2015 Conference

Community Energy
Hear updates on Massachusetts communities:  micro grids, green municipal electric aggregation, net zero energy, energy-data transparency, community solar, and resources.
   Lisa Capone  Acting Director, MA DOER Green Communities Division
   Steven Strong  President, Solar Design Associates
   Chris Mason  Energy and Sustainability Officer, Northampton
   Susanne Rasmussen  Director of Environmental and Transportation Planning, Cambridge

Green Buildings and Neighborhoods
Buildings are our largest consumer of energy and materials.  Designing better neighborhoods lays a foundation for more sustainable living.  Net positive energy homes produce more energy than they consume in an average year.    
   Greg Minott  Architect, DREAM Collaborative
   Carter Scott  President, Transformations Inc
   Grey Lee  Executive Director, US Green Building Council, Massachusetts

College Town Partnerships
Hear from leaders who are bridging community and campus initiatives that lead to both workforce and sustainable development.
   Stephanie Ciccarello  Sustainability Coordinator, Amherst
   Shirley Mark  Director, Community Partnerships, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, Tufts University
   Corey Dolgon  Director, Community-Based Learning, Stonehill College

Campus as Learning Lab
Four students describe their exceptional projects on campuses and in communities.
   Nelle Ward  Graduate ’14, The Conway School   Project:  Green Streets Guide for Holyoke
   Marie Macchiarolo  Graduate ’14, The Conway School   Project:  Food in the City
   Kelly Rusch  Student, UMass Lowell   Project:  Composting on Campus
   Betsy Byrum  Student, Tufts University   Project:  Transportation

Sustainability on Main Street
Hear about community initiatives, partnerships, and advocacy.  Groundwork Lawrence leads environmental and open space improvements, healthy food access programs, youth education, employment initiatives, and community programs in Lawrence.  HEET weatherized thousands of buildings and led the Squeaky Leak Project to map natural gas leaks on public streets.   Boston Climate Action Network (BCan) is taking action for climate justice.  Transition Towns are engaging people to build community resilience.
   Lesly Medina  Community Programs Director, Groundwork Lawrence
   Audrey Schulman  President, Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET)
   Mike Prokosch Co-Coordinator, Boston Climate Action Network (BCAN)
   Tina Clarke  Trainer, Transition Towns Network & Transition US  

Walking Tour:  Devens Eco-Industrial Park – A Landscape of Sustainability
Take a walking tour of Devens to learn about limiting environmental impacts of development and embedding green building features into projects.  See for yourself the changes 20 years of sustainable development have brought to Devens.
   Peter Lowitt  Director, Land Use Administration, Devens Enterprise Commission

Exhibits, Lunch, Roundtable Discussions    noon – 1:00 pm  

 Sessions  1:00 – 2:00 pm 

Water and Storm Water Management
Hear about historical changes, water infrastructure trends towards efficiency, and local storm water management solutions.
   Marcis Kempe  Executive Director, Metropolitan Waterworks Museum; retired Senior Water Manager at MWRA
   Ed Himlan  Executive Director, Mass Watershed Coalition; Leominster Storm Water project
   Rip Sokol  President, Fourth Generation Nursery

Local Food:  Vision and Practices
Learn about research, policies and practices for a more sustainable food system in New England, such as: carbon sequestration, a community farm, and the New England Food Vision.
   Julie Rawson  Executive Director, Northeast Organic Farming Association of Massachusetts
   Clem Clay  Executive Director, Grow Food Northampton
   Karen Spiller Network Team member of Food Solutions New England

Faculty Research
What motivates our emotional attachment to places? How would students address sustainability challenges on campus? Hear from faculty and authors exploring challenges and solutions.
   Justin Hollander  Associate Professor, UEP, Tufts University; Co-Author: Cognitive Architecture
   Ann Sussman  Architect, Co-Author:  Cognitive Architecture
   Vesela Veleva  Co-Director, Center for Sustainable Enterprise, College of Management, UMass Boston

Community Career Pathways
Special career pathways make our physical environment more sustainable and downtown businesses thrive.  Hear about technical high schools and MA community college career development initiatives.  
   Gretchen Manning  Deputy Director, Massachusetts Community Colleges
   Sheila Harrity  Superintendent, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School

The Media and Local Sustainability
The media has an important role in our communities.  It can provide transparency and access to information, and actively engage the public in reporting community news.
   Jeff Inglis  Journalist; Policy Analyst, The Frontier Group
   Dan and Marilyn Brielmann  Co-Producers, E-Awakening

Walking Tour:  Net Zero Home Neighborhood
Visit a nearby net zero energy neighborhood where homes produce more energy than they consume during the course of a year.  Hear from a renown builder who created this neighborhood and several others in Massachusetts.
   Carter Scott  President, Transformations, Inc.

Exhibits, Networking   2:00 – 2:30 pm  

Sessions  2:30 – 3:30 pm 

Community Materials Management
Good materials management begins at the community level.  Learn about a large commercial composting facility in Marlborough, The Great Exchange which repurposes over 50 tons of materials annually in Devens, and Casella’s waste-streams-to-resources solutions on campuses and in communities throughout the Northeast.
   Liza Casella  Manager, Business Development, Casella Resource Solutions
   Dona Neely  Executive Director, Devens Eco-Efficiency Center

Multi-Modal Transportation
Should we invest in highways? bike lanes? walking routes? mass transportation?  Mobility is evolving and communities are striving to keep up.
   Joshua Ostroff  Outreach Director, Transportation Massachusetts; Chair, Natick Board of Selectmen; former chair, Massachusetts Municipal Association
   Galen Mook  Staff Member, Mass Bikes; Marketing and Advocacy, Landry’s Bikes

Resources
Our exhibitors will briefly introduce themselves and resources that help us live more sustainably.  Enjoy networking after the introductions.

Environment and Health
The health of the community depends on the health of the environment.  Learn about public health assessments, community investigations, and legislation for environmental protection and toxics reduction.
   Jamie Eldridge  State Senator, Massachusetts
   Dalene LaPointe  Senior Environmental Analyst, Department of Public Health, Massachusetts
   MaryBeth Smuts  Regional Toxicologist, EPA Region 1 New England

Walking Tour:  Devens Common Center
Tour the Devens Common Center with the Operating Manager to learn about sustainability features of the conference center and nearby hotel.
   John Mehlmann True North Hotel Group, Devens Area Manager

Exhibits, Networking  3:30 – 4:30 pm  

END  4:30

NOTE:   Walking tours begin and end at the Devens Common (Conference) Center.