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Architecture 2030 Webinar: 2030 Districts Network Decarbonization Policies Overview

2030 Districts Network - October 2020 Summit Keynote Speaker Presentations:

Mike Zatz
Chief, Market Sectors Group, ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Session Synopsis
Michael Zatz presented observed and anticipated trends in energy use in the COVID-19 era as well as the latest guidance on how to benchmark different types of buildings to account for the impacts of COVID-19 on operations.

He also discussed EPA’s latest changes to eligibility criteria for buildings wishing to apply for ENERGY STAR certification as well as what to expect in the future.

Session recording
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Diana Hernandez
Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health

Session Synopsis
Housing, Energy and Justice: Making the case for investments in sustainability for underserved
In this session, Diana discussed how energy insecurity affects low-income and underserved communities, presented case studies on energy efficiency upgrades and provided insights on what is needed to better serve energy insecure populations.

Session recording

Jon Utech
Senior Director, Office for a Healthy Environment, Cleveland Clinic

Session Synopsis
As a world-class healthcare provider, the Cleveland Clinic recognizes its responsibility to safeguard the health of the communities in which they operate by addressing the environmental impact of their operations. Never has it been more important to understand that environmental health and human health are linked. Setting the strategic direction for environmental stewardship for the Cleveland Clinic, Jon Utech, Senior Director for the Office for a Healthy Environment discussed the many initiatives the Cleveland Clinic has in place, not only in Cleveland but in locations around the country and world-wide to support healthy communities. Mr. Utech also discussed the impact COVID-19 has had on the healthcare system and how it has affected energy use and business operations at the Cleveland Clinic.

Climate change is putting our health at risk. As a recognized leader in the healthcare industry, the Cleveland Clinic is in a position to lead by example in the adoption of environmental best practices and the delivery of exceptional patient care.

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Vincent Martinez
Chief Operating Officer, Architecture 2030

Session Synopsis
Rapid and major emissions reductions in the building sector will establish a powerful force for global action and business development. Widespread electrification of existing buildings, in tandem with grid decarbonization and zero-net-carbon new construction, will create a steady and predictable market for renewable energy generation and storage. A paradigm shift in building design and material selection can accelerate manufacturing industries to significantly reduce the embodied carbon of their products. Policies that reduce the embodied carbon of building and construction have the potential to reshape patterns of consumption and waste. Through practice and policy, the design, planning, and building community must rapidly transform urban development and the built environment from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the solution to the climate crisis. In the process, they will improve their market position and that of their clients.

Session recording
Slide deck