Arlington County’s Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management is excited to announce the Pathway to Zero Carbon Energy Education Series! As part of the County’s Green Building Incentive Program, we are pleased to offer a series of presentations from industry experts who will discuss strategies for reducing carbon emissions in buildings.
Attendance is free of charge and open to anyone interested in learning more about green building in Arlington!
Session 1 Description:
Arlington, Virginia has set an ambition target to become a zero carbon community by 2050. Should we be trying to electrify everything in buildings? How should we rethink the rest of the building when we electrify? Is it practical with the buildings and technologies we have now? When and where should we rely on bridge solutions? As Arlington’s programs, policies, and project teams are striving for 100% electrification, it is important that building professionals understand the latest in electric technologies and how they impact operations.
This presentation is the result of years of experience with various electric technologies for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water production. You will hear from three speakers with backgrounds in policy, energy consultancy, and development, who will share their perspectives on how they’re approaching electrification. Examples will be presented of buildings where electric systems worked wonderfully, where performance was less than ideal, and where they have failed entirely. The session will also include a discussion on the latest technologies, their gaps, and a debate on the question: are there buildings where electrification doesn’t yet make sense?
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the connection between grid cleanliness and the push for electrification.
- Understand why electrification is important.
- How to avoid common pitfalls with electric technologies.
- How to get started with electrification.
- Weigh climate impacts along with practical implications of electric heat and hot water systems.
- Become familiar with potential solutions for end uses with no efficient electrification solution, such as emergency generation.
Presenters:
Nicole Ceci, PE – Principal Mechanical Engineer, Steven Winter Associates, Inc.
Nicole’s building science experience includes design and implementation of high-performance HVAC systems, cogeneration feasibility evaluation, and data analysis of building performance. Nicole has completed sustainability services for over 30 million square feet of multifamily buildings and advises the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability on data-driven approaches to policies promoting energy savings in buildings.
Cristina Garcia, CEM – Assistant Director, Building Electrification Initiative (BEI)
Cristina’s work with BEI includes working with cities across North America to ensure they have the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to accelerate the transition of building systems away from fossil fuels. Prior to this role, Cristina worked at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Sustainability for nearly three years, leading their electrification and workforce development initiatives.
Kenny Hewitt – Construction Manager, Shooshan Company
Kenny is responsible for managing all construction activities for the Shooshan Company’s projects. This includes managing the daily flow of information between the architect, general contractor, and all project consultants. Projects under Kenny’s management include the DARPA headquarters, a 355,000 SF commercial office space, and the Marymount Redevelopment Project, a 420,000 SF mixed-use project in Arlington, VA.