Hardware Podcasts

HIBT Lab! Babcock Ranch: Syd Kitson

How I Built This · 4 May 2023 · 39m

What this episode covers

Syd Kitson, founder of Kitson and Partners, explains how he transformed 91,000 acres in Southwest Florida into Babcock Ranch, America’s first solar-powered and climate-resilient community. He details the strategic decision to preserve 80% of the land as a nature preserve and position the remaining 20% 30 miles inland to avoid storm surge. The episode highlights the development of a 150-megawatt solar array with 700,000 panels and a smart water management system that allowed the town to withstand Hurricane Ian with minimal damage. Kitson also discusses the importance of building schools and commercial spaces to create a multigenerational, self-sustaining ecosystem.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Kitson and Partners, Green Bay Packers, Florida Power and Light
Products
Babcock Ranch
Also
Hurricane Ian

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