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Afternoon Keynote

​​Net Zero Energy: incredible, practical, and doable – lessons from its first decade

​The built environment needs a catalyst ​for change. Bui​ldings are the single largest contributor of CO2 emissions and in the US, buildings account for 49% of all energy consumption. When we look at the the education sector, many are more than 50 years old with very high energy consumption and user dissatisfaction.

The good news is that the majority of school buildings operating today can achieve zero energy performance, even schools looking to upgrade campus buildings have resources they can use to achieve low-energy goals.

We will share lessons learned from school retrofits that reduce energy consumption enough to allow the remainder to be served with renewable systems such as photovoltaic panels. Innovative approaches during the assessment and planning process when retrofitting are key in planning for NetZero design and ongoing successful operations. We will delve into case studies and discuss those pathways that can lead us all on a path to zero.

About the Speaker: Brad Liljequist

Brad Liljequist
 
 

Brad Liljequist is the Zero Energy Senior Program Manager for McKinstry, where he leads the company’s zero energy efforts nationally. Previously, he directed energy and community programs for the International Living Future Institute. He also developed the first certified multifamily zero energy project in the United States, zHome, as well as Issaquah Fire Station 72, winner of the national ASHRAE Technology award in 2012. He is currently managing zero energy elements for the Catalyst project, currently under construction in Spokane, which at completion will be the largest zero energy building in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the largest in the world.

He is the author of The Power of Zero: Learning from the World’s Leading Zero Energy Buildings. His work has been covered by The New York Times, the BBC, the Wall Street Journal, national NPR, The Seattle Times, Engineering News Record, Architectural Review, GreenBiz, and many other media. He was educated at Georgetown University, the University of St. Andrews, the University of Washington Evans School, and Seattle Central College.

About the Speaker: Betin Santos​

Betin Santos
 
 

Betin Santos has worked in the energy efficiency field for over ten years. Before joining McKinstry, Betin provided energy efficiency consulting for the educational and local government sectors. Betin has served as area spokesperson, led the implementation of communications strategies and developed marketing materials. Betin served as Executive Director of the Texas Energy Summit for five years and managed Oncor’s educational energy efficiency program in East and West Texas and Dallas. Before that, Betin spearhead a statewide initiative to develop the Texas Clean School Bus Program. Betin has a BS from UH and a M.P.A from TAMU.