Presenters / Session Organizers

Call for Presenters and Session Organizers

The Association for Energy Affordability, Inc. (AEA) is soliciting proposals for sessions and presentations at its fourth North American conference on energy efficiency in multifamily buildings, Multifamily Buildings 2008, to be held on July 21-23, 2008 at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge.

Ø All proposals must be received no later than February 28, 2008.
Ø Proposals should be emailed to: Association for Energy Affordability, Inc. at MFB2008@aeanyc.org.
Ø To view and download response form, please Click Here.

Planning for this conference takes place in an environment of exciting new opportunities for expansion of energy efficiency initiatives. Around the world, cities, states and regions are working to develop and implement policies to forestall climate change and achieve deep energy reductions, using renewable energy and improved energy efficiency.

Meanwhile, energy professionals face stark challenges in multifamily buildings. The effects of the downturn in the mortgage industry on the housing market generally and on the availability of credit for building improvements or new construction create new uncertainties at a time of increased urgency of installing energy efficiency measures. Continuing effects of split incentives between owners and residents of multifamily housing often place them at odds when considering new energy measures. In some locations and for certain technologies, overcoming consumer resistance is a critical issue. Some energy efficient products (e.g., compact fluorescent bulbs) contain small amounts of hazardous materials, bringing with them issues of safety and proper disposal or recycling.

In this context, for Multifamily Buildings 2008, we encourage presenters to propose sessions that tackle head on some of these challenges, for example sessions that

• offer innovative solutions to financial requirements in tight credit markets
• demonstrate tested models for implementing energy efficiency that have resulted in deep energy use reductions in multifamily buildings,
• describe program designs that propose to use building automation, advanced metering, and real time pricing strategies that take into account customers’ concerns (privacy, special health needs, consumer rights) which may generate opposition to such projects,  
• address safety issues of energy efficient products both on their merits and through marketing strategies,
• identify green collar job creation opportunities, or
• propose business models for affordable housing developers and managers that incorporate energy efficiency principles and best practices in design, construction and operation.  

Since its inception, this unique conference series has attracted energy professionals who share the experience of working in multifamily buildings, from government agencies, utilities, public policy makers, evaluation researchers, program implementers, energy service providers, banks, property management firms and manufacturers of energy efficient products for use in multifamily buildings.

The training conference provides an ideal setting for sharing the latest energy efficiency successes, lessons learned and achievements in small and large, and new and existing multifamily buildings.

If you would like to participate in the Multifamily Buildings 2008 as a session organizer, workshop presenter, panel participant or forum leader, or have nominations of persons or organizations that you would like to recommend, please reply using the attached RESPONSE FORM which provides information and guidelines and the due date for MFB 2008 presentation / session proposal submission. 

The seven broad topic areas, or domains, for Multifamily Buildings 2008 include:

1. Statewide and Regional Energy Efficiency Portfolios: How Do Multifamily Programs Fit In?
2. Integrating Energy Efficiency Resource Acquisition and Market Transformation Strategies in the Multifamily Building Sector
3. Benchmarking and Measuring Change in Total Energy Intensity in Multifamily Buildings: Measurement and Verification Successes and Challenges
4. Opportunities for Advanced Building Technologies and Renewable Energy in Multifamily Buildings
5. Workforce Development and Green Collar Jobs in Product Development, Manufacturing, Building Assessment, Design, Installation,  
6. Commissioning, Building Operations and Property Management
7. New Construction & Gut Rehab: Pathways for Achieving ENERGY STAR^® and LEED in Multifamily Buildings
8. Health & Safety Challenges Associated with Retrofitting or Constructing MFB Buildings

Note: Assume a typical session length of ninety minutes. Double sessions will be considered. 

Please share this information with your colleagues.