EPIC Forum: Reimagining Buildings for a Carbon Neutral Future

Commissioner Andrew McAllister is serving his second term on the California Energy Commission. Commissioner McAllister has been working on energy deployment and policy since the early 1990s. He has worked across the world to deploy clean, cost-effective energy solutions with counterparts ranging from tiny remote communities to the largest of utilities. Commissioner McAllister administered two of California’s signature renewable energy programs (California Solar Initiative and Self-Generation Incentive Program), developed and operated energy efficiency programs for utilities, and performed a broad range of policy-related research for California and the federal government. He is chair of the board of directors of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and serves on the board of the Alliance to Save Energy. Commissioner McAllister’s deep grounding in technology, policy, and the marketplace provides him with uncommon insight on the accelerating changes taking place in California’s energy sector. Before joining the Energy Commission, Commissioner McAllister was managing director at the California Center for Sustainable Energy. He worked with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association International, Ltd. in countries in Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa on renewable generation, load management, utility planning, and remote power projects. He was a project manager at an energy-consulting firm and an energy efficiency analyst at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Commissioner McAllister holds a master of science and a Ph.D. from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley. Commissioner McAllister also served as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Diane is one of two Gensler Co-CEOs whose collaborative leadership is fundamental to setting the company apart as a leading design firm. For her innovative leadership, Diane, along with Co-CEO Andy Cohen, ranks on Business Insider’s elite “Creators” list, a who’s who of the world’s 100 top creative visionaries. As a hands-on leader, Diane oversees Gensler’s global platform and its day-to-day operations, some 6,300+ people networked across 50 offices, serving clients in 120+ countries. Diane is focused on Gensler’s global talent strategies, performance, and organizational development to ensure that we serve our clients with the world’s top talent. She is Board Chair of Gensler’s Board of Directors and the catalyst for Gensler’s Research program, for which Diane is committed to delivering value to clients through strategies and innovations like Gensler’s Workplace Performance Index® (WPI).

Laura Friedman was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2016 to represent the 43rd Assembly District which encompasses the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and La Cañada Flintridge, as well as the communities of La Crescenta and Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, Beachwood Canyon, Los Feliz, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, and Silver Lake. In her first term in the Assembly, Laura secured $20 million in funding for the completion of the Glendale Riverwalk Project, and authored a package of bills to encourage water conservation, strengthen environmental sustainability, improve access to higher education and health care, and create new avenues for communities to tackle the affordable housing crisis. Building upon her record as a steadfast advocate for the environment, in January she was named the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, which covers air quality, climate change, renewable energy, coastal protection and many more key environmental issues. Laura also serves as a member of the Assembly Committees on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media; Human Services; Transportation; and Water, Parks, and Wildlife.

Joy Alafia is the President & CEO of the Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA), an organization that values propane as part of California’s clean energy economy.  Under her direction, the association is focused on the commercialization renewable propane as well as seeking other innovative propane technology developments.  Joy previously served as an advisory member for the California Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program which supports the accelerated development and deployment of advanced transportation fuels and technologies.  Her employment history includes the California Association of REALTORS®, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI).  Joy also currently serves on the Board for the non-profit Building Diversity in Science, an organization committed to increasing the role of underrepresented groups in STEM careers.  Joy has a BS in Physics from Spelman College and an MBA from Pepperdine University.   

Ammi Amarnath is a Senior Technical Executive in the Electrification & Customer Solutions Research Area at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

He leads the research, development and deployment efforts in Energy Efficiency & Demand Response technologies and programs. Part of his focus includes RD&D in smart and efficient end-use technologies while ensuring their interoperability with the electric supply system. Some of the technologies demonstrated include: advanced space conditioning systems for residential and commercial buildings, heat pump water heaters, high performance/low energy buildings, advanced end-use smart technologies that integrate with the modern grid, industrial & water efficiency improvements, including advanced Energy-Water Nexus technologies. In addition to efficiency research, Ammi manages RD&D activities focused on advanced demand response programs, which includes open standard communication protocols such as OpenADR, CTA 2045 & SEP 2.0, integration of renewable resources, and non-wire alternatives for asset optimization. His focus also includes analytical techniques, such as energy meter data disaggregation, and impact of energy efficiency on emissions, so as to make energy efficiency and demand response programs successful around the world.

Amarnath rejoined EPRI in 2007 as a team member of the Energy Efficiency Initiative. He previously ran an energy consulting firm providing technical and business consulting services to energy efficiency and clean tech companies. Before this, he was the Vice President of Business Development at Advanced Material Sciences, Inc., where he managed the development of an advanced fuel cell business.

In his prior tenure at EPRI, Amarnath was a Senior Project Manager within the Industrial and Distributed Generation Programs. His activities included the collaborative research and deployment of efficient industrial technologies, pinch technology process optimization studies, advanced membrane technologies, and development & deployment of advanced fuel cells and other distributed generation technologies.

Amarnath received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in chemical engineering from India and a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston.

Mark Anderson, PE, MBA is a leader in energy project engineering. Forty year ago, he began his career in commercial nuclear power and has more recently shifted to focusing on new technologies in utility scale wind and solar power, waste heat recovery, and hydrogen production projects in the US and abroad. As Director of Engineering at Spinnaker Energy, Mr. Anderson led development and construction of a 1,000 MW utility scale wind and planned development of solar thermal biomass/PV plant in Central CA   As a Professional Engineer, Mr. Anderson has been a project engineer in the nuclear power industry,  Director of Engineering and Construction for Spinnaker Energy and as Senior VP and General Manager for Baran Engineering. He was the Project Director and Engineer of Record for the 29 MW Chevron BrightSource Solar to Steam Project in Coalinga, CA and has participated in panel discussions and presentations in the US, Africa, India and Haiti. He has provided recommendations to the US Trade Development Agency for feasibility studies resulting in renewable project development and consulted at embassies in South Africa, India and Haiti. He currently leads Icarus RT, Inc. coordinating all startup and mechanical engineering activities.

Icarus is an award-winning advanced solar engineering company that is developing a novel energy storage and power boosting system for PV arrays. Icarus technology enhances system performance and improves the ROI of solar plus storage cogeneration systems.

Ali is the CEO and Co-founder of Shake Energy Collaborative, a public benefit corporation developing renewable energy projects that are designed and owned by the communities that host them. Shake was born out of research for her Masters in Design Impact at Stanford University in which Ali and her team explored designs for more meaningful, bidirectional community engagement in the energy industry. Ali has a background in climate research and environmental storytelling working on projects for NOAA, the State of Hawaiʻi, and the Polynesian Voyaging Society. Ali is an avid steerswoman of waʻa currently steering her start-up in the San Joaquin Valley in California, where Shake partners with urban and rural neighborhoods to design and develop community solar projects. Ali has an MS in Engineering Design Impact and a BA in Physics and Environmental Non-Fiction Writing.

As co-VP of Sustainability at HMC Architects, board member of the Designing Futures Foundation (DFF), and chair of the USGBC IE Branch, Eera’s efforts are making a difference in demonstrating how sustainable building design translates into tangible value for her clients and communities. She has led the sustainable analysis, design and green building certification for over 3 million square feet worth of projects for HMC over the past 14 years. Eera is now focused on a larger goal of looking beyond the conventional definition of sustainability, and toward a regenerative future. She aims to achieve Net Zero Energy for all new building projects by 2030, and to use building design as a means to educate and foster a regenerative culture. She utilizes a four-part mantra: 1. Start with passive design, 2. Right-size the mechanical system, 3. Supplement with renewables, 4. Use the building to inspire and teach. The result not only promises a cost savings, but a change in human behavior, and a reverence for resource conservation. Eera has been a USGBC Inland Empire branch steering committee co-chair for the past 3 years. In her role, she has facilitated sustainability workshops for schools, organized Earth Week events, held Green Teacher Credential Training sessions, assisted with the World Water Day symposium and coordinated a Green Lecture series. She firmly believes in the mission of the USGBC LA and seeks to make sustainability accessible to everyone and everywhere. She sees every project as an opportunity to make a positive impact in terms of energy, water and waste use, but also in terms of educating and inspiring building users through the sustainable features of the built environment. Eera is a proud mother of three and best friend to her husband. Her kids are her source of inspiration because she wants them to inherit a healthier, more positive world.

Panama is the Director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a multi-sector forum advocating for and creating solutions for our pollution-intensive building stock. Previously, Panama was the European Director of the Investor Confidence Project where he worked to unlock capital markets for energy efficiency project development. He has worked on climate solutions in over 30-countries, presented at and collaborated on products from the United Nations, the International Energy Agency and the European Commission.

He has served as Deputy Director of the California Energy Commission’s Efficiency and Renewables Division and advisor for Chairwomen Douglas and Pfannenstiel.  He has worked for the California Conservation Corps on vocational environmental education, and ran the Sustainable Schools program for the Division of the State Architect. Panama served on the City of Sacramento Planning Commission and the County of Sacramento Environmental Commission, and is a former board member on the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and past president of the Northern California Chapter of the USGBC.

Mike Becker, Founder & CEO of Green Terra Energy serves the built environment toward a zero net carbon future.  With over 15 years of boots on the ground international and domestic experience, GTE approaches each building owner it serves specific to the onsite capability and needs.  Our goal and mission is simple - "...to reduce your OPEX through energy efficiency best practices, and whenever practical through the utilization of local, State, federal & utility incentives".

Sonika Choudhary is a Principal at EDF Innovation Lab, where she focuses on projects under the umbrella of Future Energy Markets and Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), such as thermal microgrids, transport and building electrification, energy markets and regulatory analysis. Prior to EDF, Sonika held various positions with California utilities, including working on Grid Innovation and Energy Policy and Procurement at PG&E, and in Resource Management at the City of Palo Alto Utilities. Sonika holds B.S.  in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi and M.S. in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Jonathan Cool is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for revolutionary technology and disruptive business models. He has spent over 30 years as a senior executive managing technological innovation: conceiving, developing, launching, financing, scaling and operating technology-driven enterprises from concept through commercialization. He has also been a managing director of a private equity technology venture fund and a strategic management consultant. Jonathan has served on the board of directors at several public and private companies and on advisory boards for non-profit entities. He is a U.S. and Australian citizen with experience in the U.S., E.U., China, Russia, and Asia. He earned a BA with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University and an MBA from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

Brandon has been a critical factor in the growth and evolution of De Young Properties as not only a leader in quality craftsmanship and innovation, but also in building award-winning, high performance, environmentally-friendly homes that are both energy-efficient and high-tech, utilizing some of the most advanced building science and technology. De Young Properties now leads the industry in California on designing and building Zero Energy SmartHomes as a direct result of Brandon’s efforts, with not only first ZE community in the Central Valley, but also the largest in the entire state at the time of its launch.

Aaron Dyer is the Operations Manager at ONYX Power LLC and a veteran of the power and energy industries.  He is a licensed engineer who spent over a decade designing and installing air-quality control equipment for gas-fired equipment and two year managing the development of battery energy storage systems. 

Nicole Enright is an associate program manager at ILG, dedicated to identifying and scaling-up local solutions to meet the challenges of climate and sustainability through targeted-on-the-ground technical assistance, expanding partnerships, and peer learning. Previously, Nicole served as a Program Officer at the Institute for Sustainable Communities and a Sustainability Aide for the City of Flagstaff Sustainability Program where she developed and implemented clean energy, community resilience, and sustainability programming.

Nicole holds a Masters in Environmental Policy and Management and a Graduate Certificate in Energy and Sustainability from the University of Denver and a Bachelors in Environmental Studies from Northern Arizona University.

Bill Golove, Executive Advisor and Entrepreneur, is an innovative professional with more than 25 years’ experience designing and developing clean energy projects and programs for companies ranging from small start-ups to major corporations and governmental entities. Bill’s career experience includes a mix of academic and industry positions, including research, teaching, consulting, staff and executive positions within the sustainable energy industry. Bill is currently the Chief Development Officer of Trianon Power, a boutique development services advisory firm he cofounded as well as CEO of Trianon Renewable Grid Stability, a early stage technology commercialization firm.  Previously he held positions such as Chief Development Officer for Tri Global Energy, a Dallas-based renewable development company, Vice-President of Business Development for Amber Kinetics, a Bay-area based energy storage manufacturer, Executive Director of Business Development for Northland Power, a Toronto-based IPP, Senior Business Development Manager for Chevron Energy Solutions and Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Bill has been working on clean energy projects for the past 25 years. Among his accomplishments, he led the development of approximately 2,000 MW of Texas wind projects currently in late-stage financing, construction and/or operation. Prior to that, Bill led development of more than $100 Million of “behind the meter” energy projects, including energy efficiency, solar, demand response, fuel cells and co-generation at more than 500 facilities in California.

He contributed to the development of the first wind project in Eritrea on behalf of the World Bank and advised the US Postal Service, General Services Administration, Department of Energy, Air Force, Department of Veterans Affairs and other US government agencies on renewable power procurement and project development.  Bill also developed and presented a series of workshops in California for municipal utilities on approaches to procuring renewable energy.  Further, Bill developed pre-feasibility financial analysis software for sustainable energy projects and gave training on its use in countries around the world.  Most recently, Bill is assisting a global energy major evaluate and develop potential opportunities in the US onshore wind sector and, additionally, served as a subject matter expert in a lawsuit regarding prudent industry standards in wind project investment due diligence.

Bill is a nationally-recognized expert in sustainable energy, having published more than 40 papers and given over 100 invited lectures on a wide variety of related topics. He was twice awarded the US Presidential Award for Federal Energy Management for his work on behalf of the federal government. He has a Ph.D., Energy and Resources Group (2006), MA, Energy and Resources Group, (1995), MBA (1992) and BA, Political Science (1988), all from U.C. Berkeley.

Daniel Hamilton is the Sustainability Manager for the City of Oakland.  He has more than 20 years of experience in managing energy and climate programs for cities, counties, and special districts across California.  He was a co-lead on the EPIC-funded Oakland EcoBlock, a block-scale retrofit of residential housing to all-electric zero net energy operation.  He holds degrees in architecture and sustainable policy planning.  

Dominique is dedicated to a life of service to the community and serves as the Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of LA. The vision of sustainable buildings for all within this generation keeps her inspired to move sustainability forward in a holistic way. Dominique studies sustainability rating systems and holds credentials in LEED, WELL, fitwel, Envision, and EcoDistricts. She is particularly interested in the intersections between high-performance, Net Zero buildings and health and wellness initiatives. Before joining the Mayor's Office of Sustainability, Dominique served as the executive director of the U.S. Green Building Council in Los Angeles for over five years. 

Shawn has over 15 years of experience as an architect and sustainability consultant with clients including Fortune 500 companies, universities, government agencies, and non-profits.  
He is NCARB Certified, Living Future Accredited, EcoDistricts Accredited LEED Accredited BD+C and O+M specialties, and is trained in charrette facilitation, adult education, racial equity, and regenerative development.  As the Director of Business Development for ILFI, Shawn conducts outreach, training, and facilitation of summits and workshops with key stakeholders to grow awareness, knowledge and adoption of ILFI programs, and leads collaborative efforts with other organizations to advance ILFI’s mission.
 

Crystal is a grassroots community-builder, a 2020 Roddenberry Fellow, and the leader of People Power Solar Cooperative, with more than 10 years experience deploying climate solutions. Throughout her career she has worked as the Chief Operating Officer of Powerhouse, an energy startup incubator, as an Associate Producer of “Time to Choose,” a documentary film on climate solutions by Academy Award winning filmmaker Charles Ferguson, and she also founded the Cross Pollinators, which fosters collaboration among grassroots solutions. Nationally, Crystal is working with more than 30 organizations, like People Power Solar Cooperative, to set up a mutual aid structure that serves as a collaborative resource and strategy center for communities working to democratize energy.  And she participated in the 2019 U.S. Grassroots Accelerator for Women Environmental Leaders powered by Women's Earth Alliance and Sierra Club.

Shea Hughes is the Director of Business Development at Scale Microgrid Solutions, where he has led the company's expansion into the California market. At Scale Shea has forged partnerships for the company across the public and private sectors, launched the company's flagship modular microgrid product, and built a robust pipeline of microgrid projects currently under development. Prior to Scale, Shea was with Tesla and EDF backed Zola Electric, where he led new product introductions and launched new markets across sub-Saharan Africa. He earned an M.S. in Energy Systems from Stanford University and a B.S. from the University of Miami in his home state of Florida. 

Mark Isaacs spent almost 30 years as an award winning architect, builder & real estate developer in KY where his firm won the National Association of Home Builders Green Multifamily Building of the Year Award.  Now as an inventor & start-up entrepreneur, Mark is developing R5, R7 and R9 windows that integrate with 24” on-center framing to yield affordable Net Zero Energy  Buildings in carbon sequestering wood frame construction.  The approach eliminates 10 sf of material & related labor cost for every window installed to double the thermal resistance of both walls & windows at no net extra cost.  Mark is currently testing & certifying his patented windows under a USDA Small Business Innovation Research grant and looking to demonstrate the windows in small buildings in early 2021.

Business development and strategy professional with experience designing and implementing new carbon and sustainability solutions.

Mayor REY LEÓN was born in Fresno and raised in the Huron area. Mr. León is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley where he obtained a BA in Chicano Studies with an emphasis in public health. He is the founder and Executive Director of The Latino Equity Advocacy & Policy Institute (LEAP), a Latino Valley based environmental non-profit organization. Mr. León is based in Fresno for the Valley and focuses on economic, environmental, climate and transportation justice, advancing clean energy infrastructure,
green jobs and community development.

Mr. Leon has been working to ensure that environmental justice principles are advanced in the
regions institutions and culture. Rey is founder of the San Joaquin Valley Regional Green Jobs
Coalition which counts on 300+ members and co-founder of the Central Valley Air Quality
Coalition. As Co-chair of CVAQ, Leon helped advance some of the greatest victories for air
quality in the Valley including the ending of agriculture industry’s exemption from the clean air
act and the placement of two public members, a doctor and a scientist, onto the region’s air
pollution control district. Mr. León sits on various boards and committees including the Center
on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) and member of the California Air
Resources Board Environmental Justice AB 32 Advisory Committee.

Mr. León has been organizing in the Valley for the past twenty-four years and for the past fifteen
years has been advocating and successfully building coalitions, community capacity, advancing
public policy; placement of the first PM 2.5 air quality monitor on the West Side of the Valley,
systems change; developing the first ever environmental justice strategy and committees for
both the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the Fresno County Council of
Governments. In 2014, Valley LEAP completed an Environmental Justice Planning Project and
Report for the farmworker community of Huron where over 30 projects to improve mobility,
access and safety were identified. Through Valley LEAP, Rey continues to organize with the
grassroots, grasstops, agencies and other partners to promote sustainable development, clean
energy alternatives, green jobs and reduction of pollution; GHG’s in concentrated clusters of
poverty in the central San Joaquin Valley. Additionally, LEAP manages the Kings County
environmental violations reporting system and network (aka. Kings IVAN) with community and a
myriad of agencies from all levels of government. Resulting achievement include leadership
development, community clean ups, further research and pollution mitigation. Mr. León, through
Valley LEAP, successfully works with Valley communities to achieve environmental and climate
justice.

In 2016, Mr. León was voted into the Mayorship of his hometown of Huron, Ca in a landslide
76% of the vote and captured 95% of the vote for second term in 2018. As Mayor of Huron he
is working diligently to improve quality of life for the residents who mostly are composed of
hardworking low-income farmworker families. In general, the following are projects he is
pursuing, supporting and leading; Clean energy, youth opportunities, community volunteer
policing, restorative youth justice, pedestrian and bicyclists safety, economic empowerment for
families and small business, improved street lighting (LED), trees, EV plug-in infrastructure,
mural district beautification and an empowered civil society. The largest victory for Mayor Leon
yet is the building of the $30 million bridge that has been needed for over 40 years. “We build
bridges, Not walls!” he proudly stated at the inauguration of the bridge. Leon is also one of the
50 people identitified by Grist in their GRIST 50 for 2019, “Because the World Needs Fixers”!

In the Mr. Leon’s short term as the Mayor he has been able to transition the whole city to LED
street lighting saving 50% in costs and greenhouse gasses as well as securing $18 million for
the critically needed bridge and a youth soccer league where over 100 families participate.

Dr. Ronnen Levinson is a Staff Scientist and Leader of the Heat Island Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, California. Within his research portfolio he develops cool roof, wall, and pavement materials; improves methods for the measurement of solar reflectance; and quantifies the energy and environmental benefits of cool surfaces. He holds a B.S. in engineering physics from Cornell University and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. He has authored or co-authored over 100 publications and serves on the editorial boards of Energy & Buildings and Solar Energy, the board of directors of the Cool Roof Rating Council, and the board of directors of the Global Cool Cities Alliance.

Jasmine A. Lomax is Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Kilroy Realty Corporation, the #1 publicly traded real estate company on sustainability in North America by GRESB and a 3-time ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence winner. At Kilroy Realty, Jasmine manages the tracking of all Scope 3 Carbon Emissions on development projects, and the implementation of energy and water efficiency projects throughout the existing and development portfolios. Jasmine supports the Kilroy property management teams and tenants in their efforts to occupy and operate high-performing, environmentally sustainable buildings.
 
 

Bridgett Luther is the Sustainability Director for Continuus Materials. She also serves as a co-founder of The Disruptive Factory, bringing change to scale and a board member of Noble Profit, using blockchain to produce transparency in sustainability reporting. She is an advisor to Mango Materials, a biopolymer produced from methane and board chair of SpringClean, helping to find new ways to recycle textile waste.

She’s the former President of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute founded by William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart and helped to bring the Cradle to Cradle certification into the public domain.  

Previously she served Governor Schwarzenegger as California’s Director of the Department of Conservation from 2005-2010, overseeing oil, natural gas, and geothermal industries, the beverage container recycling program and farmland conservation programs.  Prior to her tenure with the Governor she worked for the Trust for Public Land helping to preserve land for people. Her first job was as a sales rep for Procter & Gamble. She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Business. She currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with a part-time home in San Francisco. She is married and has two grown children.

Dr. Alfredo Martinez-Morales is the Managing Director of the Southern California Research Initiative for Solar Energy (SC-RISE) and Research Professor at the Bourns College of Engineering Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT). Dr. Martinez-Morales received his Ph.D., M.S. and B.S. degrees in electrical engineering from UCR. His current research includes solar cells, alkali metal-ion batteries, highly integrated renewables, energy storage systems, and microgrids. Dr. Martinez-Morales is a principal investigator in the Sustainable Integrated Grid Initiative (SIGI) at UCR, and has contributed in the engineering, permitting, and deployment of the SIGI smartgrid testbed system and multiple microgrids throughout Southern California.

Mr. Mast is a nationally recognized thought leader on residential green building, with almost 30 years of experience in the field. In 2018, he founded Ardenna Energy, a clean energy consulting practice that provides program design and policy analysis to accelerate clean energy investments. In 2004, Mr. Mast co-founded Build It Green, an industry-leading green building non-profit organization. Starting in 2006, he served in various executive leadership capacities, with a focus on business development, program design, and strategic direction. Mr. Mast’s many accomplishments at BIG include his pioneering work to develop a performance-based residential energy efficiency practice and devising new strategies to “green” the real estate MLS and accelerate homebuyer demand for healthy and efficient homes.

Matt is the Inventor of Nativus' new high-performance rotary cooling and heating machine which shears through the dreaded efficiency-killing boundary-layer to drastically improve heat exchange. After two deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Africa and Iraq, Matt is familiar with the notion of air conditioning as a life support system. As an engineering officer on a warship, Matt was in charge of the sailors and machines that make drinking water and cool air using sea water. These systems were under constant maintenance and often failed to keep up with demand due to their heat exchanger design. After the Navy, Matt spent a decade leading multidisciplinary teams in design and commission of the most efficient HVAC systems known to man, from the Hoover Dam to large municipal utility districts. Seeing that a different solution was needed to solve the impending global meltdown, ten years ago Matt went looking for a better way to move heat. What resulted is Nativus and rotary heat exchange. Matt is a LEED Accredited Professional, EPA Certified Refrigerant Technician, and has served on Nevada's Energy Efficiency Strike Force for the Office of Energy. Matt Graduated from the US Naval Academy with a degree in Astrospace Engineering, where he was part of a team that built and launched a satellite to successfully count and classify neutrons in space.

Klara Moradkhan is an entrepreneur, CEO and the co-founder of ePAVE, LLC. She is building a company to bring to the world of roads an environmentally-sound pavement material. She has a degree in computer engineering and computer sciences as well as advanced training in applied mathematics. Her clients include municipalities and various governmental agencies as well as the private sector.  Prior to founding ePAVE, Ms. Moradkhan directed U.S. and global teams that executed several highly complex, technical projects for major firms such as Hewlett Packard, (Overture) Yahoo, Disney Corporation, Sprint Wireless, Flour Corporation Portland GE as a leading consultant at Ernst and Young. She also led the integration of multi-million-dollar equipment sales initiative for Teradyne, a semiconductor test company, serving as a systems analyst and client liaison in next-gen products.

Klara Moradkhan is involved with several community and humanitarian causes. She and her family have always been active in assistance to those in need.

Clay Nesler is the Vice President, Global Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs for Johnson Controls. He also currently serves as interim president of the Alliance to Save Energy as an executive on-loan. Since joining Johnson Controls in 1983, Clay has held a variety of leadership positions in research, product development, marketing, strategy, manufacturing, corporate sustainability and regulatory affairs in both the United States and Europe and currently chairs the company’s global sustainability council.

As Chief Operating Officer and Founder, Melanie has over 15 years of experience in the environmental services industry. Melanie leads a team of expert environmental and engineering professionals – bridging the gap between industry solutions and executive management, empowering informed decisions and increasing company value through superior service and strategic client acquisition. Melanie’s responsibilities include:

• Oversight of daily operations
• Managing executive and administrative processes
• Driving product and business development
• Leading strategic planning, product development, sales outreach and marketing efforts

Uzoma is responsible for the management and direction of corporate engineering for Eco-Alpha. Priorities include strategic planning, product design, quality assurance and client relations. Uzoma has over 15+ years of cross-functional engineering experience in high performance building operations, business acquisitions, and multifaceted facilities construction and operations. Highlights include:

• Former Director of Engineering (Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA)
• Successful management of multiple collective bargaining agreements with The International Union of Operations Engineers (Local 39)
• Managed commissioning and stationary engineering services in the banking, technology, and health care sectors

Sarah Outcault is the Market Transformation Research Director at UC Davis’ Energy and Efficiency Institute where she leads research on the nexus of policy, technology, and human behavior. Dr. Outcault designs and implements studies and experiments to explore the drivers of technology adoption, use and maintenance, as well as opportunities for market intervention. She works in a wide range of contexts – e.g, disadvantaged communities, working dairies, sustainable communities – in California and abroad, to understand the needs and constraints of stakeholders and ensure that solutions are designed to address them. Prior to joining UC Davis, Dr. Outcault worked as an Assistant Policy Analyst at the RAND Corporation and international infrastructure policy consultant at Econ One Research. Dr. Outcault has a PhD in Policy Analysis from the Pardee RAND Graduate School and an M.Sc. in Economic History from the London School of Economics.

DC Palter is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Komfort IQ. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical & Energy Engineering from Northwestern University, a Masters in Energy Law & Policy from Univ. of Tulsa School of Law, and an MBA in Technology Marketing from UCLA. He has built two successful startups from inception through to acquisition and invested in more than twenty more, with emphasis in the energy and cleantech sector. He is the author of textbooks on Japanese language and satellite communications, and was awarded patents in pollution controls for waste incineration and computer network communications.

Kirsten serves as one of Gensler’s leading sustainability ambassadors, championing healthful and forward-thinking design solutions and leading public discussion around innovative and high-performance design and operations. Kirsten’s experience encompasses the workplace, retail, hospitality, education, transportation, aviation and infrastructure sectors; and she is a recognized authority in green product standards and sustainability rating systems (including LEED and LBC). She serves on numerous boards and in other advisory positions, including roles with the Material and Technical Advisory Group at USGBC, Board of Directors of the Green Electronics Council, Board of the Ecological Building Network, and as advisor to the Health Product Declaration Collaborative. Kirsten holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from California State University, San Jose.

Heather Rosenberg is an Associate Principal and Arup and leads its resilience discipline in the Americas . An ecologist by training, Heather is a USGB Ginsberg Fellow with 20 years of experience in sustainability and resilience in the built environment. Her practice focuses on a systemic approach to resilience to organizations, with a central focus on social justice. Before joining Arup, Heather was the founder and president of her own successful resilience strategy firm, Building Resilience Network. She partnered with the USGBC-LA Chapter to create their Building Resilience-LA program, worked with GRESB to develop its Resilience Module and served as resilience advisor to Enterprise Community Partners. She has served as a technical advisor to dozens of public, private and non-profit organizations, and served on a variety of commissions and boards, including the State of California Clean Energy Jobs Act Citizens Oversight Board, and is a former member the City of Los Angeles Innovation and Performance Commission (Mayoral appointee).

As Program Manager at Sonoma Clean Power, Scott Salyer is responsible for the Advanced Energy Rebuild (AER) program, which is helping fire survivors in our service territory rebuild their homes more efficiently. Scott is also supporting the development of the Advanced Energy Center, a physical storefront where customers can see, learn about, and purchase innovative energy-saving products for their homes and businesses.

Previously, at The Energy Coalition, Scott worked with public agencies to improve their energy efficiency, managing projects that saved cities and school districts 3.8M kilowatt-hours and 7,000 therms. His 15 years of experience in the environmental field includes work in energy efficiency, zero waste initiatives, environmental economics research, and consulting.
Scott’s educational background includes a B.A. in Environmental Policy and a Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) degree. He also holds a LEED AP O+M credential

Since the early 1990s Henry has championed the idea that ecological design is an integral part of good design. He has put that conviction into practice through projects that combine design for environmental stewardship with thoughtful, site sensitive building design. His projects have won local, regional and national awards including multiple Top Ten Green Projects of the Year from the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE). Henry is past chair of the COTE National Advisory Group and current member of AIA California COTE steering committee, where he advocates for laws and codes that address climate change and the building sector, and for the incorporation of sustainable design values and metrics into architectural awards programs and architecture school curriculums. Henry has taught sustainable design and design studios at the University of California, Berkeley, and is a past member of the University’s Design Review Committee. He has spoken widely on ecological design and the work of the firm and has served on architectural awards juries across the U.S.

Stet Sanborn is a Principal and Engineering Group Lead for Smithgroup’s San Francisco office.  Having both an engineering background as well as his Architecture License, Stet focuses on the integration of high performance building enclosures with advanced building systems.  He is a leading voice in statewide decarbonization efforts, Net-Zero Energy design and research into transformational technology allowing for grid optimization and electrification. 

Ben Stapleton is an LA native who brings a creative mind and consultative approach to a wide range of projects with a focus on building teams and designing programs to deliver impactful results. His current work is based on coordinating an ecosystem leveraging the built environment as the entry point and connective fabric to help create a more sustainable society for all as Executive Director for the U.S. Green Building Council - Los Angeles.

He launched and then managed the La Kretz Innovation Campus in Downtown LA while leading operations, finance, and major program initiatives for the LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI). The Campus has become an epicenter for sustainability in the region and an iconic green building for the LADWP and the City of LA, featuring events with prominent thought leaders, while being home to a community of cutting-edge businesses and nonprofits.

In 2008, he founded JLL's global Cleantech Practice Group, which focused on representing renewable energy and clean technology companies in addressing their real estate needs. This only fueled his passion to explore the nexus of energy and real estate, coming to the belief that increasing the efficiency of our buildings is one of the most powerful tools to create a truly sustainable society.

He is a recipient of JLL's distinctive Da Vinci Award for Innovation and CoStar’s Power Broker designation in the Los Angeles market, and served as the Managing Director for the LA Better Buildings Challenge, launching the program in 2011 and growing participation to over 60M square feet of commercial buildings. 

Matthew St.Clair is the first Director of Sustainability for the University of California's Office of the President, leading sustainability efforts across the 10-campus UC system since 2004.

Mr. St.Clair was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Strategic Energy Innovations, a non-profit organization implementing energy conservation and sustainability education programs in California.

Mr. St.Clair has delivered lectures at numerous universities, been an invited keynote speaker at several regional and national conferences, and has advised the U.S. House of Representatives on the formation of an Office of Sustainability for the U.S. Capitol.

Mr. St.Clair has a Masters degree in environmental policy from the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley and a Bachelors degree in economics from Swarthmore College. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and a Certified Energy Manager.

Ms. Kaiyu Sun is a Senior Scientific Engineering Associate in the Building Technology and Urban Systems Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She received her M.S. and B.S. in the Building Technology Department from Tsinghua University. Her research mainly focuses on four fields: (1) Building energy simulation and the development of building simulation tools (e.g. EnergyPlus, OpenStudio, and Commercial Building Energy Saver), (2) Occupant behavior modeling, (3) building resilience and energy efficiency, and (4) automatic model calibration.

Alice Sung is Principal of Greenbank Associates, a green building and sustainability consultancy she founded in 2004. As a licensed architect with over 25 years of experience, Alice has facilitated the greening of dozens of public, private, and educational facilities, including LEED Platinum certified buildings and CHPS Verified schools. Alice has been a longtime active member of the AIA, USGBC, the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP), and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), serving in many leadership and advocacy positions. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from UC Berkeley, Master of Architecture from MIT, LEED Accreditation with BD+C specialty, and ISSP-Sustainability Associate credentials.  New Buildings Institute, in conjunction with the Green California Schools and Community Colleges Summit, awarded her the “2018 Zero Net Energy Leadership, Individual Award” last October. Working as a change agent, she hopes to drive ZNE/Zero Water/Zero Carbon green buildings and facilitate organizational sustainability in California’s public sector, making real world GHG reductions, at pace and scale, by 2030.

Chris is GRID Alternatives’ Director for the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program, a historic effort to install 300 MW of solar on multifamily affordable housing by 2030, with a budget of up to $100 million per year, funded by California's cap-and-trade program. 

Prior to coming to GRID, Chris helped lead U.S. Department of Energy-funded programs at The Solar Foundation, including the Solar Training Network and SolSmart, a program that empowers local governments to address soft cost barriers to solar deployment through technical assistance and designation. Chris has also worked at SolarCity and the Climate Institute, a DC-based think tank.

Chris has volunteered extensively with the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program and holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Florida in Political Science, with concentrations in global political economy and sustainable development.

Rachel Wong is the current Associate University Engineer at California State University’s Office of the Chancellor. She participates in campus schematic reviews for major capital projects, administers the Mechanical Review Board (MRB), and leads the development of the Building Decarbonization Framework and tools for campus microgrid integration. She additionally supports the advancement in functionality of the system wide Energy Information System, streamlining campus procurement of energy efficiency, and a parallel resilience framework for critical infrastructure. She previously worked in the private sector for energy efficiency consulting firms. Rachel is a licensed professional engineer and holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Sarah Woogen is the Head of USA Operations and Analytics at The Mobility House (TMH). Prior to TMH she worked at Stem Inc. leading stationary battery storage operations with various technologies and programs, and has experince in utility consulting for demand side management. At TMH, Sarah leads project management and consulting to help customers with fleet electrification. She is focused on developing optimization tools for the US storage and EV market and brings her background of stationary storage to Vehicle-Grid-Integration research and 2nd life battery projects. Sarah holds a Masters in Atmosphere/Energy Environmental Engineering from Stanford University.  

Zack Zimerman has a marketing degree with honors from Sonoma State University prepared him for the business world and mentoring from a father with 50 years of construction experience prepared him for the unique challenges that working for a company like BamCore would present. His ability to understand views of all parties involved in a building process through knowledge and understanding of the BamCore system and standard construction methods has been crucial to the success of BamCore. Now, as the Director of Business Development/CMO he is poised to help BamCore expand its brand, sales channels, and deliver its promise of sustainability to the markets.