliver the introductory keynote.

  • Philip Wright - Senior Advisor, The Ethics Centre.

    Focusing on ethical leadership and good decision making, Philip also practices as a psychoanalytically orientated Psychotherapist.

  • Franki Chamaki - COO/Founder, HIVERY & Director, Red Garage Ventures.

    The HIVERY is a data science company leveraging artificial intelligence for business decision making, it was one of the first company's to come out of Red Garage Ventures, a Coca-Cola backed start-up developing hi-tech well-being and supply chain products.

  • Prof. Gerardo Montoya - Educational Robotics Project and State Academy of Robotics, Universidad Tecnológica de Cancún, Mexico.

    Gerardo is a world champion robotics expert, educator and inventor passionate about empowering disadvantaged kids with STEM skills.

  • Rachel Bunder - Data Scientist at Solar Analytics and organiser of Sydney PyLadies.

    Rachel's PHD is on automating and optimising decision making. Rachel is also an organiser in the international PyLadies movement, supporting women in the Python programming language open source community.

Food and Drinks

Drinks and light refreshments are provided, thanks to our sponsors & partners Future Super, EnergyLab & WWF.

Schedule

  • 6:00pm: Doors open
  • 6:30pm: Keynote followed by moderated panel discussion and Q&A with the audience
  • 8pm: Continue the discussion over drinks and light snacks.
  • 9pm: Event concludes

The evening will begin with a half hour of mingling and networking. At 6:30pm the talks programme will begin with a keynote from Prof. Katina Michael . You will then be invited to join the speakers in Q&A style panel discussion. The talks and panel runs for approximately 1hr.

After the panel you are welcome to continue the conversation and enjoy some drinks and light refreshments thanks to our sponsors & partners Future Super, EnergyLab, Greenups & WWF Australia

Venue

EnergyLab
Building 25, 4-12 Buckland St, Chippendale, NSW 2008

WT# is The Blockchain?

Tuesday 29thAugust, 6-9pm

What the heck is the Blockchain!? and is is Planet Saving Tech?

The Blockchain's potential ability to help leapfrog or change corrupt and inefficient power structures can revolutionize the way we approach issues ranging from the supply chain, financial inclusion, human rights abuses, and modern slavery to environmental, energy, and workforce problems.

One source of shared truth and trusted infrastructure can help NGOs, charities, social entrepreneurs, civil societies and companies achieve their mission.

Come and discover the innovators, leaders, and philosophers in the space showcasing their solutions and meet the technologists who can support your needs.

So what is Blockchain, and is it just hype or is it really a Planet Saving Technology?

Speakers and Panellists

  • Dr Jane Thomason - CEO Abt Australia, Social Policy Adviser, Devex Impact Strategic Advisory Council, Commentator Blockchain

    Jane is a development entrepreneur and innovator, with a 30+ year track-record across a wide range of development programs globally, regionally and in Australia, Asia and the Pacific. Jane is an active role model for future women leaders and an active supporter of innovation and new technologies, especially blockchain, and their application to the problems of the poor.

  • Arthur Falls - Director of Media at Consensys / Podcaster, State Change & The Ether Review Podcasts.

    ConsenSys is at the centre of the Etherium Blockchain community, and Arthur through his well-respected podcasts is the voice of that community.

  • Bubba Cook - Pacific Tuna Programme Manager, WWF NZ / Pacific

    Alfred "Bubba" Cook has spent a lifetime on the ocean and the last 13 years working in fisheries conservation and management. Currently Programme Manager for WWF's Smart Fishing Initiative, focused on improving tuna fisheries management at a national and regional level in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

  • Leah Callon-Butler - Advisory Board Member, RedGrid

    Social Entrepreneur, Growth Hacker and Sustainability Evangelist currently working on an Open Source project to decentralise and universalise access to electricity.

  • Bridie Ohlsson - External Relations, AgriDigital

    With broad experience across the legal, not-for-profit and tech industries, Bridie currently leads the Blockchain program for agricultural supply-chains at AgTech (agricultural technology) startup AgriDigital.

Panel Video
Food and Drinks

Drinks and light refreshments are provided, thanks to our sponsors & partners Future Super, EnergyLab & WWF.

Schedule

  • 6:00pm: Doors open
  • 6:30pm: Keynote followed by moderated panel discussion and Q&A with the audience
  • 8pm: Continue the discussion over drinks and light snacks.
  • 9pm: Event concludes

The evening will begin with a half hour of mingling and networking. At 6:30pm the talks programme will begin with a keynote from Jane Thomason . You will then be invited to join the speakers in Q&A style panel discussion. The talks and panel runs for approximately 1hr.

After the panel you are welcome to continue the conversation and enjoy some drinks and light refreshments thanks to our sponsors & partners Future Super, EnergyLab, Greenups & WWF Australia

Venue

EnergyLab
Building 25, 4-12 Buckland St, Chippendale, NSW 2008

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Tuesday 25th July, 5-9pm

How Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality can be harnessed for social and environmental impact.

With it's origins in science fiction, the idea of Virtual Reality has been around since the 1950's, but in the last few years, with the promise of mobile computing, it's suddenly the talk of the town.

Many are excited by the deep immersive nature and empathetic story telling potential of VR/AR and see huge opportunity in awareness raising and shifting public opinion around important issues.

So what is VR, and it's related technology cousin Augmented Reality, an is it a potential Planet Saving Technology?

Speakers and Panellists
Panel Video

Planet Saving Technology: Smart Cities and the Internet of Things

Posted by The Greenhouse Project on Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Virtual Reality Experience

Thanks to our good friends at Academy Xi we'll have some HTC Vive headsets and live experiences to try at the event.

Make sure you get there early, if you'd like to try one of the VR headsets! (We'll have the VR Headsets going from 5PM)

Food and Drinks

After the panel you are welcome to continue the conversation and enjoy some drinks and light refreshments thanks to our sponsors & partners Future Super, EnergyLab, Greenups & WWF Australia

Schedule

  • 5:00pm: Doors open (note the early start for more VR time)
  • 6:30pm: Keynote followed by moderated panel discussion and Q&A with the audience
  • 8pm: Continue the discussion over drinks and light snacks
  • 9pm: Event concludes

The evening will begin an hour earlier than usual at 5PM (to allow extra time for the VR fun) for mingling and networking. At 6:30pm the talks programme will begin with a keynote from Jen Wilson, CEO of the Australian Museum. You will then be invited to join the speakers in Q&A style panel discussion. The talks and panel runs for approximately 1hr.

After the panel you are welcome to continue the conversation and enjoy some drinks and light refreshments thanks to our sponsors & partners Future Super, EnergyLab, Greenups & WWF Australia

Venue

EnergyLab
Building 25, 4-12 Buckland St, Chippendale, NSW 2008

Tickets

(available from Ticket Tailor)

Early bird tickets available now (until a week before the event).

$25 Standard entry, $30 on the Door.

Planet Saving Tech

Tuesday 27th June 6-9pm

Smart Cities and The Internet of Things

What is a Smart City? How will Smart Cities change the way we organise our lives? Will they bring about the so-called ‘third industrial revolution’? What is the Internet of Things, and does it have the potential to be a Positive Impact Technology? What are the opportunities and what are the risks?

We explore all this and more in the first of our deep dives into Planet Saving Technology: Smart Cities and the Internet of Things.

Speakers and Panellists
Panel Video

Planet Saving Technology: Smart Cities and the Internet of Things

Posted by The Greenhouse Project on Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Food and Drinks

Drinks and light refreshments are provided, thanks to our partners EnergyLab & WWF.

Planet Saving Tech

Tuesday 30th May 6-9pm

Planet Saving Technology. What are the Megatrends?

What are the technology megatrends and what are the biggest opportunities for planet-saving disruption?

Themes

We are living through a period of rapid development and witnessing exciting changes in emerging technologies which are redefining how we live, work and play. But global megatrends like climate disruption, resource scarcity, rapid extinction, massive urbanisation and inequality are threatening to derail a potentially bright future. As emerging technologies become mainstream, industries and businesses are reorganising to avoid disruption, the lines between for- and non-profit are blurring, and trust is being lost in traditionally powerful institutions.

Speakers
Panel Video

Planet Saving Technology: Megatrends

Posted by The Greenhouse Project on Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Live Music
Food and Drinks

Drinks and light refreshments will be provided, thanks to our sponsors.

Schedule

Doors open at 6pm.

Live Music from 6pm. Talks and panel from 7pm.

The evening will begin with an hour of mingling and networking, during this time you will able to enjoy some live music.

At 7pm the talks programme will begin with a keynote from Dermot O'Gormon, the CEO of WWF Australia. You will then be invited to join the speakers in Q∧A style panel discussion. The talks and panel runs for approximately 1hr.

Food and drink will be available thanks to our sponsors.

Tickets

(available from Eventbrite)

Early bird tickets available now (until a week before the event).

$25 Standard entry, $30 on the Door.

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Background

We are living through a period of rapid development and witnessing exciting changes in emerging technologies which are redefining how we live, work and play. But global megatrends like climate disruption, resource scarcity, rapid extinction, massive urbanisation and inequality are threatening to derail a potentially bright future. As emerging technologies become mainstream, industries and businesses are reorganising to avoid disruption, the lines between for- and non-profit are blurring, and trust is being lost in traditionally powerful institutions.

How can technology be channelled to help solve some of the big problems we face today?

How can environment organisations and NGOs think more like technology companies - who innovate fast and take risks with high reward?

And how can tech companies think more like NGOs, who approach problem-solving through strategy, science and rigour? Where are the opportunities for us to collaborate?

We need to try new things, take risks, experiment with innovative approaches to how we solve problems. And break out of our silos and collaborate with unlikely allies.

This event series is designed to help think through some of these opportunities based on different challenges we face, and hopefully, form new alliances between some hitherto disconnected communities.

The event series will facilitate wide-ranging panel discussions, along with audience participation. We will launch with an exploration of current exciting trends in technology and explore the intersection between tech and sustainability.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sponsors & Supporters

Are you interested in supporting The Greenhouse?

We're looking for businesses and organisations who are wholly aligned with our communities core values of sustainability, environmental and ecological awareness. Alongside this, we're focussed on building respect, equal-opportunity, innovation, design-thinking and collaboration.

If that sounds like you, get in touch with us here.

The Greenhouse Project 2017 program is a collaboration between Greenups, EnergyLab and WWF Australia