BuildingEnergy Boston 2026 Conference Events

Kick off BuildingEnergy Boston 2026 and meet fellow attendees at our casual opening reception. Light appetizers will be provided. Cash bar.

Join us for coffee and tea while you check out the exhibitors at the Trade Show.

Invitation only. This annual event provides NESEA Lifetime Members with a dedicated space to relax, network, and enjoy breakfast before a busy day at the conference. Lifetime Members… Full Description

Climate change is not on pause, even as recent federal actions have slowed or halted many mitigation initiatives already underway. Organizations are navigating real delays, shifts in… Full Description

Join us for coffee and tea while you check out the exhibitors at the Trade Show.

We must create maximum positive climate and social impact as quickly as possible. This session explores a shared-services cooperative model (also called a producers’ cooperative) for… Full Description

The Massachusetts 100-Home Embodied Carbon Study was convened by a team of industry collaborators to explore the feasibility of adding embodied carbon analysis to the existing… Full Description

Home decarbonization requires a multitude of decisions about how, when and what to invest in. Programs with customized guidance, expert technical assistance and affordable financing are… Full Description

Effective decarbonization depends on reaching households with the highest energy burdens — and on how we talk about energy efficiency. This interactive workshop draws from City of Boston… Full Description

Join three experienced practitioners of thermal bridging mitigation as they share details that minimize thermal losses, reduce condensation potential and increase thermal comfort. Our… Full Description

Sponsored by MassCEC. Three projects tell the story of aligning carbon reduction in multi-family retrofits with owners' existing project goals. How do projects of varying scope find… Full Description

Enjoy lunch while networking at the Trade Show. Note: Lunch is only included for Full and One-Day Pass holders.

Invitation only. This annual networking lunch brings together recipients of NESEA's BE the Future scholarship and supporters of the program. Included in each scholarship is a NESEA… Full Description

As energy costs surge and buildings shift to all-electric systems, predicting and managing not just energy use but operating cost is essential. Using a series of real multifamily housing… Full Description

This panel will feature post-retrofit results for multiple decarbonization projects across cold climates, with the results presented in a systematic way to show lessons about systems,… Full Description

This session will present several new and emerging free-to-access resources for developing and advancing extreme heat and urban heat island mitigation solutions. These tools include… Full Description

Circularity in the built environment is more than a sustainability buzzword—it’s an opportunity to rethink how we build, renovate, and reuse. With landfills nearing capacity and supply… Full Description

As institutions continue to decarbonize, project teams are being challenged with the question “How can we minimize reliance on existing central utility plants even if we do not have… Full Description

Join us for coffee and tea while you check out the exhibitors at the Trade Show.

This session traces the evolution of Passive House detailing over the past decade, highlighting how simplification and improved modeling have made high-performance design more practical… Full Description

In this session, we will discuss how community partnerships can accelerate heat pump adoption in underserved communities and promote equitable electrification. The session will showcase… Full Description

In uncertain times, resilient organizations don’t hide from the numbers—they share them! This interactive session introduces simple, powerful tools like the 6-line P&L to help… Full Description

This session explores the design process of the new all-electric, high performance Grove Hall Community Center. It will showcase how community engagement, energy and daylight modeling,… Full Description

Boston faces twin crises—housing and climate—and must leverage existing buildings in decarbonization efforts. This study evaluates four renovation pathways across multifamily buildings:… Full Description

Sponsored by Mass Save. Buildings of the future are here – and they are electric. Learn about the incentives and resources available through the Sponsors of Mass Save to build all-… Full Description

Join us for coffee and tea while you check out the exhibitors at the Trade Show.

The Studio for High-Performance Design and Construction is hosting a "Pro Tour" of our projects and programs right here at BuildingEnergy Boston… Full Description

Join the presenters from the morning's keynote for a further exploration of the topics discussed earlier, in a more open discussion format.

Residential geothermal heat pumps are widely recognized for their efficiency and performance, yet adoption in housing has lagged due to perceived cost, complexity, and execution risk.… Full Description

This session will share the results and lessons learned from two existing building decarbonization assessments: a large lab/office facility and a high school. Drawing on the Mass CEC… Full Description

Join us for an honest reckoning of habits in building enclosures and structural systems with deplorable carbon consequences. Follow the logic toward design and construction solutions, as… Full Description

College of the Atlantic has created a model for building a diverse and skilled energy workforce. Through coursework, certifications, internships, and work-study, students gain hands-on… Full Description

All conference attendees are invited to mingle on the trade show floor during this reception that includes a cash bar and light snacks. Celebrate the first day of the conference, catch… Full Description

Join us for coffee and tea while you check out the exhibitors at the Trade Show.

Registration required (free, but limited space).

Join us for this networking breakfast to meet participants in BuildingEnergy Access, NESEA's new initiative to support the work of… Full Description

In an era when even the wisest voices are often lost behind closed doors — speaking only to the already convinced, rather than reaching the neighbors who see the world differently — how… Full Description

Join us for coffee and tea while you check out the exhibitors at the Trade Show.

Everyone knows sustainable design is good for people and the planet—like spinach, it’s good for us, but not everyone wants a bite. This interactive session shows how to make… Full Description

Learn to assess embodied carbon in low-rise construction using the BEAM tool and other practical resources through guided, interactive examples. Using real project case studies, this… Full Description

To meet their Climate Action Goals, campuses are moving beyond individual net-zero buildings to portfolio decarbonization. An owner–architect–engineer panel shares planning-stage lessons… Full Description

Non-profit and municipal building owners have limited resources and expertise to drive existing building decarbonization. This session will present low-cost resources for them to… Full Description

Join us for a facilitated conversation around the topic of immigration and deportation and its impact(s) within the design & construction industry. The session will use a format… Full Description

Enjoy lunch while networking at the Trade Show. Note: Lunch is only included for Full and One-Day Pass holders.

Details TBD

This presentation focuses on strategies for multifamily passive building projects in cold climates. Topics include WUFI Passive optimization, thermal bridge mitigation and airtight… Full Description

Learn from a two-year multifamily mass timber study, which took prototypical multifamily residential structures at different scales and reimagined them in mass timber. Key findings on… Full Description

What began as a planned new build took an unexpected turn when this prefabricated house, originally slated for demolition, was given a second life. Poor original detailing left the home… Full Description

Starting in 2025, Massachusetts buildings over 20,000sf were required to report their annual energy consumption. Now, those data have been released to the public. We will provide an… Full Description

Sponsored by USGBC. Josiah Quincy Upper School (JQUS) is a powerful example of what’s possible when project teams refuse to slow down in the face of complexity. As Boston Public Schools… Full Description

Join us for coffee and tea while you check out the exhibitors at the Trade Show.

Electric rate design and metering decisions determine who pays, who saves, and who benefits from building electrification, especially in affordable multifamily housing. In Massachusetts… Full Description

It’s no surprise that optimizing and maintaining building operations is crucial to achieving planned carbon and energy savings. And yet, a majority of HVAC systems and building controls… Full Description

Our gas system is oversized for a future of clean electricity. To rightsize it as we transition to electricity for the least cost, greatest speed and with equitable outcomes, we must… Full Description

Everyone wants lower-carbon, healthier materials. The hard part is execution: data gaps, risk management, substitution pressure, and the sheer volume of products. In this panel, an owner… Full Description

Think you can outsmart a Phius reviewer? Put your building science skills to the test in this “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader” style quiz show that combines technical insight,… Full Description

Join us for coffee and tea while you check out the exhibitors at the Trade Show.

Join the presenters from the morning's keynote for a further exploration of the topics discussed earlier, in a more open discussion format.

As codes become more stringent and low embodied carbon goals more mainstream, projects face sometimes contradictory priorities in balancing energy efficiency with embodied emissions.… Full Description

Constant air regulators (CAR dampers) are instrumental to the success of central mechanical ventilation systems, assuring that fresh air gets to bedrooms and living areas while… Full Description

The Stretch Energy Code update focuses on passive building principles as an underpinning to all compliance paths, resulting in non-residential commercial use types assessing and pursuing… Full Description

This session offers fresh perspective on previous NESEA presentations, “Why We Stopped Doing Deep Energy Retrofits” (2023) and “The Deep Energy Retrofit Controversy Revisited” (2024).… Full Description

Sponsored by Mitsubishi. This session will provide a high-level overview of the function and applications of the new Ecodan air-to-water heat pump product. If you attended the pre-… Full Description

Join us for the conference's closing reception, celebrating the close of two days of connecting around the conference's theme, Don't Stop us Now. We'll also raise a glass to mark the… Full Description