New York Tech Energy Conference: Building Sustainable Communities

At the New York Tech Energy Conference: “Building Sustainable Communities,” industry experts addressed the importance of designing environmentally friendly technologies to ensure cleaner power and air as well as reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. They discussed the latest innovations in buildings, vehicles, and power systems and provided key insights about trends in community resilience and sustainability.

The virtual conference, held on June 9, was moderated by Robert Amundsen, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of energy management.

In his keynote address “EmPowering the Clean Energy Revolution,” David G. Schieren (M.S. ’06), chief executive officer of EmPower Solar and a New York Tech alumnus, noted that the rapid pace of climate change and increased demand on our electrical infrastructure requires a transformation in the way we generate, deliver, and store energy.

With a global mandate for zero-carbon emissions, New York Tech faculty from the New York City and Vancouver campuses are pursuing innovative areas of research and capital investments, including:

• A move towards clean energy sources, including solar, wind, and other sources of renewable energy.
• Long-term cost savings through the redesign of residential and commercial energy infrastructure.
• Managing the electric grid through smart pricing by billing customers according to demand, in essence shaping demand through pricing so as to not overload the grid.
• Addressing challenges related to energy storage systems and finding opportunities for increased efficiency.
• Policy changes to reach net-zero carbon emissions, including changes in building codes and the permit process as well as access to increased training and building trade certifications.
• Creating opportunities for improving indoor health by retrofitting buildings to ensure better air quality and ventilation.  

View a list of all the presenters and their topics of discussion.