John Balfe V
Username
John Balfe V
Proposer First Name
John
Proposer Email
jbalfe@neep.org
Proposer Last Name
Balfe
Proposer Phone
(781) 860-9177
Proposer Job Title
Senior Manager
Proposed Session Description
Schools are often considered, and rightfully so, a leader in the zero energy (ZE) buildings landscape across the nation. While this remains true, the vast majority of K-12 public students today are not attending school in a healthy, energy-efficient, or ZE learning environment. Barriers include perceived costs, statewide policies, and successful coordination at the local level to achieve successful ZE project outcomes. This session will explore these barriers and offer recommendations for design teams, community members, and (the often-overlooked) building operators and occupants to make ZE schools a reality for all communities in the Northeast.
Why is this session important?
Schools are the center of our communities where students go to learn, staff go to work, and community members go for various other purposes. ZE schools provide, among other things, much needed long-term cost savings to local jurisdictions, but far too often these projects are not pursuing ZE as a goal due to perceived barriers. This session will provide strategies that anyone involved in the design, construction, and operation of a school facility can utilize to ensure successful outcomes.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
Currently, ZE schools are mostly being pursued in affluent communities. We are looking to change that by empowering local level energy champions to pursue these projects in their own communities.
Learning Objectives
Participants will assess lessons learned from completed school construction projects to determine how the school design and construction process can be improved upon to avoid repeating mistakes that have been made in the past.
Participants will be able to justify projects at the local level by gaining an understanding of key data to make the business case.
Participants will be empowered to lead and coordinate key stakeholder groups involved in the school construction process.
Participants will recognize the numerous health, educational, and environmental benefits of designing new schools and renovating existing schools to achieve ZE.
Has this session been presented before?
No
NYC 2021 Areas of Focus
Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 1 - No prior knowledge needed.
Session Format
Interview or structured conversation among panelists
Collaborative problem-solving session
Workshop or skill-building session
Lightning Round (several brief idea pitches followed by discussion)
Recommended Length
60-minute session
Strongest Content Connection - NYC 2021
Comments about your speaker roster
Chris and John provide unique perspectives on school design, construction, and operations that can prove useful for a diverse set of audience members. Information presented here will be based on past projects and real-world stakeholder engagement processes.
Reviewer 1
Sullivan, Jim
Proposal #
147
Committee Decision
Rejected