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Nine Tracks on Energy Efficiency and Renewables

BuildingEnergy10 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 BE10 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

CEUs available for BuildingEnergy *Check individual listings for BPI accreditation.

Track 1- Climate Change Solutions: Policy, Plans and Action

Track Chair(s): Luke Falk, NYSERDA; Ev Hyde, Shelter Building




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


A Tale of Two States: Energy Efficiency Plans in Vermont and New York

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Michael Colgrove Scudder Parker Paul Peterson

Northeast States are receiving huge sums of money to reduce energy consumption and emissions. How is the money spent? Who makes decisions? Are the reduction targets realistic? Are they being met? Come hear the good, the bad, and the reality of achieving mass energy efficiency reductions. (Room: Harborview 1)


Climate Change Legislation And What It Means For The Northeast

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Sonia Hamel Arthur Marin Robert Sargent Nancy Seidman

Since President Obama arrived in Office, there has been much federal legislative activity on Climate Change. In this session, national policy leaders will discuss current legislation that effects climate change, carbon regulation, and regional cap and trade programs for reducing carbon emissions. The future of climate regulation and associated federal programs and how it relates to regional programs will be examined. (Room: Harborview 1)


Imagine: A Sensible U.S. Policy for Renewables

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Chair(s): Thomas Thompson
Session Speaker(s): Cisco DeVries Sonia Hamel Fred Zalcman

This panel of national experts will lead an interactive discussion about what has been done and the details of what needs to be accomplished in order to promote meaningful, scalable implementation and production of renewable energy technologies in the United States. (Room: Harborview 1)


Smart Grid Pilots: Real Time Updates on Real Live Projects

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Chair(s): Joel Gordes
Session Speaker(s): Roddy Diotalevi Reza Ghafurian Eric Winkler

Smart Grids have the potential to dramatically reduce energy use through remote controls and real time data acquisition. This session will explain the energy implications of smart grids through the presentation of actual demonstration projects that are happening in the Northeast. (Room: Harborview 1)


RECs: Harnessing Markets to Fund Clean Energy Development

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Chair(s): Thomas Thompson
Session Speaker(s): Dwayne Breger Ann Elsen Jason Gifford

Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards and the markets for Renewable Energy Certificates which they create are an increasingly important aspect of renewable energy project finance and a critical tool in the development of clean energy industries. This panel of experts will review the latest developments in REC markets and what they mean to you. (Room: Harborview 1)


Land Use Law and Climate Change: Ideas for a Better Built Environment

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Jessica Bacher Douglas I. Foy

Energy consumption is a function of how people aggregate in the built environment. But does land use law allow the level of innovation demanded by the threat of climate change? Two experts, who carry their commitment to changing land use laws, will explain what can be now done, what many laws don't accommodate, and what changes in land use law and regulation are necessary to pull back from climate crisis. (Room: Harborview 1)


Reality Is Boundless

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Chris Benedict Luke Falk

The amount of things that can go awry between intention and performance in buildings are more numerous than the stars. Often a building's bad performance is blamed on occupants or lack of commissioning. But those responsible for the design and construction of the building hold the key responsibility for performance through their design, specification and strict monitoring of the construction. There are many areas where this responsibility can break down. This session, presented by an Architect with 20 years of experience with apartment buildings will examine these areas. The speaker will present a number of issues from her own experience then open the conversation to participants to get these issues into the light. (Room: Harborview 1)


Track 2 - Emerging Trends in Renewable Energy

Track Chair(s): Daniel Bergey; Fred Unger, Heartwood Group, Inc.




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


Maturing of the Solar PV Industry

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Ron French Paul Gromer William Stillinger Jeffery Wolfe

The solar PV industry is changing as professionals from other industries join, incentives improve and prices come down - changing the face of solar clients from hard core believers to more mainstream homeowners, businesses, government agencies and non-profits. The industry is consolidating and becoming more vertically integrated than in the past. PV industry leaders will discuss the implications of these changes for the industry, for their clients and for their own businesses. (Room: Beacon Hill)


Net Metering: Devils in the Details

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Mary Beth Gentleman James Rosenberg Fred Zalcman

The economics of many renewable facilities are greatly enhanced in areas of the country which offer consumers the opportunity to net meter. However, net metering rules vary significantly among states. Moreover, certain states are still working out the details of how one qualifies and how the value of the "net" power will be quantified. This session will provide an overview of net metering opportunities in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, and detailed presentations on recent state regulatory changes of interest to facility developers and consumers. (Room: Beacon Hill)


Lessons Learned Doing Solar at Scale

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): DeWitt (Dick) Jones Len Loomans Brendan Neagle Fred Unger

One of the largest PPA aggregations of solar facilities in New England began construction on its solar portfolio of affordable housing and municipal projects in late 2008, as credit markets and traditional finance mechanisms were collapsing and solar tax credits were about to expire. The development team will discuss lessons learned under pressure in project selection, finance, legal, system design, construction, safety, commissioning, monitoring, attribute markets and developing solar projects as a long term owner. (Room: Beacon Hill)


Trends In Renewable Energy Financing

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Michael Bernier Jesse Grossman John Harper Adam Wade

The renewable energy finance world has been turned upside down by the global recession, the loss of tax equity players due to bankruptcy or reduction in taxable income and the turmoil in debt markets. In response, the US Congress has implemented major new policies as part of the ARRA in an attempt to stimulate renewable energy project development. This session will look at these major developments and what they mean for renewable energy developers, investors and consumers. (Room:Beacon Hill)


The Great Solar Certification Divide

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): John Abrams Marty Aikens Chris Derby Kilfoyle Daniel Leary Mark Weissflog

Who should build solar projects? Who should pull permits? Who can install panels? What certifications should be required? Is special training required? Why should solar be treated differently than any other type of construction? How do installer regulations impact an already expensive technology? Join the ongoing debate between solar installers, electricians, union representatives and general contractors and learn the latest resolutions from Massachusetts and around the region. (Room: Beacon Hill)


Energy Storage

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Richard Baxter Jim Dunn Roger Faulkner Harvey Wilkinson

This session is a 'Must Attend' for those people who are involved in the design, development, installation, or optimization of thermal or electrical energy storage; often the most critical element of an integrated building energy design. Learn from experts about new technologies that will impact future energy storage systems use. (Room: Beacon Hill)


Large Wind Turbines in Relatively Small Projects

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Harley Lee Tom Michelman Alex Pichs Sumul Shah Fred Unger

Numerous one to five turbine wind projects are being built in New England using utility scale, megawatt plus wind turbines. Some are private, while many are community or publicly owned projects. Developing, permitting and building projects of this size involves many of the same complexities of larger wind farms, but they do not offer the same economies of scale. Discussion of these projects will provide the developer, manufacturer, consultant and contractor perspectives. (Room: Beacon Hill)


Track 3 - Energy Conservation for New Commercial and Institutional Buildings

Track Chair(s): Jason Forney, Bruner/Cott & Associates; James Petersen, Petersen Engineering, Inc.
Track Sponsor:




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


Counting, Measuring, Reporting: What's Important?

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): James Batchelor Chris Benedict Paul Eldrenkamp David Madigan Andrew Shapiro

NESEA members are advocates for measuring building performance. What is important to measure and report about a completed building? Can we, within NESEA, establish a set of criteria when talking about our own projects? A diverse and dynamic panel will discuss counting, measuring, and reporting in an effort to establish a common set of NESEA metrics. (Room: Waterfront 3)


CASE STUDY: Macalester College Institute for Global Citizenship

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Edward Allen Jason Forney Jason Jewhurst

This session explores the LEED platinum Institute for Global Citizenship at Minnesota's Macalester College. Architect and engineer demonstrate how setting early environmental goals, building energy and daylight models, minding window-wall ratios, designing a robust envelope, utilizing mass, and integrating a unique radiant mechanical system combine to create a low-energy building in the textbook cold climate. We explain how contractor collaboration and air-tightness testing ensured intent and conclude by reviewing collected data relative to models and targets. (Room: Waterfront 3)


CASE STUDY: College of the Atlantic Davis Student Village

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Mel Coombs Millard Dority Thomas Hartman Phil LaClaire Marc Rosenbaum

The College of the Atlantic established a goal of creating a residential village that uses zero fossil fuels on site, and this goal has been achieved. This case study of the Student Housing in Bar Harbor, ME will describe the process of design, construction, performance testing, and gathering actual energy data on this award winning project. Part of the success of this case study is that the owners, builders, engineers and architects worked together from beginning to end, and they will be presenting the project. (Room: Waterfront 3)


THERM For Mere Humans

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): John Straube

THERM, a software developed by the National Labs can be helpful in understanding thermal bridging in construction details and can also help determine u-values of assemblies at tricky spots, but it is challenging to use. This session will help decode the bugs and pitfalls of THERM and give mere humans the ability to use this software as well. (Room: Waterfront 3)


Designing, Achieving, and Measuring Air Tightness in Large Buildings

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Terry Brennan Peter Larson
Sponsor:

Airtightness testing is commonplace for homes, but can be challenging to "scale up" for commercial and institutional buildings. Despite this challenge, air tightness is an important component of low-energy buildings. Speakers will share their experiences with air-tightness-- air barrier design and detailing, robust documentation, owner buy-in, financing, and field inspection and qualitative testing. Field results from a series of Army Corp of Engineers and public school buildings will be discussed.*This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Waterfront 3)


HOW TO: Vapor Barriers, Insulating Sheathing and Drying Potential

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Joseph Lstiburek
Sponsor:

Water barriers, air barriers, vapor barriers and thermal barriers are all terms that are misunderstood and misused. They are critical to the performance of all buildings- single family, multi-family, commercial and institutional. this session clears up the confusion and specifically looks at insulating sheathings, spray foams, vapor barriers, applied to both residential and commercial construction. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Waterfront 3)


Post Occupancy Energy Evaluations

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Chris Schaffner Jeffrey Smith

Energy modeling is intended to inform design decisions by predicting the energy use consequences prior to constuction and occupancy. But once the building is up and running how accurate were the models? By comparing modeled predictions with actual energy use for 10 LEED projects what did we learn? What should we do differently? Hear in depth from the owner of one of these buildings about the post-occupancy improvements that increased building performance. (Room: Waterfront 3)


Track 4 - Retrofits of Commercial and Institutional Buildings

Track Chair(s): Christine Cronin, Chris Benedict, RA; F. L. Andrew Padian, The Community Preservation Corporation
Track Sponsor:




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


Building Reuse: Finding a Place on American Policy Agendas

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Bruce Coldham Patrice Frey

This seminar will be a counter-point of the real environmental benefits of reuse vs. bulldozing. There are some (played in this session by Bruce Coldham) who think everything old should be torn down, while others (played in this session by Patrice Frey) think that old buildings have character, durability, and sustainability, and that they are both efficient by design and can be retrofitted for more efficient design. By attending this session, participants will: - learn that many historic buildings are more efficient than brand new ones - Understand the ease of retrofitting historic buildings without upsetting local preservationists - Learn the real breaking point at which a building should not be saved. (Room: Waterfront 2)


Empire State Building Retrofits: Upgrading While Understanding Building Science

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Paul Rode

Large Buildings, particularly historic or unique buildings, use a fair amount of energy because of their size. Some are very efficient per square foot because of their lack of systems, and some can be retrofitted for greater efficiency. Explore the most famous NYC building, the Empire State Building, and learn about the energy retrofit and energy service agreement that will dramatically change this historic and iconic building of 3 million square feet. By attending this session, participants will: - Understand the energy use patterns of older and/or historic buildings - Learn ways to both upgrade and retrocommission older systems while adding new ones - Follow the principles of building science and the building as a system for any large scale retrofit of a building. (Room: Waterfront 2)


Upgrading Windows in Historic and Non-Historic Buildings

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Jean Carroon Evan Mason John Seekircher Helen Sisserson
Sponsor:

Across the Northeast, developers and architects alike make the assumption that newer is better, and rip historic windows out of buildings to install windows which are inferior in both design and installation. This discussion will focus on the rebuilding vs. the replacement of historic windows, and on what sort of energy savings can be expected. By attending this session, participants will: - Understand about window framing, construction, and rehabilitation, and how these processes relate to buildings settling over time. - Learn objective information about "replacement" windows - Make better future decisions about window upgrades. * This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Waterfront 2)


Envelope Retrofits in Commercial and Institutional Buildings

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Larry Harmon
Sponsor:

Commercial/Industrial/Institutional energy retrofits performed for a building "Greening" strategy or an energy services agreement always go after the low-hanging fruit, yet often miss the energy and durability gains from strategic airsealing. This session will focus on what motivates building operators to have building envelope retrofits. Typical issues with different building types will be discussed, as will how to estimate what the savings might be for a retrofit, and finally, a look at real life field examples. By attending this session, participants will: - Understand the value of airsealing as part of a large building retrofit - See real buildings where this work was specified and performed -Take a tour of millions of square feet of buildings without leaving the room. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Waterfront 2)


Energy Service Retrofits in Commercial /Industrial: Saving Money and Allocating Precious Roof Space

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Jerry Drummond Raphael Herz Catherine Muller

Many Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) have assisted government, institutional, and commercial/industrial buildings in reducing their usage. As part of these agreements nationally, ESCOs are beginning to incorporate solar and other alternative energy for everything from on site generation to sale-leaseback agreements. See how this financing mechanism has evolved over the last decade to include renewable energy as part of the package. By attending this session, participants will: - Get a thorough understanding of Energy Service Agreements, including when and why they work - See results of major ESCO projects and how they helped the buildings and the owners - See where renewables can and have fit into ESCO agreements. (Room: Waterfront 2)


Commissioning and Retro- Commissioning: Not Just Words But Real Hard Work

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Steve Turner

Many building retrofits require "Commissioning" and "Retro-commissioning" of installed measures, and those that specify this think that it is a simple practice, resembling a walk-through examination. Commissioning and Retro-commissioning are actually highly technical terms which have very strict definitions, and these needs to be followed in detail. Join Steve, one of the nation's leading experts on the matter as he explains the process and shows how it is done in detail. Steve is a master at taking this particular subject matter, which may appear to be incredibly boring, and making it very interesting to all levels of attendees- we guarantee it, we've seen him. By attending this session, participants will: - Be able to define and understand the steps involved in commissioning and retro-commissioning - Know how to budget when a job calls for commissioning and retro-commissioning - Know if they are even remotely qualified to perform commissioning and retro-commissioning. (Room: Waterfront 2)


Extreme Classroom Makeover

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): David Korn Elisabeth Krautscheid Marc Rosenbaum

Faced with a school with high oil bills, envelope decay, IAQ and comfort issues, and HVAC system noise, the Facilities Committee of the Plainfield, NH Elementary School persuaded town voters to fund a Prototype Classroom Retrofit. A single corner classroom was retrofitted with slab edge insulation, 6-1/2 inches of exterior rigid foam wall insulation, new fiberglass quad glazed windows, a dedicated energy recovery ventilator with demand control, and a single zone minisplit heat pump. We have some data and occupant experience to share. Also presented in this session will be a post-occupancy study of energy efficiency in 29 schools: 14 green (certified to LEED or CHPS) + 15 standard completed by the Green Schools Renewable Energy Trust. The study covers 1 year of operations in each school.(Room: Waterfront 2)


Track 5 - Energy Conservation for New Single and Multifamily Homes

Track Chair(s): Marc Sternick, Dietz & Company Architects, Inc.; Honorata Wytrykowska, Building Science Corp.
Track Sponsor:




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


CASE STUDY: Dorset Street Housing Waterloo, Ontario

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): John Straube

Durable, healthy, energy efficient buildings can be designed and built for the same or less than a typical building. To be successful, work must start with a committed owner and design team. John Straube will discuss an example of one such project: a five-story, mixed-use building in a cold climate (Waterloo, Ontario), which gives the owners a low energy-use building and lots of options for the future, all within a typical construction budget. (Room Harborview 2)


Design and Performance of the Smith House - a Passive House

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Katrin Klingenberg
Sponsor:

This presentation will examine the design, construction, and operation of the Smith House. Built in 2003 in Urbana, IL, it is the first house built in the US using the specific practices and tools developed by the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt, Germany, to meet an annual heating energy consumption of no more than 15 kWh per square meter of treated floor area (15 kWh/(m2a) and an annual primary energy consumption of no more than 120 kWh per square meter of treated floor area (120 kWh/(m2a). *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Harborview 2)


BrightBuilt Barn: Making Net Zero Beautiful and Attainable

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Keith Collins MD Phil Kaplan Hans Porschitz

Don't hate it because it's beautiful. BrightBuilt Barn is LEED Platinum, documented Net Zero, Treehugger's Best of Green 2008,and the recipient of USGBC's 2009 Innovation Award, yet its "cover-girl" looks have landed it on the covers of design magazines and made it the subject of national and international press. Come hear how an open source collaborative of green professionals came up with a replicable, technically proficient design that is deeply sustainable, attainable, and beautiful. (Room: Harborview 2)


CASE STUDY- Low Energy Homes on Cape Cod

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Jordan Goldman Stephanie Horowitz

ZeroEnergy Design will be discussing the successes and shortcomings of two high performance homes built on Cape Cod. The Truro Residence (HERS 33), with part time occupancy, was designed with a zero energy goal. The Modern Lake House (HERS 39) was designed for low energy use and is projected to receive a LEED-H Silver rating. ZeroEnergy Design will: - Review design goals, constraints, and strategies - Report utility bill and energy monitoring data - Discuss operational issues, commissioning challenges, and lessons learned. (Room: Harborview 2)


CASE STUDY- Getting to Zero Cost Effectively

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Mike Duclos R. Carter Scott

R. Carter Scott of Transformations, Inc. presents case studies for 4 homes built at the Coppersmith Way development in Townsend Massachusetts that push the envelope for cost effective high performance homes. The Zero Energy Challenge home (HERS Index of -4), the Zero Energy "Farmhouse" (HERS Index of -3), the "Greek Revival" near Zero-Energy home, and "The Carlisle" near Zero-Energy home will be presented. Building techniques such as double studded walls, various types of insulation, PV systems, hot water systems, and ventilation systems will be discussed with their respective cost implications. (Room: Harborview 2)


High Performance Public Housing

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Lauren Baumann Deanna Foster Marc Sternick

High Performance Public Housing - How to design and build high performance, publicly bid housing. How can architects ensure that the contractors who bid on their projects are clear on the standards that they are expected to achieve? How can a contractor put a price on a building's performance before it is built and still come in as the lowest bidder? How can contractors prepare their workforce to be ready for the type of green construction projects that are beginning to hit the streets? An architect, a builder and a green building consultant with experience in the public sector share their experiences. (Room: Harborview 2)


CASE STUDY- High Performance Community

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Peter Baker Chris Nelson

The session will provide a case study overview of Hamilton Way, a 10 home low energy community near Hartford Connecticut. The presentation will cover aspects of the design and decision making process for the community, the integration of new building techniques and new technologies into the construction of the homes, as well as a review of the actual measured performance of the homes over a full year of occupation. (Room: Harborview 2)


Track 6 - Energy Retrofits for Residential Buildings

Track Chair(s): Satpal Kaur, Chris Benedict, R.A.; Mark Price, Steven Winter Associates, Inc.
Track Sponsor:




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


Building Science Basics for Deep Energy Retrofits

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): David Keefe
Sponsor:

The performance of houses is dependent not only on the parts that make up a house, but also on the interactions between those parts. This general overview will outline the ways in which heat, air and moisture move through buildings, focusing on how everything works together, and how changes in one part of the house generally result in changes elsewhere, not always anticipated or desired. No prior technical knowledge is needed. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Cityview 1)


Deep Energy Retrofits: Case Studies, How Are We Doing?

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Alex Cheimets John Livermore Peter Yost
Sponsor:

FIX MY HOUSE. There is much talk about Deep Energy Retrofits right now, what does that mean? 50% energy reduction? 70%? How do you do that? Come and hear about 3 projects that have taken on the challenge, tracked the results and learn what worked, what didn't and what was learned. (Room: Cityview 1)


Real Projects, Real Data: 20% Source Energy Reduction in Multifamily Buildings

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Luke Falk
Sponsor:

Come get all the numbers that matter from real, existing multifamily buildings across the State of New York, all of which attempted to save 20% of their source energy use. NYSERDA's Multifamily Performance Program was launched in May of 2007, and the first completed projects are coming in with actual performance results. This session will walk attendees through the process that all of the buildings followed; benchmarking, auditing, installation, and evaluation. One-year of documented pre- and post-retrofit energy consumption for all projects will be shown and discussed. The discussion will focus on what can be learned from individual projects as well as what can be learned from looking at this program-wide data in aggregate. (Room: Cityview 1)


Getting Deep Energy Done: The Builder's Perspective

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Simon Hare Sean Jeffords David Joyce
Sponsor:

Most of our residential building sector energy use is in houses already standing, the next frontier in the sustainable energy movement. Who is taking this challenge? These Builders tell you what they are working on, about their approach, successes, and failures, and what they see coming in the industry. (Room: Cityview 1)


Multifamily Energy Retrofits: Energy Reduction Strategies in Big Residential Buildings

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Erica Brabon Heather Clark Marc Zuluaga
Sponsor:

Multi-family buildings use a lot of energy which could be reduced or eliminated. Some MF building owners have undertaken deep energy reductions in their buildings. Peter Cooper Village and Castle Square (Keirnyn case study?) are examples of how things are working. (Room: Cityview 1)


National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot: Project Update

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Brian Butler Dave Legg Ken Neuhauser
Sponsor:

National Grid has collaborated on several Residential Deep Energy Retrofit projects through its ground-breaking Pilot. The Pilot program is intended to answer questions important to broader implementation of deep energy retrofits. In this session the Pilot program administrator, technical lead and a builder/homeowner participant will use specific examples and share lessons learned in examining what it took to pull off the Pilot projects. The session will review key technical guidance offered and modified program design for 2010. (Room: Cityview 1)


Funding for Deep Energy Retrofits: Panel

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Larry Masland Sadie McKeown Douglas Snyder

Deep Energy Retrofits offer huge benefits in terms of energy savings, reduced carbon footprints, and economic stimulus. We have the knowledge, skills, and products to execute DERs, but what about financing? Come hear a panel discussion about the financial challenges and opportunities that exist for making DERs possible from utility, banking, and alternative funding advocates. There are three parties required to buy in for an existing building to undergo energy retrofit: energy experts, lenders and owners. Energy experts understand and embrace the benefits of retrofit from a physical perspective. Lenders acknowledge that energy retrofit is to the physical benefit of a property, but don't react unless they can see a tangible economic benefit. Many owners are only willing to retrofit if someone else will pay for it. Education of all parties regarding the others perspectives is required to make retrofit commonplace. Only then will we get to the tipping point and drink from the "holy grail" of greenhouse gas reduction. (Room: Cityview 1)


Track 7 - Mechanical Systems Design and Retrofit

Track Chair(s): Bart Bales, Bales Energy Associates; Jordan Goldman, ZeroEnergy Design




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


To Air is Human, To Pipe Divine: Efficiency and Comfort Benefits of Hydronic Heating and Cooling

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): John Siegenthaler, PE
Sponsor:

Explore the wonders of modern hydronic heating and cooling. Using water-based systems to deliver energy throughout a building creates great opportunities for improved energy efficiency and enhanced comfort. Emerging technology allows systems to the retain the superior comfort hydronics has long been known for, using a small fraction of the distribution energy currently accepted as good practice in air-based systems. Topics include hydronic piping design, variable speed pumping, chilled water strategies, condensing boilers, solar-assisted space heating and much more. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Cambridge)


Earth or Air? Opportunities and Pitfalls in Applying Ground-Source Heat Pumps

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): Adam Kohler Daniel Lewis Kevin Rafferty
Sponsor:

Earth or air, how to compare? Let us count the ways. For a high performance design professional, understanding the proper application and relative advantages and challenges of ground-source and groundwater heat pumps is important. Kevin Rafferty is a nationally recognized expert on the analysis and design of ground source heat pump systems and a regular contributor to ASHRAE publications on this subject. Adam Kohler and Dan Lewis have been utilizing and designing systems with recently developed higher efficiency air-source heat pumps. Join these three speakers in an interactive session to explore the opportunities and pitfalls in applying these technologies. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Cambridge)


Keep In Control if Green is Your Goal: Really Reducing Energy Use Through Intelligent Controls

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Bart Bales Carl Barnard Steve Testa

Watch it, adjust it, turn it off, tune it up, and turn it down using "smart" electronic controls and their associated sensors and software. Microprocessor controls can dramatically reduce energy use while maintaining optimal conditions for occupants and processes. Join Bart Bales, PE, MSME, and Steve Testa for a entertaining and interactive session on cost-effective controls improvements and applications for commercial and institutional facilities. With twenty-five years in the field, Bart will share "tricks of the trade" in reducing energy use without compromising comfort in existing and new buildings. Strategies to be addressed include energy management systems, temperature sensors & programmable thermostats, demand-based ventilation controls, boiler combustion controls and adaptive programming, occupancy sensors, daylighting controls, and much, much more. (Room: Cambridge)


Fossil- Free Heating: Biomass for Commercial Buildings

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): Stephen David

Satisfy your burning curiosity about biomass through case studies of biomass commercial boiler installations in North America. Stephen David will report on installed systems serving existing buildings retrofitted with biomass systems. The session will also discuss biomass (pellets & wood chips & other biomass) as fuel source, biomass boilers and plant requirements. Actual results, performance, emissions, maintenance issues, and costs for the facilities will be reported (Room: Cambridge)


The Insider's Secret Guide to Humidity Control: Ventilation Air Rules Your Fate

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): Lew Harriman Armin Rudd
Sponsor:

Lew Harriman wanted to be an architect, but accidentally spent 33 years working in humidity control - the radical fringe of HVAC engineering. Lew describes humidity control problems in commercial buildings and how these are solved using secret rites previously known only to obscure covens of HVAC professionals. Armin Rudd is one of the few people who have actually measured how ventilation systems and dehumidifiers perform in multi-unit residential applications. He'll explain what works, what doesn't, and why. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Cambridge)


Solar Thermal Design: A Comparison of Evacuated Tube Collectors and Flat Plate Collectors

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): Emaan Ammar Everett Barber

Flat plate or evacuated collectors? Drain back or filled solar hot water systems? How to decide? Systems must be able to deliver energy effectively and be durable enough to tolerate periodic electric power outages and prolonged vacation periods of no demand for heat. Test results and long term experience with each system will be presented. As an added treat, the effect of tree limb shade on solar arrays is quantified from experimental data.(Room: Cambridge)


Solar Thermal Design: Real World Solar Thermal Systems for Institutional Applications

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Chair(s): Bart Bales
Session Speaker(s): Emaan Ammar Everett Barber

Experience the systems designer's perspective for solar thermal systems recently installed at Mount Holyoke College; the Fay School; and St. Joseph College. Ev Barber, long-time pioneer of solar thermal systems, explores and explains the solar thermal designs of these three systems and reports on their performance to date. (Room: Cambridge)


Track 8 - Building Materials and Conservation

Track Chair(s): Chris Hoch, National Fiber; Douglas Snyder, DS Greenbuild, LLC




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


Board Stock Insulation, A Comparison

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Gary Parsons Alex Wilson
Sponsor:

A comparative overview of different board stock insulation types, such as EPS, XPS, mineral wool, fiberglass, and polyisocyanurate. Various health and environmental concerns have been raised about constituents in common rigid boardstock insulation materials, including brominated flame retardants and benzene in polystyrene and isocyanates in polyiso. This session will sort out pros and cons of the various rigid boardstock insulation materials, including discussion of appropriate applications, thermal performance, and construction detailing. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Harborview 3)


Cellulose Insulation in High Performing Buildings

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Bill Hulstrunk
Sponsor:

Cellulose insulation represents a significant upgrade to our conventional insulation systems in terms of performance and represents one of your only green insulation choices. This session will explore how cellulose insulation is used to create some of our most energy efficient buildings with real world examples of its use in new and existing buildings. Learn how cellulose manages moisture, improves fire safety and resists insects from one of the leading experts in the field of cellulose insulation. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Harborview 3)


Global Warming Potential of Insulation Products and Embodied Carbon

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Daniel Bergey Geoff Hammond Craig Jones Gary Loh

An overview of insulation life cycle assessments with a particular focus on contributions to global warming. This will be followed by a presentation by the creators of a recently compiled database of embodied carbon and energy for 170 building materials. (Room: Harborview 3)


Alternative Masonry Wall Systems

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Vipul Acharya Marty Baron Bruce Coldham
Sponsor:

Traditional low rise masonry construction is very energy intensive and frequently offers poor thermal performance. This session will explore alternative systems such as ICFs, Rastra Block, and Durisol which allow for much better performing masonry buildings. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Harborview 3)


When R-Value Doesn't Measure Up

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Chris Schumacher
Sponsor:

There is often a significant difference between the nominal R-Value of of insulation and the actual performance R-Value of of a wall or building system. Some wall systems lose up to 65% or more of the R-Value of the installed insulation due to various building science thermal dynamics. Come learn why and how you can help minimize these commonly overlooked losses in energy efficiency. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Harborview 3)


Building Materials - Health Challenges and Natural Construction Alternatives

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Ben Graham Liz Harriman

This session will first look at potential human and environmental health hazards from construction materials such as finishes, plastics, additives, brominated flame retardants, fluoropolymers, and other substances. This will be followed by a presentation on natural building materials and systems that are minimally processed and are potentially more sustainable for our natural resources and human health. A view towards energy efficiency when building with natural materials will also be provided. (Room: Harborview 3)


Alternative Framing Systems- Advanced Framing, Prefab, Modular

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Chet Pasho Hans Porschitz
Sponsor:

Conventional framing systems for our buildings have not changed much in the past 50+ years. This session will explore how advanced framing and insulation systems reduce the amount of lumber being used, allow for greater insulation levels and create much more air tight exterior wall assemblies than our standard framing practices. Learn from two of the experts in the field how these wall systems are being applied in high performance stick built, panelized and modular construction. *This session is BPI accredited. (Room: Harborview 3)


Track 9 - Whole Systems in Action

Track Chair(s): Robert Leaver, New Commons; Jess Lerner, Green on the Inside
Track Sponsor:




Opening Plenary

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Samuel Baldwin

Keynote Speaker: Samuel Baldwin, U.S. Department of Energy


The Psychology of Change

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Robert Leaver Jess Lerner

To have a whole system in action requires changing the thinking, behavior, and practice of people. It requires change on the individual, organizational and community levels. We will begin this session by co-creating what a whole system looks like, and we will then present some different ways to understand the psychology of change and some change tools. But most importantly, we will tap into the wisdom of the people in the room as a system to reveal their psychologies and their practices for change. Questions such as: How do you know when you have behavior change? What are your tools and practices that work? What emerging tools and practices need a tune up? What has to be invented? What must we let go of because it no longer works? (Room: Cityview 2)


Owning It: Local Energy Independence

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): John Abrams Richard Andre George Baker David McGlinchey

This project- a whole system in action- will bring together smart finance, renewable energy, and a democratic organizational structure. A Martha's Vineyard non-profit has begun creating a ratepayers energy cooperative that will be owned and operated by its users and is intended to produce a large portion of the island's energy, primarily from offshore wind. (Room: Cityview 2)


Communities in Action: Learning the Local Lessons

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Wednesday, March 10
Session Speaker(s): Tina Clarke Mark Couet Carl Etnier Ben Graham Alastair Lough

From the international movement of 'Transition Towns' to a variety of local resilience planning initiatives, there are many ways to engage, mobilize, and change a community to become economically healthier, more self-reliant, and less dependent on fossil fuels. Allowing for open conversation and networking, this session will introduce basic concepts and practices and then focus on the lessons learned from such community initiatives here in the Northeast. (Room: Cityview 2)


Meta-patterns of Sustainability: Lessons from the Biosphere

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Amelia Amon David Foley Tyler Volk

Nature prospers by using meta-patterns: convergent systems that maximize functionality, from cells and organisms to cultural evolution. How do we apply these fundamental patterns as operational instructions for design? Using the design principles of the biosphere we'll explore practical applications, including creating feedback cycles during the design process, saving energy and enhancing material cycles, and varying systems of borders. We'll bring your questions and observations into the discussion. Join us to learn how nature prospers. (Room: Cityview 2)


Open Source Practice

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Mitch Anthony Christopher Carbone Emile Chin-Dickey Randall Walter Jamie Wolf

New modes of communication and collaboration are allowing people to work together more inclusively, effectively, flexibly, and fluidly. With the ability to keep pace and contribute openly to multiple projects with multiple partners across distance and time, new practices are emerging. We'll meet with practitioners who are thriving in this enterprise. We'll see where they are driving and look under the hood to learn what makes the engine run. (Room: Cityview 2)


Economic Sufficiency

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): John Abrams Justin Good William Stillinger

Is there a new economy afoot? Are we beginning to rid ourselves of abusive economic practices? Renewed local economy practices and currency, changes in business models, and new forms of asset formation are likely to play important roles. This session may or may not lead to a full understanding of the shift to a new economy or take a deep dive into the soul of money, it is meant to be more of a conversation about what is on the minds of people at the BE10 conference right now. (Room: Cityview 2)


Operating as a Community of Practice

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday, March 11
Session Speaker(s): Robert Leaver Jess Lerner

A community of practice is collaborating to get work done regardless of rank or experience. Practice serves as the teacher. Shared knowledge is the product. In this session we will do four things to launch continuous post-conference learning and networking: 1. Analyze and synthesize the nuggets produced in the six previous sessions of Whole Systems in Action. 2. Develop a map of the whole system in the room and cinch up the connections. 3. Identify post- BE10 communities of practice that want to form around topics and practices that emerge from any track in the conference and not just Whole Systems. 4. Direct people to the post- BE10 learning forum online. (Room: Cityview 2)


 
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