Sarah Creighton
Username
Sarah Creighton
Proposer First Name
Sarah
Proposer Email
sarah.creighton@mass.gov
Proposer Last Name
Creighton
Boston 2021 Areas of Focus
Proposer Company/Organization
MA Div of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
Proposer Phone
(978) 590-2207
Proposer Job Title
Climate Strategist
Proposer Additional Info
DCAMM conducts new construction and renovations across all state facilities. I lead an effort to have DCAMM's work meet or exceed the Commonwealth's climate goals through innovative approaches to projects.
Proposed Session Description
Why is it so hard? Why can’t government “just do it”?
Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) builds and renovates the state buildings of today and tomorrow. Learn about the agency’s climate action plan gain insight about why it is complicated and what is needed from the design community to meet the goals.
The Getting to Zero Action Plan uses four strategies to address climate change. Learn why and how the agency is taking action to: 1) Budget carbon emissions for all projects; 2) Build for the future with efficiency, low carbon fuels, and resilience; 3) Accelerate aggressive goals; and 4) Improve continuously. Learn why the plan was developed and is now being implemented across numerous agencies, campuses, and building types.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
Two women
Learning Objectives
Attendees will learn: The role of every player on a team, from advocate, owner, funder, and designer in order to get good results. In particular, the session will look at what is needed from the design and engineering firms to meet comprehensive goals for specific projects that are part of a larger portfolio.
Attendees will learn: Why the challenges of climate action across across a large portfolio are so complex and how a portfolio-wide carbon accounting of actions can help advance action
Attendees will learn: How and why we need to ask hard questions along the way and how to evaluate the results even if you are not a technical expert.
Attendees will learn: The details of the MA DCAMM Climate Action Plan as a context for answering the question..."why is it so hard?"
Has this session been presented before?
No
Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 2 - Some prior knowledge helpful.
Recommended Length
60-minute session
Strongest Content Connection - Boston 2021
Comments about your speaker roster
Sarah Hammond Creighton and Betsy Isenstein lead the effort to help MA state buildings move to a low carbon future in support of the Commonwealth's goals. Their work includes strategy development, project implementation, and capacity building. They have both spearheaded high-performance building projects, comprehensive energy efficiency projects, energy procurement, and large-scale solar projects.
Sarah Hammond Creighton is MA DCAMM’s Climate Strategist and spearheads the Climate Action Steering Committee. Sarah helped pioneer the “green the campus” movement and has 30 years of experience helping universities and state government achieve aggressive sustainability goals. She is committed to pragmatic and results-oriented projects. Sarah holds degrees in Physics and Environmental Policy, and Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Betsy Isenstein is Director of Energy and Sustainability at MA DCAMM where she oversees energy and utility studies, climate planning, and their intersection with agency efforts for addressing deferred maintenance and new construction. Betsy has worked in the energy field in industry, higher education, and state government where she has implemented multiple green building efforts, millions of dollars of energy efficiency measures, and large alternative energy projects. Betsy holds degrees in Civil Engineering and Business Administration.
Reviewer 1
Mruk, Frank
Reviewer 2
Mruk, Frank
Proposal #
159
Committee Decision
Being Considered
Presenters
Full Description
Session attendees will learn about the complex challenges of addressing climate in a diverse and complex portfolio and the specific work underway in Massachusetts state buildings. This session bridges the concept of "getting to zero" with the real action to do it and will detail the role that each person on a team must play if we are going to make meaningful progress.