The 2018 Getting to Zero National Forum program is below with presentation links. The event included three jam-packed days of tours, workshops, networking opportunities, interactive sessions and thought leadership about the growing trend toward zero energy (ZE) buildings. Luminaries in this field set the stage with a vision for the future of the built environment. Policymakers and practitioners highlighted the strategies for catalyzing a transformation to ZE performance.

2018 NATIONAL FORUM PROGRAM DETAILS

VIEW A PRINTABLE PDF OF THE FULL PROGRAM

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Opening Plenary Session + Leadership Keynotes

Welcome + Opening Remarks from the Co-Hosts 

Speakers:
Ralph DiNola | CEO, New Buildings Institute

Victor Olgyay | Principal, Rocky Mountain Institute

Cities and States as Shining Beacons for Clean Energy and Climate Action
Leading jurisdictions are pulling out a battery of policy tacks, setting ambitious goals, and working to meet them with special attention being paid to improving the overall efficiency of local building stock. Zero energy buildings and the resulting carbon reduction benefits are more often being named in local policies, but questions remain for this nascent market. Our opening keynote speakers will showcase innovative leadership and share approaches for cities and states to deal with the pressing issue of cutting carbon emissions while stoking economic growth and ensuring electricity reliability and affordability.

Keynotes:

Mayor Bill Peduto | Mayor, City of Pittsburgh

Andrew McAllister | Commissioner, California Energy Commission

4 p.m. –5 p.m. Getting to Zero Case Study + Innovation Jam

Get ready! These “jam sessions” will cover a lot of ground in a limited amount of time. Presenters on case studies of ZE design, tech innovation, planning and finance will surface the latest experiences and thinking.

Deep Energy Retrofits to Zero  (1 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
How can you interrupt the typical capital renewal process with commercial properties to create multi-building deep energy retrofit projects? This jam session will explore methods for benchmarking energy performance, integrated design, financing programs, operations and other techniques for impressive long-term energy and cost savings.

Moderator: Myrrh Caplan | Director, Green Project Solutions, Skanska USA, Inc.

Speakers:
Soup to Nuts PACE-funded Campus Deep Energy Retrofit – Starting with Planning, Through Development, Design, Financing, and Execution
Phillip Saieg | Regional Director, McKinstry
Blair Madden Bui | CEO, John Madden Company

A Net Zero Retrofit Idea Exchange: From Scientific Inception to Construction
Chris McEntee | Executive Director, American Geophysical Union
Roger Frechette | Managing Principal, Interface Engineering
Holly Lennihan | Senior Associate, Hickok Cole Architects

Game Changing Innovation and Approaches (1 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Although technologies are not the primary barrier to getting to zero, there are many emerging technologies that can greatly support low-energy outcomes. This session shares the recent research on technology gaps to get to ZE and unique approaches such as deploying existing digital technologies to create interactive engagement systems between buildings, environment and occupants.

Moderator: Mindy Craig | Principal and Owner, Blue Point Planning

Speakers:
Technology Gaps in Zero Net Energy
Smita Gupta | Senior Principal Energy Consultant, Itron, Inc.

Alexa Optimize Performance: The Future of Voice Interactive Building Dashboards
Edward McGraw | President/CEO, Ashley McGraw Architects, D.P.C.
Calvin Ahn | Associate Principal/Senior Project Manager, Ashley McGraw Architects, D.P.C.

Zero Net Energy with Zero Net Funding: The California Existing Building Approach
Dan Burgoyne | Sustainability Manager, State of California, Department of General Services

Developing for Zero (1 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Hear from developers and teams on innovative approaches to achieve zero energy performance and a foundation of building science and stakeholder investment. Conditions ripe for brainstorming, modeling options, evaluating certifications, and advanced design and operational practices are resulting in commercial buildings pushing the envelope of sustainability.

Moderator: Jason Fierko | Principal, Ewing Cole

Speakers:
Getting to Zero in Pittsburgh – a Policy Push from p4 and PHFA
Brandon Nicholson | Founding Principal, Nicholson Kovalchick (NK) Architects

Market Rate Net Zero: Innovative Methods for NZE Speculative Office Building Projects
Chris Light | Director of Engineering, Point Energy Innovations
Jim Gaither Jr. | Managing Partner, Hanover Page Mill Associates, L.P

How Developers Can Create an Environment of Inspiration
Julia Rogers | Sustainable Design Leader, WSP
Brad Mahoney | Development Project Manager, MP Boston

Zero Energy and Passive House (1 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Passive House standards have the potential to deliver the efficiencies necessary to achieve zero and are growing in number across the country. Hear from this panel who will share aspects of the standards and the critical details of passive measures, including a sharp focus on the building envelope, as well as renewable generation resources—both on- and off-site—that interact on the path to zero energy and emissions.

Moderator: Laura Nettleton | Architecural Collaborator, Thoughtful Balance

Speakers:
The Path to Zero in the PHIUS+ 2018 Passive Building Standard 
Graham Wright | Senior Scientist, Passive House Institute US

Using Passive House to Deliver Zero Energy
Ken Levenson | Board Member, North American Passive House Network
Craig Stevenson | President, AUROS Group
Brenda Morawa | Vice President, North America, Integrated Environmental Solutions, LTD
Rob Hosken | Principal, Building Performance Architecture

Cost and Finance (1 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
An investment made today for the future is the key to getting to zero, and it doesn’t have to cost you. Learn about what happens when forward-thinking innovations in design, construction, and financing come together to catalyze the development sustainable real estate, improving efficiency and net operating incomes through residential and commercial PACE financing.

Moderator: Radhika Lalit |  Rocky Mountain Institute

Speakers:
Business Case and Market Landscape of NZE Buildings and Homes
Iain Campbell | Managing Director, Rocky Mountain Institute

Policymakers’ Perspective on Financing and Scaling NZE development
Paul Scharfenberger | Chief Operating Officer, Colorado Energy Office

Leveraging Commercial PACE as a financing tool to bolster high-performing buildings
Joshua Kagan | Vice President, Business Development, CleanFund Commercial PACE Capital

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

7:15 a.m. Early Morning Session

PHIUS+ 2018: What’s New?
Update on what the PHIUS+ standard calls for in envelope measures, other conservation measures, and renewables, for getting to Zero.
Graham Wright | Senior Scientist, Passive House Institute US

8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. Morning Breakout Sessions 1

Get ready to feed your brain. Choice breakout sessions will delve deeper into key aspects of zero energy codes and policy, districts and portfolios, design, and operations with bonus sessions targeting critical topics.

BREAKOUT 1 | CODES AND POLICY

Getting to Zero with Stretch Codes (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
With efforts to aggressively lower the greenhouse gas impacts of buildings, energy codes are becoming an important tool for driving building performance. Most stretch codes make small improvements on base codes, and/or adopting the provisions of a future code. But jurisdictions like Rhode Island, New York, British Columbia and the District of Columbia are instead taking a large leap to promote zero energy (and ready) homes and commercial buildings. This session will cover the leaders in stretch code development and partnerships that are establishing this path for driving low-energy buildings.

Moderator: Brian McCowan | Senior Vice President of Technology and Development, Energy & Resources Solutions

Speakers:
Dave Epley | Green Building and Sustainability Program Manager, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, District of Columbia
Mark Lyles | Project Manager, New Buildings Institute

BREAKOUT 2 | PORTFOLIOS AND DISTRICTS

Net Zero Energy Leased Buildings (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Leased buildings make up a very small portion of the total zero energy buildings largely due to the split incentive issue where the building owner purchases the equipment and the tenants pay the utility bills. Since a substantial portion of commercial buildings are leased, unlocking the untapped market of leased net zero energy buildings is necessary. A handful of buildings have overcome this split incentive issue and have found that zero energy-leased buildings can be accomplished profitably. This panel will discuss how to write and negotiate a zero energy lease and will include perspectives from two developers that are making money on their zero energy multi-tenant leased office.

Moderator: Alisa Petersen | Associate, Rocky Mountain Institute

Speakers:
Jim Gaither Jr. | Managing Partner, Hanover Page Mill Associates, LP
Andy Bush | Founder and Managing Partner, Morgan Creek Ventures
Laurence Preble | Of Councel, Holland & Hart
Blair Madden Bui | CEO, John Madden Company

BREAKOUT 3 |  RESIDENTIAL

Approaching Social Equity, Affordable Housing and Net Zero in Residential Buildings (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Looking through the lens of the growing need for affordable housing for the disappearing middle class, a range of multi-unit or clustered housing types can meet the demand for walkable urban living by focusing on a walkable context, lower perceived density, smaller, well-designed units and the creation of community. This multi-family housing typology is also well suited to achieving ZE. This session will discuss approaches to the triple bottom line and social equity and how to create a replicable model for economic development, inclusion, environmental sustainability, and energy resilience while advancing climate goals within the context of both multifamily and single-family homes.

Moderator: Martha Campbell | Manager, Rocky Mountain Institute

Speakers:
Net Zero Energy and the Missing Middle: Achieving High Performance Multi-Family Housing
Erica Dunn | Director of Design, GreenHammer
Vassar Byrd | Chief Executive Officer, Rose Villa Senior Living

Social Impact Bond for ZNE Abandoned Homes: Where the Triple Bottom Line Lives
Brett Webster | Project Manager, Energy Solutions

On the Merits of Facilitation
Barry Hooper | Green Built Environment Senior Coordinator, San Francisco Department of the Environment

Sustainability Context: Affordability Zero Carbon Net Zero
Katrin Klingenberg | Executive Director and Co-Founder, Passive House Institute US

BREAKOUT 4 | OPERATIONS

How Do You Measure Up? New Ways to Evaluate Project Success (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
High performance is not only designing a building to reduce the amount of finite resources it uses, but also designing to improve and support the purpose for which a building is being designed. For a school, this purpose is to provide high quality education for future generations. For residences, to support the health and lifestyle. But how can all of these parameters be measured to get a more holistic picture of a design’s performance? This session will cover tools to measure building and occupant performance, and ultimately community scale performance to gain this holistic picture of a project’s impact at multiple scales. Attendees will be able to test drive these tools and understand the protocols necessary to get consistent and valuable data.

Moderator: Aurora Sharrard | Executive Director, Green Building Alliance

Speakers:
Heather Jauregui | Sustainability Specialist, Perkins Eastman
Katie Herber | Sustainability Specialist, Perkins Eastman
Sophia Duluk Beavis | Architect, Feldman Architecture

BREAKOUT 5 | DESIGN

Navigating the Natural Ventilation Design Strategy In ZNE Buildings(1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)Natural ventilation has always been a useful design strategy to lower energy use of buildings in moderate climates through the introduction of outside air usually through operable windows. Until now, the cooling potential has been limited by lack of fine-tuned control and integration with HVAC systems, inadequate hardware and poorly designed user-control features. The design approach for natural ventilation systems that include passive techniques such as thermal chimneys, and which use thermal comfort parameters as the basis of design, can further expand the cooling potential. The speakers will discuss the potentially remarkable reduction in building energy use for cooling comfort through the design of systems incorporating innovative but practical design strategies coupled with “smart building” technologies.

Moderator: Edward Dean | Principal, Bernheim + Dean, Inc.

Speakers:
Kasper Hoejmark Ravn | Building Performance Engineer, WindowMaster Control Systems Inc.
Paul Schwer | President, PAE Engineers

BONUS BREAKOUT | EFFICIENCY PROGRAM INNOVATION 

Scalable Utility Programs Innovating Zero Energy Market Transformation (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Efficiency program innovation to ZE feasibility – From early design to construction and through post-construction phases, utility programs are providing the foundational technical and financial support that is enabling ZE projects to overcome market barriers. This not-to-be-missed session will feature what we’re learning from leading programs in Oregon, Michigan and California across the residential, K-12 education and commercial markets.

Moderator: Amy Cortese | Program Director, New Buildings Institute

Speakers:
ZNE Homes for All: Perspectives from ZNE Homeowners, Who Don’t Know What ZNE Is
Will Vicent | Residential ZNE Strategy, Southern California Edison

Clear Skies, Full Pockets, Can’t Lose: Utility & Zero Energy
Celia King-Scott | Senior Engineer, DNV GL
Benjamin Glendening | Energy Advisor, Consumers Energy

More Than The Sum Of Its Parts: How a Net Zero Utility Program in Oregon Is Transforming the Market
Jessica Iplikci | Senior Program Manager – Commercial Sector, Energy Trust of Oregon

Scalable, Replicable and Possible! Retrofitting a school to ZNE with the Prop. 39 ZNE Pilot Program
Seth Jacobson | Senior Director, Climate Resolve

10:30 a.m. – 12 noon Morning Breakout Sessions 2

Town Hall and Solutions Lab-type sessions have been added to optimize attendee participation and engagement. Together, attendees, speakers and moderators will evaluate opportunities for scale, policies and programs that drive progress, barriers to success and other critical aspects of Getting to Zero.

BREAKOUT 1 | CODES AND POLICY

Two Ideals: Scaling Up ZNE vs A Healthy Grid – Can they work together?(1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
With emerging standards requiring different forms of ZE and progressive owners developing ZE buildings already, it’s an important time to look at the potential impacts net-metered buildings can have on the historic grid structure and operations. High penetration of renewable energy can destabilize the grid operations and cause havoc for grid operators. This session will outline ongoing changes to the grid structures, enhancements needed for ZE buildings on a mass scale, and potential building strategies that can improve ZE building design participation with the grid such as battery storage with renewables, demand response, thermal energy storage, and controls

Moderator: Paula Zimin | Director of Sustainable Building Services, Steven Winter Associates, Inc.

Speakers:
Ted Tiffany | Director of Sustainability, Guttman & Blaevoet Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Erika Niedowski  | Policy Advocate, Acadia Center

Zero Net Energy and the Power Grid
Peter Turnbull | Principal, IDSM & Zero Net Energy Buildings, Pacific Gas & Electric Company

BREAKOUT 2 | PORTFOLIOS AND DISTRICTS

University Climate Commitments – The Role of Zero Energy in Carbon Neutrality (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
For colleges and universities, Climate Action Master Planning provides a powerful platform for advancing and achieving institutional goals for reductions in carbon emissions, for carbon neutrality, and leveraging investments in renewable energy applications. A number of universities are taking bold steps to transform the way buildings use energy by developing pathways and master plans that ultimately will lead to carbon neutrality. Learn how several universities have created model frameworks to align energy reduction goals and programs to a zero energy target to achieve a common carbon reduction goal.

Moderator: Rob Bennett | Chief Executive Officer, EcoDistricts

Speakers:
The Role of NZE in University Climate Commitments – a UNC Chapel Hill Story
Steven Baumgartner | Principal, SmithGroupJJR

Climate Action Master Planning, Predictive Modeling, Carbon Neutrality
Nelson Scott Smith | Principal, Artichoke Design Company

Charting UC Riverside’s Pathway to Carbon Neutrality
Joshua Hatch | Principal, Brightworks Sustainability

BREAKOUT 3 |  RESIDENTIAL

Holistic Approach to Achieving Zero Energy High-Rise Residential Buildings (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
As codes and standards evolve towards ultra-low or zero energy buildings, the practicality of achieving these targets in multifamily, especially high-rise concrete construction gets increasingly challenging. Current design and construction practice for high-rise in particular, present a number of constraints including water, energy and sufficient solar. The outcome of these combined constraints is often poor energy efficiency, with the burden of higher operating costs deferred to future owners. This session will explore the interconnected need for efficiency across all aspects becoming the primary consideration in residential buildings and what that will likely mean for the typical competing constraints.

Moderator: Leia Sims | Director of Sustainability, KOW Building Consultants

Speakers:
Holistic Approach to Achieving Zero Energy High-Rise Residential Buildings
Christian Cianfrone | Building Energy Specialist, Morrison Hershfield
Patrick Roppel | Building Energy Specialist, Morrison Hershfield

Save Water . . . Save Energy With Efficient Hot Water Delivery
Dylan Martello | Steven Winter Associates

How to Accelerate Architectural Solar in the US Market: From BIPV to Building Component
Chris Klinga | Technical Director, Architectural Solar Association

BREAKOUT 4 | OPERATIONS

Occupant Education and Engagement in Achieving Zero Energy Performance (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
As the architecture and engineering industry continues to focus on improving the energy performance of buildings, it has become apparent that some energy saving measures are outside the designer’s control. Occupants play a significant role when it comes to the energy used. We engage users to discuss space needs, environmental and aesthetic desires, yet we often do not discuss users’ roles in energy use. Using both residential and commercial case studies, as well as passive and active technologies, explore how design teams can bring occupants into the conversation to help improve energy efficiency and help zero energy projects meet energy use targets.

Moderator: Mona Chandra | Lead Program Manager, New Energy Solutions, National Grid

Speakers:
Resident Education and Engagement; a Key to NZE Performance in Public Housing
Sharon Mathes | Executive Director, Granite City Housing Authority
Tony Holub | Senior Project Manager, Farr Associates + Passive House Alliance Chicago

Getting to Zero: User Engagement in Achieving Net Zero Energy
Katherine Bubriski | Director of Sustainability & Building Performance, Arrowstreet Inc.
Shannon Kaplan | Project Manager, In Posse

BREAKOUT 5 | DESIGN

Inefficiency is Old School! Lessons of Designing Zero Energy School Buildings (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
More school districts are proving that zero energy is possible in both new construction and existing school retrofits. This session will weave the experiences and lessons learned multiple school districts and technical experts as they share case studies on their steps to zero energy. Lessons from zero energy school projects across the country will inform a discussion of how to mainstream zero energy school construction. This session includes highlights of how districts should plan, prioritize, and optimize energy efficiency and energy production throughout the district, while ensuring an enhanced environment for student and teacher performance.

Moderator: Nathaniel Allen | Science and Technology Policy Fellow, U.S. Department of Energy

Speakers:
Back to School: Zero Energy Retrofits
Alexis Karolides | Principal and Sustainability Practice Leader, Point Energy Innovations

Lessons and Opportunities of Designing Zero Energy Schools: A Case Study of Discovery Elementary School
Wyck Knox | Principal, VMDO Architects
Tony Hans | National Director of Sustainable Projects, CMTA Engineers

PS 62: Using Net Zero Energy to Create a “Sustainability Lab” for the Future of NYC’s Public Schools
Jon Cicconi | Associate Director, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Jeremy Shannon | Certified Passive House Consultant, NYC Construction Authority
Robert Diemer | Partner, In Posse

BONUS BREAKOUT | COMMUNITY DERS AND MICROGRIDS

Delivering Scalable and Affordable Zero Energy on a Community Scale (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
With the overarching goal of creating a model for sustainable communities that are not only affordable, but go one step above to operate at zero energy, this team of presenters will evaluate the current barriers and opportunities for incorporating community-scale solar and biomass and address the high cost threshold within zero energy buildings and communities. This dynamite session will provide an overview of important issues regarding community scale zero energy and also reveal fundamental programmatic, regulatory, and business model components that need to be addressed.

Moderator: Abhijeet Pande | Associate Vice President, TRC

Speakers:The Role of Community Distributed Energy in Zero Net Energy Compliance
Vasudha Lathey | Director, TRC

Scalable and Affordable A New Way for Master-planned Communities to Deliver Zero Energy Capable Homes
Axel Lerche | Founder and CEO, EcoSmart Solution LLC

12 noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunchtime Plenary Session + Keynote 

Systems Efficiency – A Pathway to Net-Zero
Improving the efficiency of building systems is increasingly necessary to scale up the delivery and operation of cost effective, high performance zero energy buildings. This session includes a keynote introduction of this topic from Johnson Controls’ Clay Nesler and a follow-on panel to address the specific strategies for improving building energy efficiency, performance, and resilience through systems design, integrated project delivery, and system-level solutions beyond the building such as grid-responsive buildings.

Keynote:
Clay Nesler | Vice President, Global Sustainability and Industry Initiatives, Building Technologies and Solutions, Johnson Controls

Panel Moderator:
Laura Van Wie McGrory | Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Alliance to Save Energy

Additional Panelists:
Maureen Guttman | President, Building Codes Assistance Project
Brian Patterson | President, EMerge Alliance
Matt Latchford | Principal, Lam Partners

1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Afternoon Breakout Sessions 3

Our afternoon group of Breakout Sessions continue to delve into the details in small group setting where conversations and vital connections can happen. Real-world experiences offer practical insights and information that can be use immediately when you get back to your desk.

BREAKOUT 1 |  CODES AND POLICY

How Policy Tips the Scale to a Net Zero Energy Future (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Currently, at least 30 cities in North America have adopted commitments to 100% renewable energy by 2050 or sooner, and many others have goals of carbon neutrality during that same time frame. Achieving these ambitious goals will require unprecedented changes in building design for energy and water efficiency, and renewable energy deployment. This session will walk the audience through some of the key changes that are happening in the policy world, using specific examples from cities that have been most successful in catalyzing energy efficiency improvements in their local and regional markets.

Moderator: Bill Updike | Principal, Integral Group

Speakers:
Supercharging Mainstream Building Performance
Anthony Brower | Director of Sustainable Design, Gensler

How Policy Drives Design: Towards a Net Zero Energy Future
Mark Chambers | Director of Sustainability, New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability
Sean Quinn | Senior Associate, Sustainable Design Leader, Pacific Region Chair of Social Responsibility, HOK Impact
Dr. Lisa Westerhoff | Senior Sustainability Planner, Integral Group

BREAKOUT 2 | PORTFOLIOS AND DISTRICTS

Overcoming Hurdles to ZE in Humid Climates, Urban Settings and Other Tough Challenges (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs) 
ZE buildings are largely feasible in most places, but dense urban development, humid climates, locational issues and other challenges can stretch design and operations to the limit. This session will look at ZE trends domestically and globally focusing on design tools/process, economics technology and integrated systems. Presenters will share examples of how innovative designers are tackling these obstacles and engage attendees on strategies to help them achieve zero energy goals going forward.

Moderator: Sarah Zaleski | Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy

Speakers:
Achieving Net Zero Energy Building Goals in High Density Urban Cities
Stephen Selkowitz | Senior Advisor for Building Science, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Journey of Singapore
John Keung | Dean, BCA Academy
Khee Poh Lam | Dean, School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore

Lessons Learned from Operational Net Zero Energy Buildings
Warren Neilson | Partner & Senior Strategist, stok
Byron Benton | Training Director, Zero Net Energy Center

BREAKOUT 3 | RESIDENTIAL

Getting to Zero Residential: From Modeling to Operations to Marketplace Solutions (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
With residential zero energy (ZE) construction ramping up, more attention is focused on cost, value and preference for ZE single-family and multifamily homes. This session will offer valuable insights into what residential homebuyers understand about ZE, how much value they place on advanced technologies such as storage that can help make zero more feasible, and what they are willing to pay for a clean energy residence. Speakers will cover the design-construction-operation life cycle including lessons learned from design, to research on ZE home value to operating a ZE home including storage options.

Moderator:  Ann Edminster | Interim Executive Director, Net Zero Energy Coalition presentation

Speakers:

How Can ZNE Marketing be Most Effective? Understanding Needs and Awareness Across the Residential Home Market
Chelsea Petrenko | Managing Consultant, Opinion Dynamics

Building the Essential Foundation for a Net Zero Home
Troy Daniels | Head of Technical Support, Simpliphi Power

NZE Homes – What the Customer Wants
Jacob Corvidae | Manager, Rocky Mountain Institute

BREAKOUT 4 | OPERATIONS

Moving Past the Low-Hanging Fruit: High Performance and Innovative Control Strategies (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
How do we move past the low-hanging fruit to get to the ultimate goal of low EUIs? Moving from tracking energy data on a granular level, to closely monitoring that usage, to making decisions on prioritizing bigger technology choices that impact the EUI significantly. With 99% of buildings in the existing building stock, this session focuses in on how to continue to use this data to measure energy use while observing behavior and operational patterns over time across dynamic daily and quarterly schedules. These stories of zero energy classrooms and commercial buildings focus on the tougher challenges faced in the pursuit of low EUI’s, occupant education and driving behavior toward efficiency and conservation.

Moderator:  Carolyn Sarno Goldthwaite | Director of Buildings & Community Solutions, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

Speakers:
Innovative Control Strategies for NZE Classrooms in Hawaii
Jim Maskrey | Associate Specialist, University of Hawaii-Hawaii Natural Energy Institute

ELCP – Historic Building Delivers High Performance
Beth Eckenrode | Principal, AUROS Group
Stefani Danes | Co-Chair, Renovations Committee, East Liberty Presbyterian Church

What Happens After the Low-Hanging Fruit Has Been Picked?
Eric Doyle | Senior Project Manager, Catalyst Partners
Rut Wattanasak | Engineer, Catalyst Partners

BREAKOUT 5 | DESIGN

What Ultra-Low Energy Buildings Are Telling Us About the Next Design Project (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
After years of design and development of zero energy buildings, North America’s leading architects and engineers have garnered a treasure-trove of lessons learned. This session will feature a number of practitioners with deep experience in a number of zero energy projects. Panelists will demonstrate that it is possible to transform a run-down, undesirable office building into a state-of-the-art, net zero workplace, how to make the most of emerging technologies to push the bounds of what is possible, and apply collaborative, strategic approaches that will resolve seemingly disparate project goals of achieving maximum sustainability while also providing an outstanding occupant experience.

Moderator:  Blake Jackson | Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec

Speakers:
Committing to Net Zero: Lessons Learned from DPR Construction’s Net Zero Offices
Sara Lappano | Managing Principal, Integral Group
Christopher Hoffman | Northeast Preconstruction Leader, DPR Construction
Greg Mella | Vice President, Director of Sustainable Design, SmithGroupJJR

Learning from a Decade of NZE Projects Across North America
Andrea Frisque | Associate, Senior Building Performance Engineer, Stantec
Porus Antia | Senior Associate, Stantec
Rachel Bannon-Godfrey | Sustainability Discipline Leader, Stantec

BONUS BREAKOUT | DESIGN

How Rigorous Planning and Effective Design Help Hit Ultra-Low Energy Goals (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
It takes collaboration between a number of stakeholders to design and construct zero energy projects. Join the owner, architect, engineer, and LEED consultant on two small- to mid-sized office buildings both working toward ZE and Living Building Challenge design goals. These include the first city building (and fourth building of any type) in the world to achieve ZE and Living Building Challenge in Fort Collins, and a Living Building in Sacramento. Hear perspectives on how a strong integrative process leveraged synergies between occupant, building, and district scale goals and how you can apply these strategies in your own community.

Moderator: Brian Dunbar | Institute for the Built Environment, Colorado State University

Speakers:
Living Building Challenge: A Case Study
David Griffin | Energy Analyst, Architectural Nexus
Patty Karapinar, Sustainability Coordinator, Architectural Nexus

Walking the Talk: How One City’s Newest Building Champions Ambitious Climate Goals
John Phelan | Resource Conservation Manager, Fort Collins Utilities
Tom Hootman | Performance + Design Innovation Lead, MKK Consulting Engineers
Dominic Weilminster | Principal/Business Center Discipline Leader, RNL, now Stantec

3:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Getting to Zero Status Update + ZEDx  

NBI Research Director Cathy Higgins will share the trends of zero energy buildings from NBI’s latest Getting to Zero Status Update and Buildings List. Presenters of ZEDx (Zero Energy Developments) talks will share the latest in zero energy news and projects. The rapid sharing of ideas will feed the conversation where you can add your own perspectives through a group dialog and polling on key solutions, policy and market subjects.

Moderator: Cathy Higgins | Research Director, New Buildings Institute

Getting to Zero Status Update and Buildings List

Speakers:
Getting to ZNE Before the RFP
Amanda Bogner | President, Energy Studio, Inc.

Taming the 900 lb Gorilla: How to Make Commercial Food Service Net Zero Energy
Bill Maclay | Principal, Maclay Architects

The Missing Ingredient is… Water
Mike Collignon | Executive Director, Green Builder Coalition

The Belly of the Duck
David Kaneda | Principal, Integral Group

What Doomsday Preppers Teach Us about Selling ZNE
Danielle Vitoff | Associate Director, Navigant Consulting, Inc.

Using Competitions to Drive ZNE Education and Awareness
Ellen Steiner | Vice President, Opinion Dynamics\

Are We There Yet? Tales from the Road to Performance-Based Procurement and Programs
Brett Bridgeland | Energy Engineer, Seventhwave

Thursday, April 19, 2018

8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Master Speaker Sessions

These Master Speaker Sessions will spotlight some of the critical conversations about what is driving momentum in zero energy buildings. Who are the changemakers building awareness and understanding that eases the way for zero energy policies to take root in an organization? What is the business case that will drive corporate owners and developers to invest in ZE buildings? How does zero energy help cut carbon emissions in order to curb impacts of climate change? Experts will share their perspectives and ask attendees to add their own.

Zero Energy Changemakers (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Organizational leadership on zero energy can start at the top, but it doesn’t have to. Champions, emerging at all levels of the org chart are creating the spark that is inspiring others’ interest in zero energy projects and the benefits they offer. Hear from these changemakers who are leading transformation internal with impacts well beyond a single organization.

Moderator: Richard Piacentini | Executive Director, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Speakers:
Suncoast Prioritizes People, Planet and Profit
Bakari Kennedy | Director of Facilities, SunCoast Credit Union

The Times They Are a Changin’
Nate Kinsey | Energy Manager, San Francisco Unified School District

Grant Ervin | Chief Resilience Officer and Assistant Director, Division of Sustainability, City of Pittsburgh

The Business Case for Zero Energy (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
With private ownership keeping pace with public buildings achieving zero energy, we want to know the business motivations behind investing in ultra-low energy buildings. Hear from several experts on why business are increasing investment in ultra-efficiency in their building portfolio and onsite renewables.

Moderator: Micah Brill | Vice President, Urban Land Institute

Speakers:
Michael Barnard | Project Director, Oxford Development Company

2030 Districts: Scaling Up High Performance
Angelica Ciranni | Pittsburgh 2030 District Director, Green Building Alliance
Alex Dews | Executive Director, Green Building United

 Zero Energy and Carbon (1.5 AIA LU | HSW CEUs)
Carbon increasingly is becoming the driver of progressive energy policies and corporate strategies that range from developing more stringent energy codes to targeting operations and behavior in existing buildings. This panel of energy policy and building experts will delve into the dynamic relationship between Zero Energy and Carbon Emission reduction goals, highlighting efforts being led by various Green Building Councils as well as policies driving market adoption in Europe.

Moderator: Jim Edelson | Director of Codes and Policy, New Buildings Institute presentation

Speakers:
Zero Carbon in Canada
Fin MacDonald | Manager, Zero Carbon Building Program, Canada Green Building Council

Advancing Net Zero with Carbon as the New Metric
Jonathan Laski | Director of Global Projects and Partnerships, World Green Building Council

Raising the Ceiling
Renilde Becque | Senior Sustainability Consultant

Pushing Market Leaders to Operational Net Zero Carbon
Elizabeth Beardsley | Senior Policy Council, U.S. Green Building Council
Brendan Owens | Chief of Engineering, U.S. Green Building Council

10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Closing Plenary Session + Keynote 

Moderator: Ralph DiNola, CEO, New Buildings Institute

Global Action on Climate Zeros In on Buildings
This session will explore the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) new initiative to reverse the climate impact of the built environment. The UNECE launched its work by adopting the 2017 Framework Guidelines for Energy Efficiency in Building Standards, which Penn State is supporting with its new Global Building Network (GBN) initiative. Together the UNECE and Penn State are working to drive deployment of truly high performance buildings and communities. Hear from our keynote speakers about the this new consortium seeking to develop a more comprehensive science of building systems integration, while establishing Centers of Excellence around the globe that will apply diverse expertise to challenges in their own regions; case studies and data collection; and training, advice and counsel to participating cities, provinces and UN member states..

Keynotes:
Scott Foster | Director, Sustainable Energy Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Tom Richard | Director, Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment

Building Community Power: Economic Empowerment & Equity for All
Kimberly Lewis brings to the fore a new perspective on the nexus of energy and humanity. Drawing connections between the future of energy science, policy and technology, and the fabric of society, Kimberly will illustrate the ways in which individuals and communities are impacted by energy systems, and will offer ideas to move the conversation around energy poverty, equity and community involvement forward. Embracing the important role ultra-low and zero energy buildings have to play in the holistic conversation around accessibility, affordability and prosperity for all, Kimberly will push attendees to rethink their view of energy as a resource.

Keynote:
Kimberly Lewis | Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development, U.S. Green Building Council

Mainstreaming Zero Energy: Organizing for Collective Impact
How can we make zero energy common practice for all buildings? Market adoption of new ideas is most successful when proponents align behind a shared vision for change. In this session, we’ll hear from industry thought leaders who will set the stage for what a successful marketing effort looks like. We will also draw from and leverage the collective expertise of Forum participants and marketing experts to develop the foundation for a common brand and messaging platform to advance zero energy buildings nationally.

Panelists:
Kimberly Lewis | Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development, U.S. Green Building Council
Sam Rashkin |  Chief Architect, Building Technologies Office, U.S. DOE  presentation
Joey Marquart | Senior Vice President, Edelman  presentation

To see past Forum programs, visit: gtzforum.newbuildings.org/past-forums