A number of multifamily affordable housing developments in the New York City area were hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

As low energy, super insulated enclosures become more prevalent, some industry leaders question the continued relevance of passive solar design.

Intrigued by the plenary speakers and their visions for the future?

In the face of extreme weather conditions, the practice of Building Energy must undergo two transformations: (1) What we do differently to alter the built environment;(2)how we better connect... Full Description

Resiliency has become about how many inches or feet of sea rise we will experience before 2100. It's currently a data driven goal, but it should not be. What about past 2100?

The role of a building's structure, and of the structural engineer, in achieving sustainability goals is frequently marginalized.

Why do we need to ventilate homes? How much air do we need to do it? Once we’ve figured that out, what systems should we install?

You think trombe walls are a relic of the 70s, right? Using extensive data from multiple case studies throughout Maine, New Hampshire & Massachusetts, including a high school, a fire station... Full Description

The presentation illustrates the financial prudence of net zero buildings today.

This session will explore the building science implications of achieving the Passive House metrics for larger buildings and will highlight the difference in design strategies compared to single... Full Description

With the drop in envelope loads and the rise in efficient heat pumps (even in cold climates), quite a few homes are moving away from fossil fuels towards electric HVAC.

For all the Non Net Zero Homes out there, how can energy tracking at the community level help achieve 2030 goals? Four diverse building pros share lessons learned from their experience tracking... Full Description

Never get the R-15 wool insulation pulled over your eyes again! Separating green from greenwash is getting harder as standards proliferate.

Over 150 villages in Germany produce all of the electricity and most of the heat they consume.  In these so-called "bioenergy villages," renewable energy systems are driving economic growth.  ... Full Description

Fairfax Gardens was a 150 unit dilapidated public housing development in Taunton, MA.

This session is in two parts.Water is scarcer. Systems for both fresh and waste water are vulnerable. Water standards are increasingly stringent to protect ecosystems and public health.

Advances in building envelopes and HVAC equipment enable widespread use of air source heat pumps by many in the "Net Zero Energy" and "Passive House" movements.

Energy efficiency financing is a complex topic, with numerous options for borrowers, and challenges in risk assessment. We will unravel this topic and consider how data-driven tools might improve... Full Description

This session will look at the basic shapes of aluminum and fiberglass products used for frames, and identify the basic principles to be used to develop functional details for both new and retrofit... Full Description

It is said that homebuilding can look back at 300 years of history unimpeded by progress. It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the energy-sucking, defect prone truth is unacceptable.

Paul, Chris, Andy, Tom and Heather went to Scandinavia to learn about what the Swedes and Danes are doing about climate change.

The RW Kern Center is designed to embody Hampshire College’s mission of fostering positive change in the world—and to meet the Living Building Challenge.

What is the ultimate in LED lighting today? Our speakers are now combining the best fixtures with the smartest controls to drive total energy savings to 80-90% or more, indoors and outdoors.... Full Description

Minisplit heat pumps are now used in most high performance homes in New England. Kohta monitored eight homes built by Transformations and Marc has over sixty homes and non-residential buildings... Full Description