PRESS RELEASE
Washington DC, March 15, 2023 -- Four leading built environment groups have issued a call for presentations for the 2023 Decarbonization Conference for the Built Environment.
Organized by ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), APPA (formerly the Association of Physical Plant Administrators), and Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), the event will be held October 25-27 in the Washington, DC, at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel.
The conference will focus on educating industry attendees on methods to decrease carbon emissions, both embodied and operational, in order to reduce the impact of buildings on the climate crises. Presentations will address current and future governmental policies and regulations for which engineers, architects, facility owners and operators need to be aware of to address environmentally-responsible building requirements.
“The goal of this conference is to bring persons who work in all aspects of building design, construction, operation, ownership and management into the same room to address how the building industry as a whole can improve the impact buildings have on the global climate crises,” said ASHRAE President-Elect Ginger Scoggins. “Since building design, construction and operation contribute close to 40% of total global emissions of carbon, it is imperative that we all work together to develop a path forward to address our impact”.
Adds IFMA Global Board Chair Laurie A. Gilmer, P.E., CFM, FMP, SFP, LEED AP: “The built environment generates nearly 40% of CO2 emissions annually, with approximately 27% attributed to building operations, placing significant responsibility for reducing operational and embodied carbon emissions on the built environment industry. We must take the lead in ensuring that what we design, construct, operate and manage is achieved thoughtfully, strategically, collaboratively. Working together to reduce or reverse the harmful impacts of our buildings is empowering, but we need direction on how to go about it. ASHRAE’s Decarbonization Conference will help us integrate our perspectives to help our industry take meaningful action.”
The Decarbonization Conference for the Built Environment will be an information and idea exchange, between stakeholders in the built environment industry, concerning the timely and important topic of reducing carbon emissions from buildings. The goal is to discuss the design, construction, ownership, and operation of facilities targeted for reduced or neutral impact on the environment with respect to carbon footprint. A primary objective of the conference is to enhance the knowledge base in North America on decarbonization efforts.
The conference is organized by ASHRAE, AIA, APPA, BOMA, and IFMA.
A Call for Presentations is now open. Professionals in the Built Environment Industry are invited to submit proposals for individual presentations between 15-25 minutes in length or 60-90 minute panel or seminar sessions. Organizers are seeking proposals that address the following topics:
- Decarbonization 101: Measures, Metrics and Terminology
- Decarbonization Drivers: Guidelines, Standards and Regulations
- What is your role in Decarbonization?
- Strategies to Achieve Low Carbon Operations
- Designing and Constructing Low Carbon Buildings
- Retrofitting Your Way to Low Carbon Buildings
- Lessons Learned: New Construction Case Studies
- Successes and Failures: Existing Buildings Case Studies
- How Do We Fund Low Carbon Buildings?
The deadline to submit is May 1, 2023. If accepted, presentations will be due September 01, 2023. All speakers are expected to present their work in person at the conference venue. To submit a presentation, click here.
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