Building Potential

Oregon’s Energy Future Conference (Virtual)
2020-09-01
The Business of Clean Energy & Efficiency
Oregon’s Energy Future is the state’s signature clean energy event. Now in its 14th year, Oregon’s Energy Future connects policy with practice and addresses the industry’s current challenges and opportunities. Attendees gain a deeper understanding of the political, economic, and social forces driving Oregon’s clean energy economy, and come away with insights into how to meet the current challenges and take advantage of opportunities.
This annual event is Oregon’s unmatched forum for learning, networking, and business development, with content covering policy, the business of renewable energy, and energy technology and innovation. Don’t miss out!
Learn more & register here

HVAC Total System Performance Ratio (TSPR) Training
2020-08-05 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
12:00 – 1:30 PM · Pacific Time
This live webinar training will provide an introduction to the HVAC Total System Performance Ratio (TSPR) code compliance path. We will discuss what TSPR is, when it is required by code, and how it is calculated. A click-through demonstration will highlight key features of a web-based simulation tool that can be used to test a proposed building’s compliance with TSPR.
Our presenters will be Heather Burpee who is the Director of Education and Outreach at the University of Washington’s Integrated Design Lab and Supriya Goel, Senior Research Engineer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Duane Lewellen will be monitoring the chat and assisting behind the scenes.

Agenda

What is Total System Performance Ratio – TSPR
When will TSPR be required by code
How is TSPR calculated
Click through demonstration of TSPR Tool developed by PNNL

REGISTER
Download TSPR one-pager

Clean & Affordable Energy Conference
2019-12-02 08:00 - 17:00 | University of Washington – Husky Union Building (HUB) South Ballroom, 4001 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98195
Join the NW Energy Coalition for the region’s top clean energy conference on December 2, 2019 in Seattle! This fall’s conference will feature keynote speaker Alison Silverstein of the North American SynchroPhasor Initiative speaking about emerging technologies for grid reliability, and we’ll hear from the leaders of some of the Northwest’s largest utilities on the Bonneville Power Administration and the future of the energy system in our region. Finally, conference panelists will focus on reinventing the grid with customer-side resources, both current and emerging, that will be essential for utilities to provide clean, affordable and reliable service for all communities.

Energy Leadership Summit
2019-11-19 07:30 - 18:00 | Washington State Conference Center, 705 Pike Street, Seattle, WA, 98101
November 19, 2019
Washington State Conference Center at the Convention Center

The conference for those building the clean energy economy!
The Energy Leadership Summit is the region’s must-attend clean energy event. Presented jointly by the CleanTech Alliance and the Northwest Environmental Business Council, this unique event connects policy with practice and addresses the industry’s current challenges and future opportunities.
Join us in exploring the nexus of energy, climate change, and the region’s economy with more than 400 industry leaders and policymakers from across the Northwest.
Register now to take advantage of early bird registration rates. Click here for more information.

CO2 Domestic Hot Water Heat Pumps for Medium to Large Multifamily New Construction
2019-11-06 13:00 - 16:30 | lighting design lab, 2915 4th Ave. S, Seattle, 98134, United States
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Lighting Design Lab, 2915 4th Avenue S. Seattle, WA, 98134
Topic
Domestic hot water production in a multifamily building is the year-round load that is next in line for reduction by efficiency while managing a switch from fossil fuels to electric heat pumps. The transition requires a re-examination of plant sizing and distribution. This presentation will address the nature of CO2 heat pumps, and how they can be applied to a building type that is common in the growth of new buildings in Seattle today.
A CO2 refrigerant offers a significantly lower global-warming potential than standard refrigerants. For that reason, electric utilities promoting heat pumps for their energy efficiency look toward the CO2 refrigerant as possible path toward environmentally friendly heat pump solutions.
Speaker
John Miles is General Manager of the Eco Systems division for Sanden International USA, and is currently overseeing sales and support of the first commercially available Air to Water CO2 Heat Pump Water Heater in North America aimed at Residential and Commercial applications.
Register here

Sanden Heat Pumps: Installer Contractor Training
2019-11-06 08:30 - 12:00 | lighting design lab, 2915 4th Ave. S, Seattle, 98134, United States
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Lighting Design Lab, 2915 4th Avenue S. Seattle WA 98134

Topic
As the Housing Development Consortium moves forward with its Exemplary Buildings Program, partners and allies supporting the work are keenly aware of the need to secure a trustworthy and cost effective way to address domestic hot water. In light of this, we’ve partnered with Sanden and SmallPlanet Supply to offer specialized training for installers on these systems.

The SANCO2 Heat Pump Water heater is based on Eco Cute technology and features the highest efficiency and First Hour rating of any HPWH presently sold in North America. Product is sold nationally in the US and Canada, and is installed by both plumbers and HVAC contractors.

Speaker
John Miles is General Manager of the Eco Systems division for Sanden International USA, and is currently overseeing sales and support of the first commercially available Air to Water CO₂ Heat Pump Water Heater in North America aimed at Residential and Commercial applications. John is a close-to-30-year veteran of the HVAC/Plumbing industry, having started his career as a Design Draughtsman for Airedale International in Leeds, England prior to moving to the US in the early 90’s to work for various manufacturers of Plumbing and HVAC units.
We encourage multiple people from an organization to attend. This training is capped at 25, so space is limited. Questions? Call 206-682-9541. This training is recommended for sub-contractors, with a specific emphasis on WMBE shops.
Register here

Certified Energy Manager (CEM) Training & Exam
2019-10-28 08:00 - 2019-11-01 17:00 | Earth Advantage Classroom, 623 SW Oak St, Third Floor, Portland, OR, 97205
The Association of Energy Engineers Columbia River Chapter (AEE-CRC) will host a comprehensive five-day Training Program for Energy Managers in Portland this fall. Attendees will be eligible and equipped to take the certification exam proctored on the final day of training. Graduates of the program will receive the increasingly recognized and requested Certified Energy Manager (CEM) certification.
The special five-day seminar provides an in-depth, comprehensive learning and problem-solving forum for those who want a broader understanding of the latest energy cost reduction strategies. The program begins by examining the fundamentals within all key areas of energy management. Students then learn, system by system, how to diagnose and analyze energy savings opportunities.
Course includes Guide to Energy Management Handbook, CEM workbook, application and exam fee ($400), one year of AEE national membership, local chapter membership, and daily light breakfast and lunch during the training.
Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) instructor Robert Scott Frazier, PhD, PE, CEM, will teach the course. Mr. Frazier, a faculty member of the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering School at Oklahoma State University, specializes in energy management, renewable energy systems and life cycle analysis. His university research areas include energy efficiency, bio-material energy and waste heat recovery.
For questions, contact Tina Schnell (tschnell@aesc-inc.com). Register HERE.

Washington State Solar Summit
2019-10-18 08:00 - 19:00 | Meydenbauer Center, 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, WA, 98004
The Washington State Solar Summit is an important annual information gathering and networking event for industry stakeholders including manufacturers, installers, utilities, municipalities, legislators/policy makers, educators, students, tribal members, advocacy organizations/nonprofits, distributors, engineers, financial lenders, consultants and more. The Washington State Solar Summit is the must-attend business conference for anyone engaged in solar deployment, education and advocacy in Washington state. Over 250 solar and related industry personnel gathered during the 2018 Washington State Solar Summit to listen and participate in discussions relating to the topics below.

NEEC Webinar: Policy Perspectives for an Evolving Energy Efficiency Landscape
2019-10-10 12:00 - 13:00
Thursday, October 10th, 12:00 pm PT
The world of energy is rapidly changing, and energy efficiency must adapt as a viable resource. In this webinar, Carmen Best, Director of Policy & Emerging Markets at Recurve (formerly OpenEE) will review some of the historic pillars of energy efficiency policy and explore key transitions necessary for success in the future.
Transparent quantification of changes in energy consumption, performance based accountability and large scale financing enable us to expand energy efficiency. The presentation will include examples of how meter-based quantification (policy and practices) and performance-based models for program design (P4P) are creating a critical pathway for transforming how distributed energy resources like energy efficiency can be procured and financed.
Tune in to learn more about these policies!

REGISTER NOW!

Meet the Speaker:
Carmen Best, Director of Policy & Emerging Markets, Recurve
Carmen is supporting the growth of meter and performance based energy efficiency across the country through Recurve. Prior to joining Recurve, Carmen spent several years at the California Public Utilities Commission. While there, she brought the findings and insights from evaluation to statewide energy policy through demand forecasting, integrated resource planning and overall improvements in the deployment of energy efficiency. Her work continues in these areas but from an exciting new vantage point. Recurve connects the dots between efficiency, electrification, renewable energy, and distributed energy resources to enable demand flexibility as a market-based procurable resource. Carmen has supported Recurve in the creation of transparent methods and open-source software to revolutionizes the way energy efficiency is measured, deployed and procured. The Recurve Platform provides leading utilities, regulators, and aggregators with a secure, scalable, SaaS solution that enables markets for demand flexibility as a resource.

Northern California Facilities Expo
2019-10-09 08:00 - 2019-10-10 17:00 | Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA, 95054
Northern California Facilities Expo is all about you! Don’t miss the opportunity to be the first to learn about regional solutions, try out new products and see the latest technologies. The event meets the facilities engineering, maintenance and energy management needs of industries such as high-tech manufacturing, government, health care, hospitality, finance, education, information technology, software development, shipping, utilities and many others. Meet with exhibitors and attend educational seminars, all in one place and all for FREE.

GridFWD 2019
2019-10-07 08:00 - 2019-10-09 17:00 | Benaroya Hall, 200 University Street, Seattle, WA, 98101
Radical changes in energy sources, distribution systems and usage are surging through the electrical infrastructure of the region. To help all stakeholders move forward on modernizing our regional grid, Grid Forward is hosting GridFWD 2019, an innovative collaborative event taking place at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. Join leaders from regional and national utilities, solution providers, regulatory agencies, governments, labs and other stakeholders who are working together to promote and accelerate innovation across regional grid to create a reliable, resilient, affordable and low-carbon energy system.

ShiftBuilding Symposium: A Window on the Future
2019-09-18 12:00 - 2019-09-19 17:30
In July 2020, buildings will have to meet new higher energy efficiency standards than ever, now being adopted with the Washington State Energy Code. The right window systems can help buildings reach high-performance goals for lighting, comfort and energy efficient living, while achieving or exceeding these tougher compliance standards. If you are in the business, a student, or a professional wanting to achieve these goals in the future, join us for this month’s NW EcoBuilding Guild ShiftBuilding Symposium: A Window On The Future – High-Performance Window Systems in Bellingham on Wednesday, September 18th from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM and in Seattle on Thursday, September 19th from 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM.
Register for advanced ticket reduced pricing today!
Bellingham registration
Seattle registration

Why Smart Buildings? Creating a Compelling Business Case
2019-09-17 11:30 - 16:00 | Pacific Tower, 1200 12th Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98144
Join the Smart Buildings Center on September 17th, 2019 for a seated lunch event in its series, Why Smart Buildings. Hear from a panel of experts on their individual perspectives and experiences with smart buildings. Each panelist will talk about their reasoning behind investing in smart building technologies. Learn about the advantages of smart technologies beyond building performance, and how leveraging smart technologies to enhance the user experience can improve your bottom line.
Hear first-hand accounts of various smart projects throughout the region that are not only cost-effective but also maximize business competitiveness and productivity while having the added benefit of reducing operational costs and improving asset value. After the lunch, come downstairs to the Smart Buildings Center for a Tool Lending Library Open House.
September 17th, 2019
11:30am – 2pm
Pacific Tower
Panoramic Room – 8th Floor
1200 12th Ave S. Seattle, WA 98144
Tool Lending Library Open House
2pm – 4pm
Smart Buildings Center
Training & Event Space

2019 IFMA Symposium: The Business of Buildings: Investigate, Discover, Predict
2019-06-19 07:30 - 15:30 | lynnwood convention center, 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA, 98036
Treat yourself to a day of networking and education with your peers! The IFMA Greater Seattle Education Symposium is our chapter’s flagship education event featuring a full day of continuing education sessions on important trends and practices in facility management.
This year’s keynote speaker is Gifford Pinchot III, Founder and President Emeritus of “The Bainbridge Graduate Institute”​ which offered the first MBA in Sustainable Business – (Now merged with Presidio Graduate School), who will speak on his theory of “intrapreneurship”

Why Smart Buildings? Leveraging Smart Technology for Building Performance
2019-06-18 08:30 - 16:00
Join the Smart Buildings Center and NW Regional Building Commissioning Association for a one day conference on June 18, 2019 in Seattle, WA.

The conference, aimed at commercial building owners and managers, building operations and engineering staff, commissioning agents, architects, engineers, and property developers, offers opportunities to gain knowledge, connections and success regarding building performance through smart technologies and practices.
Attendees will learn how smart technologies and practices improve building performance, increase tenant and occupant productivity, enhance security, and provide sustained operational cost savings. Hear about real world examples of smart technology applications and practices from building professionals in the industry. Conference sessions will focus on IoT (Internet of Things) for building performance, what tools people are using to increase building performance, and what the industry is doing with these advances in technology.
Click here for the conference agenda.

ShiftBuilding Symposium Series: Fresh Air, Hot Water, High Performance Mechanical Systems
2019-05-23 12:00 - 17:30 | University of Oregon, 70 Northwest Couch Street, Portland, OR, 97209, United States
With the right mechanical systems, buildings can reach high-performance goals for health, comfort and energy efficient living. If you are in the business, student, or professional wanting to achieve these goals in the future, join us for this month’s NW EcoBuilding Guild ShiftBuilding Symposium: Fresh Air, Hot Water – High-Performance Mechanical Symposium at the University of Oregon, School of Architecture, Portland on May 23rd 2019, from 12 PM to 5:30 PM.
The Northwest EcoBuilding Guild Symposium Series are FREE to all Students, Sponsors, and Guests of Sponsors.

Lighting for Schools K-12 Workshop
2019-04-12 13:00 - 17:00
Lighting for school projects can pose a wide range of potential challenges, opportunities, and pitfalls. High aspirations, tight budgets, and new research regarding circadian systems make Schools some of the most complicated lighting projects out there.
Come and learn some tips and trick to help ensure that your project will be visually effective while minimizing energy use. We will discuss a wide variety of space types, though we will focus in on learning environments and current research regarding daylighting and lighting controls in the school environment.
The class will include lecture, small group discussion, and group workshop exercises keyed to learning and design concepts. The class is appropriate for architects, engineers, lighting designers, facility managers, educators, and others. Some basic lighting concepts will be briefly covered, but this class assumes some level of lighting knowledge.
Learning Goals:
At the end of the class, participants will:

Understand a variety of space types inherent in this project type.
Understand how to effectively apply lighting for educational spaces.
Understand current research based on circadian systems and lighting.
Understand effective lighting control techniques for education.
Learn tips and tricks to use in everyday practice to improve the visual quality of the built environment while minimizing energy use.

Location & Time

SEATTLE Thu, Apr 11 | 1-5pm @ Lighting Design Lab

Powerful Business Energy Conference
2019-04-04 08:00 - 17:00 | lynnwood convention center, 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA, 98036
The purpose of the conference is to provide the business community with the information necessary to find partnerships and solutions that will save energy and money, improve comfort, and enhance productivity in their facilities.
Conference Description
​The Powerful Business Energy Conference will provide ways to save energy and money for commercial building owners and managers, building operations and engineering staff, architects, engineers, and property developers. Continental breakfast, lunch with a keynote speaker, and a vendor reception are all included. Essential energy-saving ideas—quick wins, deeper strategies, and future visions—will be presented in three tracks.
Keynote and Plenary Speaker, Steve Brown, The Bald Futurist
As the former Futurist and Chief Evangelist at Intel Corporation, Steve Brown has over 30 years of experience in high tech, half of that spent in strategic planning. Now as an independent futurist, Steve is an energetic speaker, author, strategist, and advisor. He speaks many events around the world, helping his audiences to understand the business and societal impacts of new technologies and how they will shape the future five, ten, and fifteen years from now. Steve has been featured on BBC, CNN, Bloomberg TV, ABC News, CBS, Wired, The Wall Street Journal, and many other media outlets. He holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees in Micro-Electronic Systems Engineering from Manchester University, and now lives in Portland, Oregon where he runs his own speaking and consulting business under the brand, Bald Futurist.

Oregon APEM Spring Forum 2019: Smart Buildings, Energy Savings, and Sustainability: Are they connected?
2019-03-15 07:30 - 14:00
Where: NW Natural Building, 220 NW 2nd, Portland
When: March 15th, 2019 7:30am-2:00pm (Forum starts at 8:00am)
Speakers to be determined
Why: Learn about what defines a Smart Building; the evolution of Smart Buildings; insights on where Smart Buildings are today, and what to expect in the future – and the technologies involved. The title insinuates what will be discussed: “Smart Buildings, Energy Efficiency, and Sustainability: Are they connected”. In other words, are they one and the same? The speakers will touch on all of these topics.
Cost: $50 for regular member, $90 for non-members, $350 for vendors, $25 student member, with current student ID, $45 non-member student, with current student ID.
CEU’s will be available.

Microsoft Tour
2019-03-14 16:00 - 18:30 | Microsoft Building, 3730 163rd Avenue NE, Redmond, WA, 98052
Hosted by the IFMA Seattle Chapter and the Smart Buildings Center, attendees will tour one of the newer buildings on the Microsoft campus during which they will share how Microsoft designs and manages its campus and employee work space (we’ll also see the Tree Houses). Microsoft will share their plans for an extensive campus modernization which will be the most Sustainable, Connected, Accessible and Secure. Microsoft will discuss space utilization in general, the design of their Team Based Space work space. They will review the use of technology on campus that enhance the employee experience like Surface Hubs, and lobby experience. The tour will be an interactive discussion taking place on the Redmond campus.

ShiftBuilding Symposium: High Performance HVAC Systems
2019-03-07 12:00 - 17:30
Do you want to get the most out of your HVAC system? Do you desire clean, fresh air circulating through your home or building without negative pressure vacuums? Does your project need a tight envelope and do your occupants want stable, comfortable indoor temperatures? Did you know that the best HVAC choice for efficiency and comfort is dependent on building size and several other factors?
Learn from Ecotope’s Shawn Oram and PAE’s David Mead about emerging technologies for heat pump systems and dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS). New climate conscious refrigerants are helping to make green building more efficient than ever before, and the benefits of outdoor air systems include fresh air free of particulates and full of oxygen. Leave stuffy airspace behind with the solutions available at this ShiftBuilding Symposium.
Discover the details and the best products available from the manufacturer’s representatives! Featured manufacturers will share their products and applications in track learning sessions. Discover the importance of balanced ventilation and appropriate applications of technology from the experts. The day will have structured trade-show opportunities for learning more and meeting new members of the green building field.
Don’t miss the UW-Bothell Mechanical Engineering cohort’s Building Innovations Database research products. Learn about current and recently completed projects in high performance design utilizing many of these HVAC units available on the market now. Passive House and Built Green certified projects stand out as beyond code demonstrations of excellence in architecture design. Students will present seven projects during the tradeshow period of the day: meet the talented emerging Mechanical Engineers from UW-Bothell!
12:00 check in, trade show, student presentations
12:40 Announcements and Welcome
1:00 Featured Speakers and rep presentations featuring:
Shawn Oram: DOAS for multi-family
David Mead: Emerging Refrigerants for Heat Pump systems
This program includes refreshments and a light lunch.
NEEC members get 10% discount off registration when you enter “SmartEnergy” when you register.

Introduction to Daylighting Design (Level 100)
2019-01-30 15:00 - 17:00, 2019-01-29 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-01-28 10:00 - 12:00
An introduction to daylighting basics, and simple rules of thumb to maximize available visible daylight within the built environment while minimizing potential solar heat gain.

Mix & Mingle
2019-01-17 18:00 - 20:30
Don’t miss our annual Mix & Mingle with dinner & wine & fun! Connect with industry peers, forge new friendships, and rekindle old ones.
Have fun and benefit your career at the same time!
Click here to register.

Regional Economic Outlook
2019-01-17 11:00 - 13:00
Start your year off right by learning about the regional 2019 economic outlook based on labor force, wage, and industry employment trends including projected employment growth by industry. Consumer confidence and a spotlight on certain construction trends (e.g. housing starts) will be discussed in relation to current information provided by the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.
Click here to register.

2015 WSEC Training - Commercial Air Barrier
2018-12-13 11:00 - 13:30 | Home Builders Association of Tri Cities, 10001 W. Clearwater Avenue, Kennewick, WA, 99336
Building air leakage can significantly impact the energy performance of a building through envelope heat loss and higher fan energy to maintain building pressurization. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Council is offering a workshop on December 13th in the Tri-Cities area about the commercial air barrier requirements in the 2015 WSEC. This 2-hour training will provide information about air barrier installation and building enclosure testing. Click here for the full flyer.
TRAINING TOPICS INCLUDE:

What is an air barrier and why it is required in the WSEC?
How to calculate and document the air barrier surface area
Coordinating air barrier requirements with the design and construction team
Building enclosure testing requirements in the WSEC
Best practice testing methods for various building types
What happens if the building fails the building enclosure air leakage test?
Reporting building enclosure air leakage test results

This training is FREE thanks to the generous support of our regionaland local sponsors. Pre-registration is required. To register, email Johnathon Jones at jonathan@hbatc.com

Power Hour in Portland
2018-12-06 17:30 - 18:30
Hosted by NEEC, these informal after work get together for NEEC members, will feature drinks and light refreshments combined with networking opportunities amongst peers and to hear featured guests bringing news and insights affecting the industry.
This is a FREE event so come and join us!

2015 Seattle Energy Code – Commercial Provisions Workshop
2018-11-27 09:00 - 12:00 | Smart Building Center, 1200 12th Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98144
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Council is offering a workshop in November 2018 about the 2015 Seattle Energy Code. This event provides an opportunity to “ask the experts” about code requirements that are unique to the SEC. Our presenters will also share helpful information about energy modeling for energy code compliance.
Click here for the event flyer.
TRAINING TOPICS INCLUDE:

Summary of the energy code development process in WA State
Current status of the 2018 WSEC
Key differences between the 2015 SEC and the 2015 WSEC
Building enclosure test reporting requirements for shell & core, phased and multi-family projects
Existing building lighting upgrades
Controlled receptacles in new & retrofit projects
SEC compliance through Target Performance and
Total Building Performance paths

This is a free event. Click here to register.

Clean & Affordable Energy Conference
2018-11-15 08:00 - 17:00 | Portland, OR
Featuring Oregon’s largest electric and natural gas utilities describing their strategies for deep decarbonization. Is what they are proposing enough and can we accelerate decarbonization in a way that doesn’t leave people behind?
Conference panels will explore:
• Energy Storage: the promise for the Northwest power system
• Energy Efficiency: the health, quality of life, and consumer benefits
• Bonneville Power Administration: the opportunities and challenges for BPA in helping the West develop more clean energy resources
Click here for the event flyer.
