Erik van Lennep is passionate about Living Technologies, and has over 30 years experience in setting up innovative and effective collaborative projects with high social return in the USA and Ireland.

His consultative expertise has focused upon sustainable development: cross sectoral collaboration, innovation and design, urban planning, ecosystem rehabilitation, environmental impact assesment, awareness building, communication and multicultural inclusion.

He is presently with the Sustainable Ireland Cooperative Society Ltd. which maintains an all-island directory of sustainable goods and services providers, and was set up to address the need of networking the sustainability movement on a national scale, as well as promoting awareness and attitude change to further the uptake of sustainability.

Erik has been responsible for development of a number of key programmes of the Cooperative including the LEONARDO based training programme in sustainability. He is a co-founder of the Cooperative’s “Cultivate Centre for Sustainable Living” in Dublin.

Erik works closely with Dublin City Council in producing relevant training events for City Council members and employees, with a special focus upon planning and urban design, multicultural inclusion, aross sectoral communication and collaboration, waste management and recycling, and youth empowerment. In 2006, he created and produced Dublin’s first multicultural street festival, attracting some 15,000 people to participate in a day-long celebration embracing Dublin’s diversity.

Erik holds a Masters Degree in Sustainable Landscape Design, Land Use Planning and Environmental Restoration, with a focus upon environmental restoration strategies, environmental psychology, and permaculture cropping systems. He also holds a Third Level degree in Plant Breeding.