Raymond Kent

Raymond Kent

Raymond Kent is the director of the Innovative Technology Design Group and a senior associate with DLR Group/Westlake Reed Leskosky specializing in technology systems for the performing and cultural arts, healthcare, Government, higher education and corporate markets. He is a co-author of the STEP rating system and has served as the chair of the Technology Task Force for the STEP Foundation. Raymond received the 2012 InfoComm Sustainable Technology Award and is involved with the Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts and can be often seen presenting at major conferences on sustainability and technology.

(Trade) War, Huh, Yeah… What is it Good For…

While the United States’ administration seems to be picking trade war fights with just about everyone these days, creating jitters across almost every sector, an all too familiar scene played out in late May just outside of Bangkok. The Royal Thai Police conducted yet another raid on an open-air but well-hidden operation with all the […]

(Trade) War, Huh, Yeah… What is it Good For…

Electronics and Plastic Surgery

InfoComm 2018 recently wrapped up in Las Vegas where manufacturers, consultants, integrators and end users all gathered to hawk their wares and kick the tires of the latest gadgets to cure their ills. It is a show where a sea of gizmos and gadgets fill close to every square meter of the convention center. This […]

Electronics and Plastic Surgery

The Risks of IoT

A quick survey: How many IoT devices do you currently think you own? Chances are you are way off on the actual number. A main reason is that no one actually knows how many devices are currently connected to the Internet of Things and that number is even harder to predict moving forward as more […]

The Risks of IoT

Blockchain and the New Sustainable Frontier

If you have never heard of blockchain before, it’s to your advantage to read up on it. Most people in some way have heard of Bitcoin, the ubiquitous digital cryptocurrency, but have not ventured farther into that somewhat mysterious world. Blockchain is what makes cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin work, providing it security in an unregulated […]

Blockchain and the New Sustainable Frontier

A Better Second Life


For all the benefits of the latest technology, what happens when gear is no longer needed, breaks, or its usefulness has been outpaced by the latest model has been a subject of much consternation. I have written several columns here about planned obsolescence, e-waste and e-recycling but a recent event has brought to light another […]

A Better Second Life


Nine Tips to Bridge the Cybernetic Design Gap

Before you commit to incorporating augmented or virtual reality into your design process, consider these scenarios that could harm, rather than help, your final outcome. Much like Doctor Who’s TARDIS, the toolbox for design just got a lot bigger on the inside. What was once relegated to testing labs, tinkerer’s garages, and a relatively small segment […]

Nine Tips to Bridge the Cybernetic Design Gap

The Millennial Reward

As millennials continue to increase in ranks in the workforce, so does the desire to have products that are good for the environment. This includes businesses they patron and their workplaces, as well as their homes. Corporations are increasing looking to this demographic, who are tech savvy and socially conscious, to lead their company’s technology […]

The Millennial Reward

Ice Crystal Ball for 2018: Predictions in ICT and Sustainability

As we enter 2018 in the grips of a bomb-cyclone dumping frigid temperatures, snow, ice and floods up and down the eastern seaboard, it can be difficult to consider global warming particularly since global warming has nothing to do with weather and everything to do with climate change. Here is a good explanation of the […]

Ice Crystal Ball for 2018: Predictions in ICT and Sustainability

Green Gadget Gifts that Make You Question Why

With this year’s holidays upon us it is easy to try to find that special quirky gift that the tech guru in your life might enjoy. Being the eco-friendly person you are, however, might lead you to some questionable choices that the receiver might be concerned for your mental state. I came across these while […]

Green Gadget Gifts that Make You Question Why

USITT and the Greening of a Conference

Recently the registration for the upcoming United States Institute for Theater Technology (USITT) Conference opened with a great renewed focus on providing a sustainable conference. When attendees arrive in March (14th-17th) to the show floor in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., there are several key strategies that they may notice and many more behind the scenes initiatives […]

USITT and the Greening of a Conference

Thumbs on a Scale

As this current administration in the United States continues to scrap policies from the previous administration based solely on scoring political points for a diminishing base rather than on sound social, science and economic sense, we see a further decline in the United States standing on the global stage related to environmental, social and even […]

Thumbs on a Scale

Wash Out!

Well as we start yet another record-breaking hurricane season here in the U.S., many in our southern states and the Gulf of Mexico are bracing for impact. Already hurricanes Harvey and Irma have caused billions in damage to home, businesses, infrastructure and lives. Power companies and cleanup crews are busy wrestling with the monumental task […]

Wash Out!

“Glowing” Footprints

Do your ICT products have good chemistry? Do you even have any idea what chemicals may be in your products and how it may affect the environment you install them into? Do you know if the manufacturer you purchased or specified are being environmentally responsible when it comes to chemicals in the manufacturing process? Chemical […]

“Glowing” Footprints

Losing Our Moonshot

We are losing our generation’s “race to the moon” in clean energy technology innovation. Plain and simple. The EU and Asia are beating us. Hands down. The main driver for this is two-fold. First and foremost is financial. The 2009 Recovery Act stimulus package poured $27 Billion into energy efficiency and research into renewable energy […]

Losing Our Moonshot

But We Will Always Have Paris…

June 1st, 2017 will be one for the history books. This was the day that the administration of the United States announced the withdraw from the landmark 2015 Paris climate agreement for purely political purpose and partisanship. This move does not position the USA at the back of the line but removes us from the […]

But We Will Always Have Paris…

Holey IoT!

InfoComm is rapidly approaching and I am sure that there will be many gizmos and gadgets that are IoT ready as offerings in both consumer and commercial technology continue to explode in the market. The Internet of Things (IoT) play space has been promising, and delivering, on new and exciting ways to engage with customers, […]

Holey IoT!

Death of the Unpolluted

The current administration’s reversal of key environmental directives and what appears to be a blatant dismantling of the EPA and other regulatory departments has the potential to set the U.S. back decades in environmental policy and contribution to climate change and global warming. As I noted in last month’s article it will be up to […]

Death of the Unpolluted

Three Legs of a Stool: The New Green Technology-Based Industrial Revolution

Even with the front-and-center headlines of world politics throwing shade to other news worthy events a quiet revolution is taking hold. Just under a year and a half ago the Paris Climate agreement was birthed with rosy cheeked and wide-eyed predictions of its mark on global climate change. We are now starting to see the […]

Three Legs of a Stool: The New Green Technology-Based Industrial Revolution

A Dirge for the EPA

On February 3rd, 2017 House Representatives Matthew Gaetz (R-FL), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Steven Palazzo (R-MS) and Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) introduced a bill literally titled: To Terminate the Environmental Protection Agency, which has now been introduced to the committees on House Science, Space, and Technology; Energy and Commerce; Agriculture; and Transportation, and Infrastructure. If enacted, the agency […]

A Dirge for the EPA

Hello? Is Anyone Listening?

Amazon’s hottest selling items for 2016 were the Echo and its little brother Dot. These devices, along with their competitors from Google and Apple, are revolutionizing the way we interact with our homes and are quickly moving into the workplace. These voice command and control devices allow the participant to use their voices with simple […]

Hello? Is Anyone Listening?

Pass It On

Very recently, my father passed away. I was fortunate to be able to spend time with him in the weeks prior to his death in a way that I had not done before. I think subconsciously he knew he was coming to the end after a long battle with congestive heart problems combined with 85 […]

Pass It On

When Machines Become as Smart as Us (or Smarter)

The often tumultuous presidential campaign has finally come to an end (Yay!!!). Now that we have all had the luxury of time to reflect on the outcome, expressing either our joy or sadness, we look to the future and wonder what the next administration will bring to the table regarding sustainability. With this in mind […]

When Machines Become as Smart as Us (or Smarter)

Data and How Best to Use it for Energy Efficiency

Now that many things in an Internet of Things (IoT) world have sensors that can track and control their energy consumption as well as influence the energy use and monitoring of other things, reams of data about these things has been produced, stored, and culled over. Having access to this much data allows the consumer […]

Data and How Best to Use it for Energy Efficiency

User-Centric-Design, Technology and Sustainability

With the Internet of Things (IoT) encroaching further and further into the lives of the masses on a daily basis, one key element is becoming more important than ever — encounterability and controllability. This involves not only the macro scale of energy sources to power skyscrapers and corporate campuses, food and water resource management and […]

User-Centric-Design, Technology and Sustainability

Charge!

My company has been knee deep in the design of high end audiovisual technology for a major new health education client and one of the main drivers of the project is to allow for as much portable wireless technology as possible – laptops, cell phones, tables, etc. There are a few major concerns with this […]

Charge!

I’m Just a Bill…

As I sit here in Cleveland during the Republican National Convention, I’m thinking about something I did not ever expect to happen in this current political climate — a recent bipartisan bill was introduced into the House of Representatives [Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) and Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA)] that aims to stop the flow of […]

I’m Just a Bill…

Just Peachy

This past weekend was Father’s Day and outside of my hometown bringing back an NBA Championship (Go Cavs!) capping the day, I got to hang out with my son above and beyond the normal weekly rush of household chores and repairs, grocery shopping and the usual noise of life. He is twelve going on eighty […]

Just Peachy

Remember Corporate Sustainability at InfoComm 2016

Another InfoComm Show will soon be upon us with just under a thousand vendors and exhibitors vying for attention from tens of thousands of attendees in the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas. If you are attending this year’s conference, I have a challenge for you. Ask every exhibit you stop by what their corporate […]

Remember Corporate Sustainability at InfoComm 2016

Pick-A-Part

So a number of the news blurbs I came across related to this year’s Earth Day surrounded the growing scourge of e-waste. A main example was cell phones and how often people are changing out their devices to get the newest features or because of the inefficiencies of their older device. A typical cell phone […]

Pick-A-Part

Collabor-Jabber

I was recently in Salt Lake City for the annual United States Institute for Theater Technology (USITT) conference, where collaboration is king and data-driven technology related to the entertainment industry is rampant. The theater industry in itself has a long tradition of collaboration among the entire team from designers to director, designers to technicians, director […]

Collabor-Jabber

A Byte of Apple

By now you should have heard about Apple’s battle with the federal government over the unlocking of Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone for use in the investigation of the San Bernardino shootings. If you have not been paying attention and you work in the ICT industry, you should. In short, the Federal Government has secured an […]

A Byte of Apple

Wi HaLow There!

The Internet of Things (IoT) just got one step closer to reality. The Wi-Fi Alliance recently approved a new low-powered long-range Wi-Fi standard they are calling 802.11ah or HaLow for short. Announced at CES this year, this new standard promises to make IoT possible on a large scale. One of the biggest hurdles to IoT […]

Wi HaLow There!