In this bonus episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Tom Raftery—speaker, sustainability strategist, and host of the Resilient Supply Chain and Climate Confident podcasts—to explore how global energy disruptions are reshaping construction, supply chains, and the future of resilience.
Using lessons from the 1970s energy crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and today's geopolitical uncertainty, Ryan and Tom examine what happens when critical systems become overly dependent on a single source of energy.
Rather than focusing on politics, this conversation explores how leaders can think differently about risk, resilience, electrification, and long-term planning.
From renewable energy and energy storage to building design and infrastructure decisions, Tom shares insights gathered from years of conversations with global experts in climate technology, energy systems, and supply chain resilience.
This episode challenges AEC leaders to move beyond reacting to disruption and start designing for it.
What you'll learn:
• Why energy disruptions impact far more than fuel prices
• How supply chain resilience and energy security are connected
• What past crises can teach us about future uncertainty
• Why electrification and energy diversification are accelerating
• How design and planning decisions influence long-term resilience
• What construction leaders can do to prepare for a changing energy landscape
Who this is for:
Construction leaders, architects, engineers, developers, facility owners, and AEC professionals focused on resilience, infrastructure, innovation, and leading through uncertainty.
Chapters:
08:02 What 50 Years of Energy Shocks Can Teach Us
15:10 Why Renewables and Energy Storage Are Accelerating
32:43 How Businesses Are Responding to Uncertainty
45:38 What This Means for Construction Leaders
50:33 The Future of Energy, Infrastructure, and Resilience
58:10 A Real Example of Energy Independence
Guest:
Tom Raftery is an international keynote speaker, sustainability strategist, and host of the Resilient Supply Chain and Climate Confident podcasts. His work focuses on climate innovation, digital transformation, supply chain resilience, energy systems, and the technologies shaping a more sustainable future.
https://tomraftery.com/
https://tomraftery.com/climate-confident/
https://tomraftery.com/resilient-supply-chain/
https://newsletter.tomraftery.com/
Recommendations:
Want to learn more about the history and conditions, listen here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000772344263
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000772009313
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