BuildingEnergy NYC 2021 Content Committee

The content of BuildingEnergy NYC is curated by a volunteer committee of NESEA Members, who collectively put in hundreds of hours throughout the year to ensure that conference sessions are genuinely useful to attendees. If you are interested in participating in next year's committee, please contact Ben Sachs-Hamilton, Conference Manager, at bsachs-hamilton@nesea.org.

2021 Conference Co-Chairs

Gwen McLaughlin, MEM, LEED AP, BPI MFBA, is Senior Project Manager at TRC. Her professional focus is on promoting the design and construction of high-performance multifamily buildings. During her 15 years in the building energy industry, she has gained expertise in building science, program development and evaluation, and field investigation. Since joining TRC Companies in 2012, she has worked in a number of capacities for NYSERDA’s innovative multifamily programs and competitions. A dedicated volunteer, Gwen served on the Building Energy NYC Content Committee for 4 years before co-chairing the 2021 conference. She has also volunteered with Urban Green Council since 2008 and is currently member of the UGC Program Committee. Gwen has a BA in Environmental Science and Policy from Fairfield University, a MEM from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, and a Professional Certificate in Construction Technology from New York University. She lives in Harlem with her husband, who is also in the building energy industry.

Adam Watson, AIA, LEED AP, CPHD, is a registered architect and and a Director of the L+M Development Partners Preconstruction Team. Since joining L+M in 2012, Adam has been a part of the project team for their passive house projects, Beach Green 2 in the Rockaways and Sendero Verde in Harlem. Sendero Verde will be one of the largest passive house projects in the world when complete. He is currently leading preconstruction efforts on Jamaica Bay Landing a proposed mixed use development comprised of 2,400 units of affordable housing. He has also been a part of adaptive reuse projects including the Hahne’s Department Store in Newark, the preservation of 10,000 existing and the new construction of over a thousand affordable housing units in New York City. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, a Certified Passive House Designer, and a LEED AP. He holds a BArch from Virginia Tech and MArch from City College of New York, and lives with his wife and two kids in Brooklyn.

2021 Conference Vice Chairs

Elihu Dietz, MEM, is a Senior Consultant at DNV, where he works on building energy analysis, outreach strategy, and program evaluations. He works with building owners, incentive providers, and community organizations to identify opportunities for energy savings, communicate all the values of energy use reduction, and provide logistic support to implement solutions. Elihu was an EDF Climate Corps Fellow, and earned an MEM from the Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University.

Elizabeth Engoren, PE, CEM, MFBA, is a Senior Energy Engineer and Business Development Associate at EN-POWER GROUP, a full-service energy engineering firm. Since joining EN-POWER in 2013, she’s led energy studies covering over 14 million square feet of existing buildings, advising clients regarding the most cost‑effective energy conservation measures and financing options. Her expertise includes energy auditing and modeling, integrated design, retro‑commissioning, incentive securement, and project management for multifamily and commercial buildings. Elizabeth is passionate about bringing together industry stakeholders to learn from each other, fostering inclusivity, and expanding the building community. She has served on the BuildingEnergy NYC Content Committee since 2018 and has also served on NESEA's Pro Tour Advisory Committee. She received her BS in Chemical Engineering from Lafayette College and her MPA in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University.