January Green Eggs - Federal Climate Legislation: Advancing Maine’s Green Building and Efficiency Goals

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 7:30 - 9:00 AM
USM Abromson Center, Portland Campus

We're very excited to kick-off the 2010 Green Eggs series with a panel discussion on federal climate legislation.  Federal legislation to dramatically reduce carbon emissions and accelerate a transition to clean energy economy may be one of the most important debates in Washington in 2010.  Come learn about the most important parts of the comprehensive bills that are moving through the US Congress, with an emphasis on those that most affect the built environment—from building codes and ratings, to funding for high efficiency building new and old. The American Clean Energy & Security Act (or Waxman-Markey) bill passed the House in 2009 and several bills are in front of the Senate (including the Clean Energy Jobs & American Power Act, or Boxer-Kerry bill.) A vote is expected in the next few months, with Maine’s Senators likely to play critical roles. You will also hear about the actions of building practitioners in Maine and nationally who are coming together to become engaged in the formation and support of this legislation. Learn more about the state of debate and key issues in play, the connection to Maine’s own energy efficiency goals, as well as specific opportunities for green and energy efficiency building practitioners to become engaged.

Jamie Howland, Policy Analyst, Environment Northeast
Jamie’s work as a policy analyst focuses on data management on energy markets and emissions trends, buildings and land use issues.  A Connecticut native, Jamie is based in ENE’s Hartford office and brings many years of experience in engineering and consulting to ENE’s energy and emissions data research and reporting.  He previously worked as a design engineer in the medical device industry and as a consultant for Hewlett Packard.  He also served as an intern at Audubon International.  Jamie holds a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School Forestry and Environmental Studies, a Masters of Engineering from Yale, and an MBA and a BS in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Richard Burbank, Owner, Evergreen Home Performance & Board member, Efficiency First
Richard Burbank founded Evergreen Home Performance LLC in 2006. The company provides building diagnostics and building envelope installation and renovation throughout midcoast Maine and beyond. Projects range from installing cellulose in new construction and retrofit, air leakage reduction in residential and commercial buildings, and moisture mitigation in basements and crawlspaces. He is one of the first Building Performance Institute certified analysts in Maine, and an affiliated contractor with Maine Home Performance with Energy Star and ZeroDraft. He also serves on the board of Efficiency First, a national nonprofit trade association that unites the Home Performance workforce, building product manufacturers and related businesses and organizations in the escalating fight against global warming and rising energy costs.

Dylan Voorhees, Clean Energy Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine  

Dylan directs the Clean Energy Project at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the state’s leading environmental advocacy organization. Since 2006, Voorhees has led NRCM’s involvement in a variety of energy and climate issues, including adoption of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, wind power/renewables policy and permitting, and energy efficiency funding and standards—including the establishment of Maine’s mandatory energy building code in 2008 and the restructuring of energy efficiency programs in 2009. Prior to joining NRCM, he worked on wind power issues for the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs in Massachusetts, and on sustainable land use development for the Vermont Forum on Sprawl. Voorhees holds a B.A. from Columbia University and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where he concentrated in environmental and energy policy.

About Green Eggs and To Register:
Green Eggs is the Chapter's monthly breakfast forum featuring a speaker and topic relevant to green buildings. Networking and a full breakfast will take place from 7:30 - 8:00 followed by a 45 minute presentation and a 15 minute question, answer & discussion period. Attendance is limited and pre-registration with payment is recommended. Attendance is $10 for members and $15 for non members. To register for the event, pay below with PayPal or e-mail programs@maineusgbc.org to reserve your spot.

January 2010 Green Eggs

Member $10.00 Non-Member $15.00