Rick Alfandre
Username
Rick Alfandre
Proposer First Name
Rick
Proposer Email
ralfandre@alfandre.com
Proposer Last Name
Alfandre
Boston 2021 Areas of Focus
Proposer Company/Organization
Alfandre Architecture
Proposer Phone
(845) 399-0775
Proposer Job Title
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, President
Proposer Additional Info
Rick Alfandre, AIA, LEED AP BD+C is a prolific architect who, over the past 29 years, has designed and built hundreds of projects ranging from multi-million-dollar hotels and resorts to solar residences. Recently completed projects include office buildings, churches and synagogues, retail buildings and spaces, multiple dwellings, restaurants, hotels, manufacturing facilities and custom residences. The founder and President of Alfandre Architecture, he is expert in the design of energy-efficient and climactically responsive buildings that utilize state of the art construction systems to create healthy places to live and work. For more information: www.alfandre.com
Alfandre Architecture’s offices are located in their LEED Platinum, and Net Zero Energy, office building on Main Street, New Paltz, NY in the heart of the beautiful Hudson Valley.
Mr. Alfandre manages a youthful and motivated work force with skills in Building Information Modeling, hand drawing, three-dimensional visualization and visual impact studies. A leader in the green building movement in upstate New York, Mr. Alfandre has worked closely with the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to grow the USGBC New York Upstate region. Alfandre has spoken extensively on green buildings and sustainability. Alfandre is devoted to creating spaces and places of lasting beauty, working closely with clients to plan for efficient, resilient and cost-effective projects.
He launched EcoBuilders Inc. in 2009 to provide full design and build services to his clients. EcoBuilders completed projects include office buildings, resort and hospitality facilities, high performance residences and historic restoration projects. www.eco-bld.com
Alfandre is a past Chair of the US Green Building Council NY Upstate Chapter, is a past member of the SUNY New Paltz School of Business Advisory Council and is a 2013 Business School Hall of Fame Inductee. He serves as an advisor to the Board of Trustees of the Mountain Laurel Waldorf School; and is a past board member of the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Alfandre is past president of the New Paltz Rotary Club and was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation in 2009. He served for nine years as a member, and two years as Chair, on the Town of Esopus Environmental Advisory Board. He has also served as a member of the Huguenot Historical Society’s Building and Grounds Advisory Committee.
Mr. Alfandre is National Council of Architectural Registrations Boards (NCARB) certified, a member of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), and the Construction Contractors Association of the Hudson Valley (CCAHV). He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from SUNY New Paltz in 1980 and a Master of Architecture degree in 1987 from the School of Architecture at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Licensed to practice architecture in the states of New York., Connecticut and New Jersey, Rick Alfandre has formed solid working relationships with area building and planning officials and has collaborated with many regional professionals to create a unique team approach to projects.
Proposed Session Description
How is this possible that a Net Zero Energy building performed better than anticipated using off-the-shelf technology.? 231 Main Street is a LEED Platinum (2015) LEED Platinum O+M (2019), LEED Zero Energy, LEED Zero Water (2020) and Net-Positive-Energy, multi-tenant, office building located in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Designed and built to serve as an example of a highly productive and healthful work environment, 231 Main is a resilient, trouble-free, example of how to design, build and operate zero energy buildings in cold climates. Rick Alfandre, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, the owner-developer, architect, and contractor, along with Ryan Smith, LEED GA and emerging professional will illustrate the easily available, and affordable, ‘off-the-shelf’ systems that were used, and how they are applicable to other projects
Using 231 Main as a starting point, Rick and Ryan will create an interactive conversation about the key elements of the process of creating zero energy buildings including design principles and energy modeling, construction methods, commissioning, and post occupancy verification. The presentation will compare initial energy modeling to actual results and will depict how the building was net positive in year one with no ‘shake-out’ problems.
Audience members will be encouraged to share their ideas and experiences as well as to ask questions. Ryan and Rick will discuss with the audience how the aggregation of many details and a comprehensive approach, are needed to achieve the goal of zero-energy building,
With nearly seven years of energy data metrics, we will review and compare initial energy modeling to actual results and will explore why the building performed better than expected. The session will focus on lessons learned, including alternative low embodied carbon alternatives, with action steps for future projects. The presentation will emphasize and explain the economic benefits, to the tenants and owner. A brief review of some recent research studies is summarized. The discussion will touch on project financing and building valuation challenges.
We will cover energy and water use verification methods, current initiatives for further detailed measurement of energy uses, and the strategies and issues related to elimination of the use of fossil fuels for low temperature heating while avoiding utility demand charges.
231 Main achieved trouble free zero-energy performance without changes to occupant behavior. The plan for this session is to create a discussion where all participants will walk away with tools for creating net-zero-energy healthy buildings.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
Ryan Smith, an emerging professional, is a recent graduate of the SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF),
Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Energy Management
Learning Objectives
Attendees will be able to name and describe three key design details, or elements, of net zero energy building.
Attendees will be able to name three off-the-shelf components that, with proper design, will help reach ZNE goals.
Attendees will be able to describe the major elements of creating healthy indoor working, learning and living environments and why they are good investments.
Attendees will be able to describe or name three elements of high-performance building enclosures.
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
Rick Alfandre, AIA, LEED AP BD+C has worked in the fields pf green building and sustainable energy for over 40 years.
Ryan Smith is an emerging professional in this space
Anything else you'd like to tell us about your session proposal?
The video link was prepared in April 2019 for when I submitted a similar abstract for Greenbuild 2019. Since then Ryan Smith helped us re-certify our building LEED Platinum O+M as well as achieve LEED Zero Water and LEED Zero Energy
Reviewer 1
Heath, Anna
Proposal #
223
Committee Decision
Rejected
Presenters
Full Description
Net Positive Energy building design and construction is a major tool for us to use to reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment. Buildings that generate more energy than they use will help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Healthy, productive indoor environments are economical and profitable. Now more than ever it is important to understand the connections between low energy use and healthier indoor environments.