In a space that many people share, while trying to develop it according to specific values and with the goal to both offer sustainable ways of living and being an inspiration for other developments, the tasks and possible actions are plenty. We are hindered by the limited factors that have been described above, but we try to navigate through what is possible and needed to do. We would like to be more free to build and create, making natural buildings and more, but accept the situation we are in.

As in the garden, we try to follow permaculture design and principles in our processes and designs when we decide on new actions in Suderbyn in order to minimize both the environmental footprints and waste of resources (time, money, materials or trust within the community). Also here observation, planning and circular thinking is key values.

Who are we?
We who already live here in Suderbyn have all different backgrounds, skills and experiences, and we try to teach and learn from each other to the best of our abilities and capacities, as well as from others outside of Suderbyn. This happens through books, workshops and the wonderful internet, content that some of us here also have helped create in specific areas. 

The level of “professionalism” or experience within the infrastructure domain varies from high to medium to low, depending on the specific subject and the people currently here, but we try to ask as many questions as we can throughout any process, ready to learn about the unknown while gaining in experiences every day. There is always new knowledge to learn with each new design or problem solving.
In order to keep track of the work and processes, we meet once every week with the domain (everyone is welcome to join) for a common check in and go through the current list of tasks and make planning for next week or period according to their priorities. The maintenance, repairing or problem solving part of the domain can sometimes demand flexibility in terms of scheduling and prioritization of other tasks as we try to act according to the needs of the community.

Limiting factors of the domain
The limiting factors of the infrastructure domain is at large the same as the general description above, connected to the development of Suderbyn. Strict laws, regulation and legislation prevents short-timelines from idea to building in many cases and can be quite frustrating. We would for example like to rebuild the barn or make several tiny-houses with natural materials, but can not freely do so due to the needs of permits and level of bureaucracy in Sweden. We hope that we will be able to be creative with these limitations though, and there is always something that can be done.

Human resources and communication of knowledge (or “best practises”) can be another limiting factor when addressing the value in both process and result. We try to address this in order to ensure both a valuable learning-environment, as well as sought after results and the use of resources, by encouraging communication from idea, through planning to execution.

What are the future ambitions of the domain?

In the short-term: 

• Maintaining the property and the connected tools, workshop-areas, infrastructure (buildings, energy-systems, internal spaces etc), carpool, bicycles and more. 
• Doing new-builds or upgrades where it’s possible and/or needed.  
• Planning, designing and preparing for future actions within Suderbyn, connected to its development.
• Creating and maintaining a learning-environment connected to the domain, its processes and tasks. 
• Hold workshops, either practical or theoretical, connected to the domain (energy solutions or systems, building techniques (natural materials), architecture/design, small DIY projects (cutlery, tools, musical instruments etc), beautification or artistic expressions (sculpturing, painting, craftsmanship).

In the long-term: 

• Develop the physical aspect of Suderbyn for its inhabitants and increase the possibilities for entrepreneurial activities (f.ex developing the local infrastructure, developing the food-production/garden, a production kitchen, sustainable housing/buildings, energy solutions, facilitation capacities for holding workshops for external groups). 
  
• Establish increased sustenance in terms of the ability to meet the needs connected to the local infrastructure: energy (electrical, heating, cooking), transportation (carpool, bicycles etc), buildings (technical buildings and housing), water-treatment etc. 
  

What can volunteers expect?
Through their involvement in the infrastructure domain, volunteers can expect to gain knowledge and experience on a broad variety of building and maintenance related tasks with a permaculture perspective. In a community with 20-25 people and a big piece of land there is always work to do, things to fix and stuff to build.

List of tasks (non-exhaustive)

• Maintenance/repair of buildings, tools, vehicles (cars, bikes) etc
  
• Planning and building new structures, tools, equipment 

What does the domain expect from volunteers?
Motivation and willingness go a long way. Attention to detail, curiosity, a sense of responsibility, self-regulation and discipline, orderliness, problem solving attitude, openness for the existence of multiple possible solutions, ability to follow the agreed upon structures within Suderbyn connected to process and result within the domain and community, ability to communicate possible challenges and other parts of the process with the other domain and community members.