Nine Tracks on Renewables, High Performance Building, and Successful Models of Sustainability.

BuildingEnergy11 has developed nine tracks of high-level content on energy efficiency and renewables as they relate to the built environment. The case studies being presented meet rigorous qualification guidelines based on an article published by Chris Benedict, R.A., in the Fall 2009 edition of the Northeast Sun. Click here to see a copy of the BuildingEnergy Case Study Guidelines.

Use the Track Selector bar on the right to click through the nine track topics. Click on a track name to see descriptions of all the sessions in that track. 

Sessions receive continuing education units from the following professional organizations: AIA, BOMI, BPI*, InterNACHI, NAHB and NARI

Accrediting organizations

 *Check individual listings for BPI accreditation.

Track 1 - Policy

Track Chair(s): Luke Falk, Related Companies; Ian Finlayson, MA Dept. of Energy Resources (DOER)




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats! * This session is accredited by BPI.


Climate Plans for 2020 and 2050: How We Get There From Here

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 1
Session Chair(s): Ian Finlayson
Session Speaker(s): Marc Breslow George Twigg John Williams

Both NY and MA will have newly released climate plans for 2020 by March 2011. Separately Vermont has participated as a case study in a joint EU-US white paper looking at a roadmap for the buildings sector to reach GHG mitigation targets for 2050. Hear from experts from each of these states involved in the deliberations and analysis that led to these plans, and their thoughts on the challenges of 2020, 2050 and beyond. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Biomass and Greenhouse Gas: A Burning Issue

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 1
Session Chair(s): Robert Rizzo
Session Speaker(s): Dwayne Breger Tom Walker

The June 2010 release of the Manomet Center's Biomass Sustainability and Carbon Policy Study has changed the conversation around the carbon neutrality of biomass in the Northeast and internationally. Come hear how to make sense of this paradigm-shifting research from the study lead author, from a leading advocate of biomass heating as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, and from a state which has changed the way biomass is incentivized as a renewable fuel. * This session is accredited by BPI.


The Future of PACE: The Path Ahead for Local Finance Programs

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 1
Session Chair(s): Stephen Burrington
Session Speaker(s): Peter Adamczyk Dorian Dale Sadie McKeown

The session will be a panel with three presenters who have developed both legal frameworks and operational city and town Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) finance programs in multiple northeastern states. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Energy Use Data: A Renewable Resource for Fueling Market Transformation

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 1
Session Chair(s): Lindsay Robbins
Session Speaker(s): Eric Friedman Sam Marks Nick Taylor

Somewhere in NYC, a banker is warehousing energy retrofit data to inform the entire industry's guidelines. In Massachusetts, the government is using real-time data monitoring to enhance it's facilities management program in order to reduce carbon emissions. In Florida, a utility is using Goggle Maps to show the world every household's energy use. These market transformation initiatives are all being driven by analysis of and access to energy use data. Come find out how successful these efforts have been and how access to such data can be expanded. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Second Plenary: Women of Green

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Barbra Batshalom Jean Carroon Kate Goldstein Jacquelynn Henke Bomee Jung Charlotte Matthews Bernice Radle Pat Sapinsley

In this presentation, attendees will meet 8 women in green industries, established professionals who are trying and succeeding in changing the environmental movement. The presentation will be done in Pecha Kucha format, where each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This is a forum for attendees to see the startling breadth of careers in the field of sustainability, and the ability to be successful without greenwashing in any way. Panelists are all stars in their fields and represent all age groups. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Building Energy Labeling: The Next Frontier for Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings?

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 1
Session Chair(s): Ian Finlayson
Session Speaker(s): Adriana Akers Yaara Grinberg Sean Penrith

You know your car's MPG rating but how about your home or your office? There are bold new initiatives underway in both the residential and commercial sectors to bring energy labeling to the real estate market. Among the most prominent of the residential energy labeling pioneers in the US are the Earth Advantage Institute in the Northwest, who are now demonstrating a comprehensive energy labeling and efficiency marketing approach in Western MA. Elsewhere in the Northeast, both NYC and the Greater Boston area have new commercial energy labeling initiatives that take complementary but different approaches to putting building energy use in the public eye. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Taking Stock: Where Are We Now on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Policy in the Northeast

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 1
Session Chair(s): Frank Gorke
Session Speaker(s): Tina Halfpenny Ken Payne George Twigg

State plans for energy efficiency and renewable energy have been moving forwards at pace driven by legislation and policy changes made two or three years ago. In this session we sample some of the impressive policies underway in the Northeast (VT, MA and RI) and take stock of where they are in terms of field implementation. What plans are in place? Are they on track to deliver? And where are they heading in the future? * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 2 - Renewable Energy Technologies

Track Chair(s): Shawn Shaw, The Cadmus Group, Inc.; Bill Stillinger, PV Squared




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats!


Tools for Driving Community Wind Projects Forward

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Waterfront 3
Session Chair(s): Lynn DiTullio
Session Speaker(s): Megan Amsler Martha Broad Kevin Schulte

This session will examine what it takes to successfully bring Community Wind Projects on line. Discussion will include economic and physical installation considerations in the northeast, zoning and public outreach strategies for successful "behind the meter" Community Wind projects, and an overview of existing Community Wind development in Massachusetts. * This session is accredited by BPI.


New Trends and Existing Realities in "Small" Wind

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Waterfront 3
Session Chair(s): Mark Mayhew
Session Speaker(s): Nils Behn Gary Harcourt Charles McClelland Peter McPhee

Small wind turbines, 100 kW and smaller, are growing in popularity. This session will take the audience behind the scenes to examine methods for identifying a site, making the business case for a wind project, and provide feedback on the interaction between small wind performance and incentive structures. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Wind Power on Buildings: Truth from the Field

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Waterfront 3
Session Chair(s): Shawn Shaw
Session Speaker(s): David Rabkin Glenn Weston-Murphy

The roofs of several commercial and municipal buildings in the northeast are host sites for small wind turbines. How are these installations performing? This session presents real world data and guidance from local building-mounted wind projects, as well as providing valuable guidance for others considering building-mounted wind energy. * This session is accredited by BPI.


SRECs: Propelling the Orderly Deployment of PV Systems

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Waterfront 3
Session Chair(s): Ron French
Session Speaker(s): David Beavers Dwayne Breger Steven Kaufman

Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) hold the promise of being the chief mechanism whereby PV developers can obtain project financing, but a number of issues and ambiguities may need to be addressed before the system is reliable and predictable. This session presents these issues from the perspectives of government, an auditor and an SREC market broker. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Solar Thermal: Overview, Incentives Performance

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Waterfront 3
Session Chair(s): Henry Vandermark
Session Speaker(s): Robb Aldrich Marc Rosenbaum Carter Wall

Industry experts will provide an overview of alternative solar thermal technologies used in the Northeast; a case study of actual performance vs. expectations; and a new incentive program for solar thermal systems. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Utility-Scale Solar: Prospects and Issues

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Waterfront 3
Session Chair(s): Bill Stillinger
Session Speaker(s): Timothy Roughan

Retail electric distribution companies in Massachusetts are now authorized to own and operate PV systems, and the size of the systems they are choosing are large compared to systems that have been installed in prior years. This session will present two companies' experience thus far and the issues that they now face. * This session is accredited by BPI.


PV Development Today: Rapid Growth but Facing New Challenges

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Waterfront 3
Session Chair(s): Mark Durrenberger
Session Speaker(s): Daniel Leary Paul Lyons

This session deals with today's reality for PV in the northeast from the developer's perspective. Current incentive programs and methods of project financing have caused a re-examination of ambiguous tax and labor laws and insurance requirements which affect the competitiveness of new PV projects. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 3 - New Renewables

Track Chair(s): Drew Gillett, Solar Engineers; Joel Gordes, Environmental Energy Solutions




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats!


Breaking Wind

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Waterfront 2
Session Chair(s): Joel Gordes
Session Speaker(s): David Hurwitt Alfred Weisbrich

Wind energy is often touted as the renewable energy source furthest along its development path because of the many thousands of units and a huge global capacity. It is the lowest cost renewable source but still is often cited as having a lower capacity factor than conventional sources. Unlike photovoltaics, is not usually coincident with peak loads. This session will explore what is just emerging in wind energy conversion and what we can expect for the future to even further improve this technology. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Cross-Cutting Renewable Technologies

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Waterfront 2
Session Chair(s): Jim Dunn
Session Speaker(s): Leo F Casey Kim Stevenson

The rate of technology change and diffusion has accelerated in recent years and this is particularly true for photovoltaics. The development of new materials and components has the capacity to drop the price of this technology. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Betting on Biomass

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Waterfront 2
Session Chair(s): Drew Gillett
Session Speaker(s): Michael Garjian

What's new in biomass technology. Biomass is in the Northeast and there is a need for base-load renewables for many states to meet their RPS goals. This session will discuss what's new and emerging in the field. Expect some discussion on the type of biomass systems that can conform with emerging expectations on biomass use for global warming mitigation. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Biomass and Climate Change

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Waterfront 2
Session Chair(s): Joel Gordes
Session Speaker(s): Alan Nogee Robert Perschel Susan Reid

A new study in Massachusetts reports that biomass may not be as useful in meeting carbon reduction goals as previously supposed. What will the controversial Manomet Study mean for biomass' ability to mitigate climate change here and abroad? Where will it work? Where will it not work? Can the biomass power industry contribute of biomass to contribute a significantly to meeting state RPS requirements? Learn the facts from the experts who will present in this important session. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Second Plenary: Women of Green

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Barbra Batshalom Jean Carroon Kate Goldstein Jacquelynn Henke Bomee Jung Charlotte Matthews Bernice Radle Pat Sapinsley

In this presentation, attendees will meet 8 women in green industries, established professionals who are trying and succeeding in changing the environmental movement. The presentation will be done in Pecha Kucha format, where each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This is a forum for attendees to see the startling breadth of careers in the field of sustainability, and the ability to be successful without greenwashing in any way. Panelists are all stars in their fields and represent all age groups. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Fuel Cells: The Path Forward

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Waterfront 2
Session Chair(s): Drew Gillett
Session Speaker(s): Gregory Moreland Charles Myers Joel Rinebold

The ability of renewables to power the future depends upon development of low-cost 24/7 reliable energy storage. Affordable storage can also reduce expensive and often highly polluting peak generation requirements sometimes used only a few hundred hours per year. This panel will investigate emerging trends in new storage media including fuel cell technology. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Meeting Renewable Portfolio Standard Goals

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Waterfront 2
Session Chair(s): Timothy Cole
Session Speaker(s): Howard Bernstein Jason Gifford

Some Northeastern states have aggressive Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goals -- as much as 30% renewables -- out to 2030. Can they meet these ambitious goals? Can they be met in other ways? How? What will it cost? Can it be done without huge imports of wind energy from the west or even Canada with expensive and vulnerable transmission projects that would be required? Does Denmark offer a model for meeting these goals and other even different, more ambitious goals? * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 4 - Residential Buildings -- Retrofit & New

Track Chair(s): Mark Price, Price Sustainability; Marc Sternick, Dietz & Company Architects, Inc.




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats!


Small Houses With Minimal Point-Source Space Heating: Do You Need a Sweater?

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cityview 1
Session Chair(s): Jeremy Toal
Session Speaker(s): Robb Aldrich Duncan Prahl David Stecher

A number of small houses with point source conditioning strategies (single space heater, minisplit heat pumps) have been built and occupied in cold climates over the past 5 years. The panel of speakers will present data collected from these houses, including energy consumption and the variation in temperatures from room to room and floor to floor. * This session is accredited by BPI.


LEED for Homes and the Value of Site Verification

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cityview 1
Session Chair(s): Maureen Mahle
Session Speaker(s): William D'Arrigo Mark Price Jay Waterman

The LEED for Homes Program is strongly rooted in the strength of independent, third party verification. Using the applicable LEED-H credits as a loose guideline, this session will examine the options for quality control on site. Using actual projects for example, we will review a wide range of instances where diagnostic testing revealed unexpected results. Talk is cheap; here are the actual results. * This session is accredited by BPI.


High Design & High Performance

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cityview 1
Session Chair(s): Samantha Wood
Session Speaker(s): Jordan Goldman Stephanie Horowitz Jesse Thompson

How does good design enhance high performance and how does the goal of high performance affect good design? Each speaker will discuss projects and how design and energy concerns worked together and how they clashed -- and how the final product performed relative to their initially declared design and performance goals. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Extremely High Performance Homes: A Few Years On . . .

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Cityview 1
Session Chair(s): Marc Sternick
Session Speaker(s): Bruce Coldham Mike Duclos Katrin Klingenberg

The co-founder of the Passive House Institute, US, a long-time designer of high performance homes, and an experienced data monitoring consultant will review the progress of three CASE STUDY homes striving to achieve zero net annual energy status. The session will focus on the performance of these homes over the past few years, the systems failures and successes and how the failures were corrected. Review of the data and explanations of how the data can be interpreted to reveal subtle system design and performance flaws will be presented. * This session is accredited by BPI.


When Zero Isn't Zero: It's the Occupant

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 10, Cityview 1
Session Chair(s): Mark Price
Session Speaker(s): John Straube

We can design "Zero Energy Homes" but when these are tested after occupancy sometimes the energy use is not what was expected. More houses can be Net-Zero Capable, but they need the occupant to make them so. We will look at how to compare house designs when the occupant in near-zero energy homes matters so much. * This session is accredited by BPI.


High Performance Affordable Production Homes

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Cityview 1
Session Chair(s): Kris Kennedy
Session Speaker(s): Rob Meyers R. Carter Scott

This session will examine two pioneers in the affordable, high performance production home field. Replicable systems and techniques are being used to produce affordable, high performance homes and the results that are obtained. * This session is accredited by BPI.


High Performance or Hype Performance?

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Cityview 1
Session Chair(s): Krista Benoit
Session Speaker(s): Marc Rosenbaum

This session will look at the performance of recent projects including Deep Energy Retrofits of a new 11,000 square foot dormitory with faculty apartments; eight new affordable single family homes designed to be as near net zero energy as possible; and a zero net energy retrofit single family home. All but the last are buildings conditioned by minisplit heat pumps. We'll compare performance with models and draw some conclusions. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 5 - Multi-Family Residential Buildings -- Retrofit & New

Track Chair(s): F.L. Andrew Padian, The Community Preservation Corporation; Bernice Radle, Buffalo Energy




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats!


Greening Multifamily 360: New Construction, Retrofits, Operations and Financing

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 2
Session Chair(s): Bernice Radle
Session Speaker(s): Charlotte Matthews Sadie McKeown

This session will examine the greening of multifamily properties from three unique owner perspectives: an acquirer and manager of existing low-rise (15-45 unit) properties, a developer and manager of mixed income and luxury high-rise, and a sophisticated lender who requires energy audits and retrofits as part of multifamily financing. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Green and Healthy Retrofits: Strategies for Implementing Healthy and Energy Efficient Living Environments into Multifamily Buildings

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 2
Session Chair(s): Liz Eisenberg
Session Speaker(s): Darien Crimmin Ellen Tohn

This session will describe the process of benchmark auditing buildings for energy, water use, health & safety, and then translating results into portfolio-wide practices and policies. It will introduce attendees to health elements of green property management that reduce the use of chemicals and create healthier living environments for tenants. The end result is a standardized approach for energy savings, environmental health, reduced waste and water, reduced emissions and a healthier living environment. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Results from Retrofit and New Construction in Multifamily Buildings

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 2
Session Chair(s): Kate Goldstein
Session Speaker(s): Luke Falk Debra Hall F.L. Andrew Padian

A key barrier preventing capital from flowing into retrofits is the absence of adequate data to enable lenders to understand the risks involved. This session will examine multifamily retrofit and new construction program results, showing demonstrated savings in retrofit and new construction from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and from the MA Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Additionally, there will be a presentation on an initiative to aggregate and review pre- and post-retrofit data in order to analyze savings predictions against actual performance in multifamily buildings. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Speeding the Audit and Rating Processes: New Field Tools

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 2
Session Chair(s): Michael Blasnik
Session Speaker(s): Lester Shen Tom Spielman

Data collection and reporting have become more technical and detailed as more government bureaucracies get involved. Now digital advances have perfected hand held devices, templates and other methods for use in the field to gather and organize data for ratings, energy analysis and deep energy retrofits. See some of the cutting edge tools and how they could help your business.* This session is accredited by BPI.


Second Plenary: Women of Green

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Barbra Batshalom Jean Carroon Kate Goldstein Jacquelynn Henke Bomee Jung Charlotte Matthews Bernice Radle Pat Sapinsley

In this presentation, attendees will meet 8 women in green industries, established professionals who are trying and succeeding in changing the environmental movement. The presentation will be done in Pecha Kucha format, where each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This is a forum for attendees to see the startling breadth of careers in the field of sustainability, and the ability to be successful without greenwashing in any way. Panelists are all stars in their fields and represent all age groups. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Roof Insulation Solutions for Framed Flat Roofs

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 2
Session Chair(s): F.L. Andrew Padian
Session Speaker(s): Terry Brennan Jim Fitzgerald

Throughout the northeast, the framed flat roof with cavities ranging from joist depth to standing room has become a challenging insulation question. Should these cavities be packed tight like a wall or loose filled; should they be vented or not; and where should the air barrier track? Research involving numerous studies and real results - including field tested durability - will be discussed in this session. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Cohousing: Has it Proven to be Sustainable?

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 2
Session Chair(s): Liz Eisenberg
Session Speaker(s): Laura Fitch Andrew Shapiro

This session will explore how cohousing is uniquely positioned to push the edge of social, economic and environmental sustainability. The session will define cohousing; it will examine cohousing's track record and its potential; and will demonstrate why cohousing advocates regard this as the most sustainable model of family living. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 6 - Commercial Buildings -- Retrofit & New

Track Chair(s): Sarah Carter, Petersen Engineering, Inc.; James Petersen, Petersen Engineering, Inc.




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats!


Toward Carbon Neutral & Zero Net Energy Campus Buildings

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 3
Session Chair(s): Adelaide Grady
Session Speaker(s): Sam Mason Ellen Watts

Carbon neutral and zero net energy campus buildings (ZNEBs) are emerging among colleges and universities. This session surveys recent exemplars and offers practical tips for micro-managing energy demand, assessing renewable energy systems, performing iterative energy modeling, integrating architectural and engineering design and establishing budgets and schedules. Participants will learn how these types of buildings can help meet ambitious institutional climate commitments and spawn numerous educational benefits. Included will be a sneak peek of the new Gateway Building at the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry in Syracuse, New York, currently under construction, and a review of the award-winning Kroon Hall at Yale University. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Low Energy Campus Buildings & How to Optimize Operation

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 3
Session Chair(s): Lauren Baumann
Session Speaker(s): Kevin Bright Jason Forney

Part I: A combination of climate-specific design, high-performance building envelopes and thermal mass coupling enables new kinds of low-energy building systems and can result in 50% to 60% energy reductions on standard budgets. Using five completed LEED Gold and Platinum level campus buildings, Jason Forney will provide insight on this combination of design strategies, discuss envelope characteristics, explore several kinds of architecturally integrated hydronic heating and cooling systems and share annual performance data and keys to optimization for each building. Part II: Developing and implementing building energy audits is of key importance to optimizing building efficiency. Harvard University developed an implementation plan that called for building energy audits (to the ASHRAE Level II Standard) for a portfolio totaling more than 25 million square feet by the end of 2011. In order to control for quality and internalize knowledge and lessons learned, Harvard's Facilities Maintenance group and the Office of Sustainability created an internal auditing system. The internal auditing team leader will present the primary aspects of this model. First, the team will address the key institutional drivers and resources that led to a successful and strong commitment for energy auditing requirements. Second, the team will discuss the benefits, financial model and lessons learned in creating an internal auditing service meant to identify and implement energy conservation measures within a decentralized environment. Finally, the team will present case studies and discuss the greenhouse gas-related deliverables from the process. * This session is accredited by BPI.


The NZE Early Design Process & the Cx and Re-Cx Process: The Necessary Bookends of Any Great Building Project

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Harborview 3
Session Chair(s): Gilbert Winn
Session Speaker(s): Scott Calisti Maggie McCarey Mark Walsh-Cooke Mark Warren

Part I: Even the thought of reaching zero net energy in commercial buildings can be daunting given the many site and design constraints. This session will review some examples of commercial projects that have moved the bar toward zero net energy and focus on an extremely thoughtful process that examined more than ten design scenarios, conducted a detailed cost-benefit analysis of each and developed a final strategy that, while not net zero, did result in a dramatically more efficient design while remaining cost effective over a reasonable time frame. Attendees will learn the process and benefits associated with design scenario planning as well as examples of technologies being used to bring down energy use in commercial buildings. Part II: The commissioning presentation will show data from eight projects that have been completed in the last three years. A product of the building commissioning and re-commissioning processes actual performance data for systems over a "performance-period." Emphasis will be placed on current challenges to verifying actual building performance, limitations of LEED measurement and verification credits and what actions need to take place to verify high-performance building operations. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Concrete, Steel & Glass -- Thermal Bridges, Gains & Losses: Will They Deep-Six Your Project?

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 3
Session Chair(s): Alexander Donovan
Session Speaker(s): Jim D'Aloisio Russ Miller-Johnson Christopher Schaffner

Part I of this session will examine the trend of increasing glass use in the facades of buildings with green aspirations. While glazed facades carry some potential benefits, such as daylighting and aesthetic transparency, they often come with significant energy penalties, especially in the New England climate. In this session, we will review the benefits and drawbacks of glass, review some recent buildings, and examine the implications of highly glazed buildings. We hope to answer the question, "Should the glass box be a thing of the past?" Part II will focus on the building's structure which is typically intertwined with the building envelope. Structures need to address heat transfer considerations to maximize the building's energy performance. Important issues include minimizing thermal bridging at steel roof edge conditions, relieving angles and lintels and balconies and canopies. Foundations should have a continuous, deliberate insulation system -- on either the inside (with perimeter slab edge insulation) or outside faces, or sandwiched within the wall. We'll review good and bad details. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Second Plenary: Women of Green

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Barbra Batshalom Jean Carroon Kate Goldstein Jacquelynn Henke Bomee Jung Charlotte Matthews Bernice Radle Pat Sapinsley

In this presentation, attendees will meet 8 women in green industries, established professionals who are trying and succeeding in changing the environmental movement. The presentation will be done in Pecha Kucha format, where each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This is a forum for attendees to see the startling breadth of careers in the field of sustainability, and the ability to be successful without greenwashing in any way. Panelists are all stars in their fields and represent all age groups. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Designing Net Zero Schools and Verifying Results

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 3
Session Chair(s): Josh Cohen
Session Speaker(s): Peter Larson Daniel Lewis William Maclay Andrew Shapiro

Changing an organization to embrace sustainability is a daunting task. The first half of the session will discuss this evolution via Ashley McGraw Architects' journey to become deep green. In the second half we will present a CASE STUDY of the 18,000 square foot Field House at the Putney School in Putney, Vermont. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Highly-Specialized: What can we Learn from Green Hospitals and a Building Built from Shipping Containers?

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Harborview 3
Session Chair(s): Sarah Carter
Session Speaker(s): Peter Case Joe Haskett Paul Lipke

What can you learn from the greening of health care? Lots. Despite hospitals' regulatory constraints and complexity, many are rapidly becoming far more green and healthy. Since healthcare is 17% of the U.S. Economy, its changes are transforming materials and processes. Get an overview and learn about tools you can apply to commercial, industrial and even residential projects. We'll take a quick scan of green building, healthier materials and how avoided health impacts and treatment costs can help justify energy efficiency and clean energy measures. This session will also provide a behind the scenes look at the circuitous route the owner, architect, design team and contractor took to arrive at producing the first-of-its kind commercial office space in the U.S. using standard ISO shipping containers. We will cover the original project priorities and how they were either on target or missed their mark. Items of particular focus will include the Integrated Design Process, Modular Construction and how Building Science was incorporated into the overall design. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 7 - Mechanical Systems

Track Chair(s): Bart Bales, Bales Energy Associates




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats!


Effectively Applying Biomass Boilers for Heating: Questions & Answers

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cambridge Complex
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): David Dungate William Strauss

What are the rules of the road for effectively applying high-performance biomass heating systems to commercial and institutional applications? Explore the whys, the whats and the results of biomass projects. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Burning Questions About Boilers: High Performance Boilers & Boiler Controls for Existing and New Buildings and Facilities

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cambridge Complex
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): Roger Harris

This session will answer many burning questions about boilers and boiler controls in an interactive format between the presenter and the audience. It will examine how to optimize the boiler and heating systems that you design, manage, use or operate. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Modern Air-Source Heat Pumps for Heating and Cooling High Performance Buildings

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cambridge Complex
Session Chair(s): Andrew Webster
Session Speaker(s): Nick Conklin Lance Dyer

Modern high-performance variable refrigerant flow heat pump systems are not what you remember from the past - even the recent past. Their applicability for heating and cooling buildings in the Northeast is "game-changing." This session will examine the way these systems work, why they have such dramatically enhanced performance over their U.S. predecessors. Documented case studies for institutional, commercial and residential projects will be presented. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Effective CHP: Making Combined Heat & Power Make Sense and Cents

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Cambridge Complex
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): John Ballam

This session will examine technical aspects of the various types of combined heat and power systems and their typical operating parameters. Case studies will be included. Mr. Ballam will also present Massachusetts' two new approaches to creating incentives for combined heat and power systems. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Second Plenary: Women of Green

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Barbra Batshalom Jean Carroon Kate Goldstein Jacquelynn Henke Bomee Jung Charlotte Matthews Bernice Radle Pat Sapinsley

In this presentation, attendees will meet 8 women in green industries, established professionals who are trying and succeeding in changing the environmental movement. The presentation will be done in Pecha Kucha format, where each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This is a forum for attendees to see the startling breadth of careers in the field of sustainability, and the ability to be successful without greenwashing in any way. Panelists are all stars in their fields and represent all age groups. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Well-Considered Geothermal Heat Pump Systems

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Cambridge Complex
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): Paul Ormond

Paul Ormond will examine the multidisciplinary approach required for a successful high-performance ground-source heat pump (GSHP) project. Starting from the ground up, he will consider the opportunities and pitfalls in the application of GSHP systems, how to determine the type of ground-coupling system to use and ways to design the GSHP and the related building systems it serves for optimal overall efficiency. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Heat Pump Hot Water Heaters

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Cambridge Complex
Session Chair(s): Chuck Silver
Session Speaker(s): Doug Henion Keith Miller Frank Stiebel

Water heaters are now available that use heat pump technology to produce domestic hot water by extracting heat from their immediate surrounding - which may be your basement, or upstairs. Is this a good idea? What are the advantages and pitfalls? What are the design considerations for this piece of mechanical equipment that might want to invade your living space? * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 8 Wed. - Regional Sustainable Models in Germany and Upper Austria

Track Chair(s): Bruce Coldham, Coldham & Hartman Architects; Andrew Shapiro, Energy Balance, Inc.




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats!


What's Happening in Germany and Upper Austria: Regional Models for Sustainability Part I

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Beacon Complex
Session Chair(s): Andrew Shapiro
Session Speaker(s): Chris Benedict Paul Eldrenkamp Thomas Hartman

A multi-disciplinary quartet of "conference regulars" returning from their just-completed tour of Germany and Upper Austria will present their findings. They visited high performing building projects and attended one of the largest European Conferences and Trade Exhibitions. This promises to be a rather raw and wonderful outpouring; a spirited cross-engagement between the travelers and their audience. * This session is accredited by BPI.


What's Happening in Germany and Upper Austria: Regional Models for Sustainability Part II

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Beacon Complex
Session Chair(s): Andrew Shapiro
Session Speaker(s): Chris Benedict Paul Eldrenkamp Thomas Hartman

A multi-disciplinary quartet of "conference regulars" returning from their just-completed tour of Germany and Upper Austria will present their findings. They visited high performing building projects and attended one of the largest European Conferences and Trade Exhibitions. This promises to be a rather raw and wonderful outpouring; a spirited cross-engagement between the travelers and their audience. * This session is accredited by BPI.


What's Happening in Germany and Upper Austria: Regional Models for Sustainability Part III

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Beacon Complex
Session Chair(s): Andrew Shapiro
Session Speaker(s): Chris Benedict Paul Eldrenkamp Thomas Hartman

A multi-disciplinary quartet of "conference regulars" returning from their just-completed tour of Germany and Upper Austria will present their findings. They visited high performing building projects and attended one of the largest European Conferences and Trade Exhibitions. This promises to be a rather raw and wonderful outpouring; a spirited cross-engagement between the travelers and their audience. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 8 Thu. - Materials

Track Chair(s): Brent Ehrlich, BuildingGreen, Inc.




Cool New Building Products from BuildingGreen

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Beacon Complex
Session Chair(s): Brent Ehrlich
Session Speaker(s): Brent Ehrlich

This session will feature a selection of innovative products chosen by the editors at BuildingGreen, publishers of the GreenSpec Directory and Environmental Building News. Products featured will cover a range of applications including mechanical equipment, plumbing, structural applications and interior finishes for both residential and commercial buildings. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Second Plenary: Women of Green

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Barbra Batshalom Jean Carroon Kate Goldstein Jacquelynn Henke Bomee Jung Charlotte Matthews Bernice Radle Pat Sapinsley

In this presentation, attendees will meet 8 women in green industries, established professionals who are trying and succeeding in changing the environmental movement. The presentation will be done in Pecha Kucha format, where each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This is a forum for attendees to see the startling breadth of careers in the field of sustainability, and the ability to be successful without greenwashing in any way. Panelists are all stars in their fields and represent all age groups. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Calculating the Global Warming Potential of Insulation

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Beacon Complex
Session Chair(s): Brent Ehrlich
Session Speaker(s): David White Alex Wilson

This session explores the global warming potential of various insulation products with a look at current and future blowing agents used in foam insulation. A global warming calculator will be demonstrated that will give designers feedback on the environmental impact of insulation based on its type and thickness, expected life span and expected blowing agent leakage. This will take into consideration the climate, heating system efficiency and fuel choice. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Saving Water and Energy with WaterSense for new Homes

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Beacon Complex
Session Chair(s): Brent Ehrlich
Session Speaker(s): Gunnar Baldwin Lynn Gilleland

This session will provide an overview of the EPA's WaterSense program for New Homes. There will be an emphasis on the relationships between appliances, plumbing systems and energy and water saving, as well as a discussion of WaterSense-labeled plumbing products. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Track 9 - Whole Systems in Action

Track Chair(s): Jess Lerner, Green on the Inside; Jamie Wolf, Wolfworks Inc.




Keynote Speech

8:45 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): David Orr

David Orr, educator and sustainability expert, presents something really mind-blowing -- hang on to your hats!


Martenson and Orr: Engaged in Place

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cityview 2
Session Chair(s): Amelia Amon
Session Speaker(s): Chris Martenson David Orr

Following Martenson's Crash Course workshop and Orr's plenary presentation we couldn't resist the unique opportunity to engage these two leading thinkers in a conversation with each other and our audience about the ways in which we are engaged with the places we live and practice. The conversation will focus on how they personally participate in their communities, the challenges faced and the success measured. From sage on the stage to peers in practice we'll see what we can learn together. * This session is accredited by BPI.


There's No Place Like Home

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cityview 2
Session Chair(s): Jess Lerner
Session Speaker(s): John Abrams

John Abrams came to Martha's Vineyard by accident and spent the next three decades engaged in understanding the spirit of the place and endeavoring to create and sustain an enterprise that would contribute to its health. Marc Rosenbaum just joined that company and quite purposefully moved to the island to become part of its life. The confluence of these two careers, now joined in this place, has provoked each of them to think newly about a life, a career, and the character of the community that we choose or that chooses us. Expect "elevated bickering" between these NESEA vets! * This session is accredited by BPI.


Beautility: The Relational Function of Beauty

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 9, Cityview 2
Session Chair(s): Amelia Amon
Session Speaker(s): Amelia Amon Justin Good

The current culture of competitiveness has marginalized the role of beauty as a signal of connectedness between species, ourselves, our artifacts, and our environments. Our survival now depends on achieving global cooperation in changing our energy systems to limit carbon emissions. We'll need a new infrastructure aesthetic to work with the potential and within the limits of the natural systems necessary for health and well-being. How can we learn from nature's patterns of beauty in connectedness? * This session is accredited by BPI.


Place-based Design: Ecology and Community in Context

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 10, Cityview 2
Session Chair(s): Jamie Wolf
Session Speaker(s): Kim Erslev Josiah Simpson Catherine Snyder Dillon Sussman

How does our understanding of the ecology, context and community of a place inform our design solutions? Why should we gather information about soils, ground water, wildlife corridors, wetlands, microclimates, geology, human history, vegetation and community structures prior to creating designs? This session invites recent graduates of the Conway School of Design's Graduate Program in Sustainable Landscape Planning & Design to share the process they used to learn about their student project sites, and how it informed their designs. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Second Plenary: Women of Green

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 10, Cityview 2
Session Speaker(s): Barbra Batshalom Jean Carroon Kate Goldstein Jacquelynn Henke Bomee Jung Charlotte Matthews Bernice Radle Pat Sapinsley

In this presentation, attendees will meet 8 women in green industries, established professionals who are trying and succeeding in changing the environmental movement. The presentation will be done in Pecha Kucha format, where each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This is a forum for attendees to see the startling breadth of careers in the field of sustainability, and the ability to be successful without greenwashing in any way. Panelists are all stars in their fields and represent all age groups. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Vigor & Rigor: What Sustainable Practice Requires

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Cityview 2
Session Chair(s): Jamie Wolf
Session Speaker(s): Amelia Amon Susan Coddaire Mark Couet Jess Lerner

This session takes an uncompromising look at the demands of developing and maintaining a practice devoted to supporting the principles of sustainability while nourishing ourselves, our families, our businesses, our communities and the places in which these are rooted and regenerate. We'll hear from devoted practitioners at different stages in their careers. We'll examine the actions and behaviors that contribute to success, bridge failure and form the foundation for learning and growth. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Villages and Cities as the Next Frontier

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 10, Cityview 2
Session Chair(s): Jess Lerner
Session Speaker(s): Robert Leaver

To foster sustainability we have to move beyond buildings and renewable energy installations to shaping the places around these structures. Archetypal psychologist James Hillman invites us to entertain these six ideas: 1. Anima mundi - the soul of the world where nothing is dead and everything is alive. 2. Animate/feed the soul of the world - because the soul of the world is the patient. 3. The village or city is as natural as trees and flowers. 4. Democracy in action requires an engaged polis where the throng of people sees and engages each other in place. 5. We experience who we are only in the presence of "the other" like people, rocks, animals and buildings. 6. Beauty and aesthetics are inseparable. Aesthetics is breathing in the world through our senses. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Educators' Summit AM 10:40 - 12:40

Track Chair(s): Susan Reyes




Wind Wise

10:40 AM - 12:40 PM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s):

This workshop will introduce teachers to the science and engineering behind wind energy - sharing ideas and lesson plans teaching wind energy concepts in K-12 classrooms. Attendees will experiment with classroom wind turbines and measure power output.


Systems Thinking: Linking People & Nature through Green Design

10:40 AM - 12:40 PM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s):

This workshop will look at sustainability through the "lens" of architecture, considering the inter-connectivity between buildings, nature, energy resources and people. Participate in hands-on design activities that help students in grades 3-8 explore connections between energy-efficient buildings [e.g. green homes and schools] and their natural environments; take home resource lists and sample activities.


Green School Solutions for the Northeast

10:40 AM - 12:40 PM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s):

Discover the benefits of safe, healthy, energy-efficient facilities that provide the amenities for a quality education. Join the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) for a presentation that details high performance school technology and resources to new and existing schools throughout the northeast.


Imagining Our Future: Mainstreaming Sustainable Energy Education for STEM Students

10:40 AM - 12:40 PM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): Ken Wells

This session will present ways to successfully incorporate energy and environmental themes into traditional physical science curricula, through the laboratory curriculum or teacher demonstrations. Several student-centered STEM activities will be presented, many of which can be adapted as demonstrations to general science, home school or elementary/middle school classrooms.


Educators' Summit PM 1:50 - 3:50

Track Chair(s):




Building as a Teaching Tool

1:50 PM - 3:50 PM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): Indigo Raffel

"Building As A Teaching Tool" (BATT) is a program that uses the built environment as an educational tool to teach science and environmental education. Lessons are coordinated with existing Middle School Science curriculum focusing on resource conservation, renewable energy and energy conservation.


Building in Nature's Image

1:50 PM - 3:50 PM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): Kevin Stack

Biomimicry studies Nature's best designs, then imitates them to solve human challenges. This session introduces the Biomimicry methodology and discusses Biomimicry case studies in the human-built environment, focusing on the presenter's experience as a Biomimicry Institute trained Biologist at the Design Table and a biomimetic builder.


Solar Sense

1:50 PM - 3:50 PM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): Steve Kurkoski

Give your students the tools they need to understand solar technologies and related science concepts. Try out hands-on activities both to build your own knowledge and to give you ideas of activities you can do with students. Activities are suited to different grade levels within grades 3 through 12.


Energy Intelligence: How Do We Get It? How Do We Teach It?

1:50 PM - 3:50 PM Wednesday, March 9
Session Speaker(s): Craig Stead

What is energy and why is it important to understand? How can we become energy intelligent; maximizing benefits while minimizing use? Delve into the principles of energy efficiency and conservation through simple classroom demonstrations. An energy audit of a school will show where energy savings are found using energy monitoring instruments.


Workshops - Tuesday, March 8

Track Chair(s):




Passive House Optimized

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Harborview 1
Session Speaker(s): Katrin Klingenberg

This workshop will provide a thorough introduction to the Passive House design principles, a good understanding of the proposed energy metrics, the reasoning and context behind the definition and an introduction to the PHPP Passive House Planning Package software. Climate specific envelope and mechanical system design will be discussed and materials and components will be recommended. The workshop will be an introductory primer for all professionals who are thinking about shifting their design practices toward the Passive House Standard. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Deep Energy Retrofits

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Cityview 2
Session Speaker(s): Marc Rosenbaum

In this workshop we'll focus on the deep energy retrofits of homes and other building types. We'll cover what the nature of the challenge is, where energy goes in homes and look briefly at the underlying building science. Air barriers and insulation detailing will be illustrated primarily though numerous case study examples. We'll look at mechanical systems for low load retrofits as well. Participants are encouraged to bring their own examples and situations for the group. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Moving Toward Performance: The IECC and the Massachusetts State Energy Code

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Cambridge Complex
Session Speaker(s): Caitriona Cooke Mike Schofield

The 2009 IECC code is now widely enforced in many Northeastern states. This version of the energy code is staking out a clear direction for future versions of the energy code, one of which focuses on in-field verification. For some communities in Massachusetts, a more aggressive code is already here with the MA Stretch Code. In this workshop we will cover the mandatory requirements of the 2009 IECC code which are still applicable under the MA Stretch Code. We will explore this new code and the direction the 2010 IECC may be taking. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Introduction to Building Science

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Harborview 3
Session Speaker(s): Kohta Ueno

This is an introductory workshop on the fundamentals of building science. It will cover topics as varied as vapor barriers/vapor control, how air leakage can cause you big headaches, basement insulation done right (and very wrong), and why energy really matters in green building. The course is taught from the point of view of a practitioner from a leading building forensic/failure analysis consulting firm with real-life examples of why the fundamentals matter. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Auditing and Retrofitting Multifamily Buildings for Efficiency and Safety

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Waterfront 2
Session Speaker(s): Andrew D'Agostino F.L. Andrew Padian Bernice Radle

21% of housing in the Northeast is multifamily housing, and some centrally heated and cooled buildings use more than 5 times the heating energy per square foot as detached single family homes. There are good and bad reasons for this, and there are simple solutions to reduce the energy and water use dramatically, while increasing the health and safety of the building. This session will explore: ways to quantify energy and water use in multifamily buildings; designing retrofits to reduce this catastrophic waste; procuring energy audits to meet the standards of certain government programs and accessing these programs; designing and retrofitting these changes in the buildings; and creating a training program for maintenance and management to make buildings safer and healthier. In the afternoon, we will visit a local multifamily building and help design a retrofit for them. Session is limited to 30 people. Morning classroom, afternoon field. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Living Building Challenge

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Skyline
Session Speaker(s): Jason McLennan

The Living Building Challenge has swept North America, and Jason McLennan, the founding author and now Director of the International Living Building Institute, will lead this workshop. Widely accepted as the most advanced green building standard in the world, the purpose of the Challenge is straightforward: it defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment possible today and acts to diminish the gap between current limits and ideal solutions. This certification program covers all buildings at all scales and is a unified tool for transformative design, allowing us to envision a future that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically benign. Recommended for community leaders, design professionals, building owners, contractors and others most likely to undertake this challenge. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Peak Luxury

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Back Bay Complex
Session Speaker(s): Satpal Kaur Honorata Wytrykowska

What is the typology of the hotel today? It has become a unique hybrid that has morphed over time where it is not simply a destination to sleep. It has become a series of layers that contribute toward the experience that makes it iconic, such as the Las Vegas Strip or Burj Al Arab in Dubai. One critical angle rarely discussed is the demand of energy at peak load and how that information determines the architectural design. This is crucial in order to change our perspective toward development, especially given our current economic climate and energy consumption woes. With this in mind, we will take the challenge of re-creating a hotel envelope that responds to peak loads without reservations. FREE Student Workshop - CALL TO REGISTER 413-223-8005 (online registration not available)


Mechanical Systems for High-Performance Homes

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Amphitheater
Session Speaker(s): Robb Aldrich

There's a slew of information in the press, in advertisements and on TV about the savings possible with the latest and greatest heating or cooling systems. While there have been some great advances in equipment performance, getting the basics right is more important than buying the latest technology. This primer on heating, cooling, ventilation and water heating for high-performance homes will cover the basics before delving into newer, state-of-the-art technologies. The focus throughout will be how to provide health, safety and comfort as practically and cost-effectively as possible. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Tools for Early Stage Energy Design

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Washington
Session Speaker(s): Emaan Ammar

Architects, builders and their clients often wait until late in the process of designing a new home or renovation to consider energy saving strategies, but by then it is too expensive to make major changes. However, when such strategies are integrated in the earliest stage of design development, they can produce energy savings of 50% or more compared to code-minimum houses. This workshop will introduce an easy-to-use, accurate spreadsheet program that illustrates the energy-related consequences of various building design strategies. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Using Data Loggers to Determine Building Performance

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Beacon Hill 2
Session Speaker(s): Craig Stead

Energy management leads to energy savings, but you can't manage what you don't measure. That is where data loggers are an essential tool. Data loggers allow you to monitor and remember how energy is being used within a building. This workshop will show you data loggers in action. You will get an in-depth understanding of how to use data loggers and how to relate the data to building performance. Knowledge of Excel is a plus for this workshop. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Ventilation Options for High Performance Homes

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Federal Complex
Session Speaker(s): Don Stevens

This workshop will explore the options, with pros and cons, of various ventilation strategies that need to be considered in today's new and renovated homes. It is presented as an HVI-sponsored training that will provide the attendee with CEUs for AIA, AIBD, RESNET, BPI, GBCI and /or NSHB's CGP. A number of code and standard requirements for ventilation will be discussed, including the appendix to ASHRAE/ANSI Standard 62.2-2010 related to how to apply 62.2 to existing houses and apartments. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Residential Retrofits for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Harborview 2
Session Speaker(s): Larry Harmon

Ignore the salespeople - this workshop continues to be the most popular at NESEA for the last five years, as one of the nation's most experienced, and possibly most animated, presenters walks the audience through a 'nuts and bolts' approach to making existing 1 - 4 family homes in cold climates more energy efficient. Join Larry Harmon in his no-nonsense approach to finding the wasted energy in your home without spending thousands of dollars, and reaping substantial increases in comfort, affordability, resource efficiency, health, safety, and durability. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Crash Course: Thriving in Any Future

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Waterfront 3
Session Speaker(s): Becca Martenson Chris Martenson

We live in an economic system built on growth, but what happens when the need for growth comes up against the realities of a finite planet? This seminar starts from the assertion that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste and that the coming changes will afford us an opportunity to envision and create a new and true form of prosperity based on deeper connections to our communities and where we live. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Tools for Greening Your Community & The Role of the Professional

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Beacon Hill 1
Session Speaker(s): Nancy Hazard Henry MacLean

Are you interested in helping green your community? Building professionals trained in green design are uniquely qualified to provide needed leadership and vision to local governments and effective community organizing. Through case studies, we will explore several tools offered by ICLEI, DOE, EPA, utility companies and others that help communities better understand and communicate how home and town energy is benchmarked and scored, and explore their effectiveness at motivating residents and local officials to take action. Unique information not offered in conventional energy committee trainings. Discounted Workshop, $45.00 - CALL TO REGISTER 413-223-8005 (online registration not available) * This session is accredited by BPI.


Building Efficiency in Germany and the U.S.

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Cityview 1
Session Speaker(s): Henrietta Davis

This workshop will introduce participants to market leading companies producing energy efficient building components in Germany. Presenters will not only include makers of Passive House Standard products, but also experts in policy, architecture and technology from both Germany and the US. This workshop is presented by the German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and is part of the Energy Efficiency Export Initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) based on a resolution of the German Parliament. The goal of the event is to show how the efficient building sector has grown so rapidly in Germany and to enable business connections to duplicate these success stories here in the US. (This workshop is now FULL and closed for registration.) * This session is accredited by BPI.


REM/Rate: The Next Step for Raters

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Waterfront 1
Session Speaker(s): Frank Migneco V. Robert Salcido

This workshop will assist users of the Architectural Energy Corporation's REM/Rate software to advance their proficiency in the use of the product to conduct new home ratings. The workshop will concentrate on four training topic areas: 1. Analysis; 2. Reports; 3. Data Exporting; and 4. Library Management. It will provide attendees an advanced command of the product to successfully provide software outputs for their clients. * This session is accredited by BPI.


A Detailed Introduction to the HERS Index

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Waterfront 1
Session Speaker(s): William D'Arrigo Mike Schofield

The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is used widely in the residential construction industry from determining code compliance to success in the ENERGY STAR Homes or LEED for Homes Programs. The goal of this workshop is to give participants a strong understanding of the HERS Index. We will review how an index is calculated and what it is used for. Using case studies and sample homes, we will explore how specific inputs affect a home's index as well as how to do well under the rating system. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Getting to Zero Cost Effectively

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Federal Complex
Session Speaker(s): R. Carter Scott Kohta Ueno

Getting a home to zero net energy usually costs a fortune. Come see how this developer and builder do it cost-effectively. Both production homes and custom homes will be covered. Parametric modeling will show the incremental steps that bring a home to zero energy. New ways to include additional solar electric power on the roof allow the building owners to power electric vehicles and reduce CO2 from the transportation sector as well. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Infrared Thermography from A to Z

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Harborview 3
Session Speaker(s): Mark Cleminson Matt Schwoegler

If you are considering using infrared thermography as a QA or diagnostic tool for either commercial or residential buildings, this workshop is where you want to be. Those who are already using the technology are also welcome, from those who are considering it to beginners and experts. You will learn about the conditions needed to be sucessful as well as the problems you may encounter. You will also see numerous examples of how IR is being used and learn about the new, lower-cost thermal imaging systems now available. The half-day format allows us to explore your particular needs. Expect to leave ready to get started! * This session is accredited by BPI.


Residential Solar Basics: Hot Water and Electricity

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Waterfront 2
Session Speaker(s): Robb Aldrich

With solar prices falling and energy prices in limbo, more people are thinking about solar energy to provide water heating or electricity for their homes. This workshop will cover the basics of both types of systems, including basic components and operation; design and installation considerations; predicting energy generation; and system costs (both up-front and maintenance). The presenter has installed, designed or monitored hundreds of solar systems around the country, and the workshop will include examples and hard data from many systems installed in the Northeast. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Greening Your Portfolio: How to Select Clean Energy Mutual Funds, Exchange Traded Funds and Stocks

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Cambridge Complex
Session Speaker(s): Tom Konrad

The transition to a clean energy economy is a necessity, an opportunity and a moral imperative. For many, the largest impact we can have on the economy is through our investments. Unfortunately, many clean energy companies are relatively risky and profitless start-ups. This workshop will give you the tools you need to select investments that are participating in the transition to a clean energy economy without contributing undue risk to your portfolio.


Canceled - Co-Generation: What Makes a Successful Project

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Beacon Hill 1
Session Speaker(s): Scott Greenbaum Rafael Negron

Learn why so many co-generation projects get studied and so few get built. We will outline the unique site-specific conditions required to generate an economically feasible co-generation project. The conditions include electrical and thermal load profiles required to achieve high overall system efficiencies for a successful project. We will review the performance of different packaged equipment on the market and show how they fit into the load profiles. Additionally, we will supply a simple evaluation spreadsheet so that you can screen, and optimally size your projects to determine economic feasibility. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Advanced Data Logger Use and Analysis

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Beacon Hill 2
Session Speaker(s): Craig Stead

This is a hands-on workshop. Participants will use their own laptop computers to perform data analysis using demonstration software and field data files. An understanding of Excel is a requirement, as well as a preliminary understanding of data loggers and their application. This is a continuation of the morning workshop on using data loggers to monitor building performance. Bring your laptop with Excel program for a real understanding of data analysis and interpretation. * This session is accredited by BPI.


Greening Museums: Building Science, Green Materials, and Delicate Climates

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 8, Cityview 1
Session Speaker(s): Sharon Brind Lieza Dagher Dieter Fenkart-Froschl James Labeck Robert Williams Elizabeth Wylie

Museums house a myriad of cultural works, the care and preservation of which require intensive energy expenditures from the museum staff and their buildings. Display lighting, indoor temperature and humidity, along with housing, crating, and special transport of the works, have both monetary and environmental costs. In this workshop, notable museum professionals will discuss the most effective ways to implement and manage your museum's path to becoming more sustainable. This workshop's content is also relevant to other specialized environments such as manufacturing facilities and hospitals. * This session is accredited by BPI.


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