3.15.2006 ET

(CSRwire) Greenfield, MA--The nation's unprecedented interest in sustainable energy and building was blatantly apparent with a turnout of nearly 2,000 green building and renewable energy professionals at Building Energy '06, the 31st annual conference and trade show hosted by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) at Boston's Seaport World Trade Center, March 7-9.

The event--which featured three days of workshops and sessions, a free public forum, and a trade show--delivered a clear message: While the world faces a major energy crisis, the technology to address that crisis in a economically and environmentally-sound way is here and working today - and the business opportunities are huge.

"We recognize that our actions today affect future generations and that is why the city of Boston is committed to clean and renewable energy technologies," said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino in his welcoming address. The mayor cited that Boston purchases 8.6% of its energy from renewable sources and that all new vehicles being purchased by the city use some form of alternative fuel including his own vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). The mayor also noted that three Boston public schools now have solar collectors on their roofs and that the city has set a goal for LEED Silver certification for all city-owned construction projects.

"It is no longer a question of having to choose between environmental protection and economic development," the mayor said. "Sustainability is not about sacrificing one kind of green for another. Some mayors don't seem to understand this and I offer my service to arrange entrée for you to other mayors so that you can go in and educate them and get this on their agenda."

Warren Leon, Director of the Renewable Energy Trust at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Title Sponsor of Building Energy '06, called Mayor Menino, "An inspirational leader on energy and the environment who is having an impact on the city as well as on the state and national levels with his leadership and example."

Bob Berkebile, FAIA, renowned architect of BNIM Architects and Elements Consulting, delivered a dynamic keynote presentation where he drove home the point that, "It is all about carbon." He said, "There is no question that the number-one problem in the world today is the carbon we put into our atmosphere and the relatively short time we have before we do irreversible harm to our planet. We need to transform ourselves immediately. I am happy to say that the strongest force in the building community today is the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program. This is a great start but it is only a start."

Another highlight of Building Energy '06 was a free public forum, entitled, "Energy: Crisis or Opportunity?" The forum featured an impressive panel of seven leading authorities on energy, health and the environment who made it clear that the world is facing a major problem with climate change but that the problem, if we act fast, is still correctible. "Our way of life is at risk because of our addiction to fossil fuel," said Joel Gordes, President of Environmental Energy Solutions.

Gina McCarthy, Commissioner for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, explained that, "This is not an energy crisis, this is the result of an energy choice. We can change that choice and it is something that we can do right now. The U.S. is capable of anything and if we'd invest in renewables just one-tenth of what we invest in outdated technologies we'd be there!"

With the opportunities so well articulated by all members of the panel, moderator Jim Braude, host of NECN's NewsNight with Jim Braude, ended the forum by making the point that perhaps the title of the forum should not have been, "Energy: Crisis or Opportunity?" but "Energy: Crisis AND Opportunity."

Summing up the message, NESEA Executive Director Nancy Hazard said, "We must all recognize that each individual's action is critically important - and that we are missing the political will. We must ask our leaders to make energy efficiency and clean renewable energy a top priority, and each of us must commit to making informed decisions about our energy, building and transportation choices."

To spur the market and availability of buildings that produce as much energy as they consume, NESEA announced its new Zero-Energy Building Award program to recognize state-of-the-art energy-efficient construction designed for the unique northeast climate. The award program will utilize education, incentives and recognition to further the development of net-zero, and near-zero, energy buildings. The program offers a $10,000 cash prize and will showcase buildings that are designed and constructed to achieve near-zero energy consumption while offering comfort, affordability and reliability.

As part of the program, NESEA will present a series of workshops in the Northeast on how to design and construct buildings that produce as much energy as they consume. This program, sponsored by the Acacia Fund, will also provide education through trade magazines and other media and by developing a special website. Details are available on line at www.zeroenergybuilding.org

To offset the conference's energy use with clean renewable energy, NESEA secured Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that support new wind projects through a donation from Sterling Planet. NESEA also worked with NativeEnergy to offset the carbon produced by those traveling to the conference.

The trade show, with 150 exhibits of renewable energy manufacturers and installers, green building products, architectural and engineering firms offering expertise in green buildings and renewable energy, and government programs in the US and the UK, was the central hub of the conference and a tremendous resource for conference attendees and the general public. Social activities in the trade show included an exhibitor reception and NESEA Night, a networking event that celebrated the NESEA community and included Live and Silent Auctions that raised valuable funds in support of NESEA and its programs with a portion of the revenues earmarked for NESEA's scholarship fund. During the festivities, NESEA bestowed its Distinguished Service Award to Robert O. Smith, solar leader in the 1970s and founder of the Boston Area Solar Energy Society (BASEA).

Christine Scott, Chair of Building Energy '06, was thrilled with the conference's success. "Interest in green building and clean energy development is growing exponentially, and we are honored that so many experts and practitioners attended and contributed to our event. In addition to the nearly 2,000 attendees, our 170 speakers and 150 exhibitors demonstrated that sustainability makes good business sense - companies are using green to increase their bottom line." Ms. Scott works for Goody Clancy, a leading architectural, planning and preservation firm in Boston, and a Gold Sponsor of Building Energy '06.

Additional sponsors included: Alternate Energy, Alternative Energy Retailer, American Planning Association, Arrowstreet, BuildingGreen, Cape Light Compact, Cape Wind Associates, Commercial Builder/Architect Magazine, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, Conservation Services Group, Contractor Power, CSRwire, E-The Environmental Magazine, Efficiency Maine, EIN Publishing, Energy Magazine, Environmental Design and Construction Magazine, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, GreenBiz.com, Haworth, High Profile Monthly, Honeywell Utility Solutions, Home Energy Magazine, KeySpan Energy Delivery, Long Island Power Authority, Maine's State Energy Program, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, New England Cable News, New England Real Estate Journal, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, NSTAR, Residential Design & Build Magazine, Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund, Sasaki, Smart HomeOwner Magazine, SmartPower, Solar Design Associates, Sterling Planet, UK Trade and Investment, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Alternate Energy was sponsor of the Trade Show, the conference's largest and most comprehensive renewable energy and green building trade show ever.

The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), organizer of the conference, is the Northeast's leading organization of professionals and concerned citizens working in sustainable energy and whole systems thinking. NESEA facilitates the widespread adoption and use of sustainable energy by providing support to industry professionals and by educating and motivating consumers to learn about, ask for, and adopt sustainable energy and green building practices. NESEA accomplishes this through a number of ongoing programs and annual events including the Building Energy conference and trade show, its Sustainable Yellow Pages, K-12 educational materials, its members and chapters, and award-winning public education events such as the Tour de Sol and the Green Building Open House.

For more information on Building Energy '06 or the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, please visit www.nesea.org or call 413-774-6051.

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