Kaua'i Federal Credit Union in Lihue, Hawaii, is developing an "economic resilience center" to promote financial inclusion, economic development and the environment as well as build deeper ties with its local community.
Executives with the $144 million-asset credit union began exploring locations for the center within the town of Kapa'a more than six years ago as part of Kaua'i FCU's outreach effort to underserved consumers. Last year it seized on an opportunity to purchase a building that once housed a local furniture retailer. The credit union bought the property in October and is currently in the early stages of planning for the center.
"It's the most populated region of the island and has a ton of our underserved groups, so we've been focused on building capacity in that region for a long time. … Now we finally have the opportunity to open up an economic resilience center and branch in that region, so it's really special to us," Belz said.
As a certified community development financial institution, the credit union plans to offer a suite of services such as housing-stability resources, support for small businesses and nonprofits as well as access to public-private partnerships.
Belz stressed that the project's core focus isn't the branch, but rather the opportunity for local partners to share the space with the credit union and foster the economic resilience of the entire island. Executives are currently still in the vision-setting stage, and are in the process of gathering feedback from elders of Indigenous communities as well as other organizations like the Kaua'i Museum.
"Nonprofit capacity building is a big deal and really aligned in determining how to bring in the right partners in this space that really complement this focal point and mission of economic resilience for the island and who can help build that capacity out with us," Belz said.
As part of redesigning the building to better suit the needs of the center, which involves delving into the "living story" of the surrounding environment, the credit union plans to source ideas for how best to modernize the space — as well as ecologically-sound construction materials — from nature.
Jamie Miller, director of biomimicry and senior associate at B+H Architects, began working with the project in December after Belz saw parallels between his work with native communities in Canada and the perspectives of tribal elders in Kaua'i.
"Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature. … Whether it's circularity, passive design, material use or any of those things that are kind of the hot topics in sustainability or [environmental, social and corporate governance], I always say nature has already done those," Miller said.
Miller emphasized that by implementing concepts derived through biomimicry,
"The power of biomimicry is that it'll also teach you what to do next," Miller said. "By engaging in that conversation, you will be on the forefront of sustainable design and you will find more efficient ways of doing things."
The island of Kaua'i has a long history of
Merchant exchange surrounding goods such as pineapples, rice and sugar has remained vital for strengthening the island's economy, said Mason K. Chock, a council member of the County of Kaua'i who is a consultant for the campaign.
"Because we're an island in the middle of the ocean with finite resources, the concepts of circular and regenerative economies are something that not only historically come from our ancestors and their knowledge, but also are faced here on a daily basis," Chock said.
After the initial exploration stage, Kaua'i FCU plans to start formally defining the physical space and securing partnerships with organizations.
"When we look at how this place can be a co-op of ideas, really what it's asking for us is to create places for us to listen to each other and more importantly listen to the place that we come from," Chock said.
