What does it mean to volunteer at BuildingEnergy Boston?

NESEA depends on nearly 60 volunteers to help make BuildingEnergy Boston a success. We use a work-exchange model: in exchange for working during part of the conference, you get to attend part of the conference for free.

Volunteer positions are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. All volunteers must be NESEA Members.

Who should volunteer?

Any current NESEA Member who would like to serve in the role of volunteer is welcome to apply for a position. Good candidates are friendly, organized, and have schedule flexibility during the conference.

In keeping with NESEA's goals of inclusivity, the volunteer program also makes the conference accessible to people who may not otherwise afford to attend. If the cost of conference registration is easily within your means or if you need more control over your schedule during the conference (e.g. there are certain sessions that you simply cannot miss), we recommend you consider purchasing your conference pass. You can read more about pricing, including special member pricing.

We also provide a limited number of scholarships for current students and emerging professionals.

How much time does it take?

We have two basic options available:

• Option A: Attend the conference for two days. We will assign you 8 hours worth of work duty on one of the days so that you can have the other day free.
• Option B: Attend the conference for one day. We will assign you 5 hours of work duty and you will have four hours free (on the same day when you volunteer).

Examples of volunteer tasks

We assign volunteers to several different types of tasks throughout the conference. If you receive a volunteer placement, you will receive a detailed description of your schedule and responsibilities before the conference. Examples of tasks include helping at registration, acting as a greeter, taking lunch tickets, helping with set-up, and staying in one session room to make announcements.

Questions about volunteering

If you have questions about volunteering, please contact the volunteer team at bevolunteer@nesea.org.

Ok, I'm ready! Now what do I do?

• First, you need to make sure your NESEA Membership is current. You can renew or become a member, if needed. If you have questions about your membership status, contact Katie Schendel, Membership Manager, at kschendel@nesea.org.
• Next, you will need to complete the volunteer application form. In order to view the form, you must be a current member of NESEA, and you must be logged in to your nesea.org account. Once you log in, you can access the volunteer application form.