Empowering Communities through Energy Efficiency

Ecologic Institute and the Center for Energy and the Energy Grid Institute at the University of Pittsburgh, within the framework of the Energy Future Exchange project, host a workshop about the future of sustainable energy, highlighting local and regional economic, social and environmental benefits of energy efficiency products and services and emerging innovative business models, strengthening communities for a resilient future.  Speakers from Pittsburgh join experts from Germany and Croatia to start a vibrant conversation. 

Ecologic Institute Washington, DC, along with consortium partners Ecologic Institute Berlin and ACEEE, initiated the Energy Future Exchange (EFEX) project, a two-year transatlantic conversation on the future of energy, financed in large part through the European Union Delegation to the United States Transatlantic Civil Society Dialogue program. EFEX comprises conferences, study tours, workshops, webinars, pop-up actions and online forums in the US and Europe. More information can be found at http://energyfuturex.org/

9:00 Coffee, pastries and registration

9:30 Welcome remarks by Carrie Snell (Coordinator, Center for Energy, University of Pittsburgh) and Brendan O'Donnell (EFEX, Ecologic Institute)

10:00 Energy efficiency as fundamental to the US and European energy transitions (Max Gruenig, Ecologic Institute)

10:20 Energy efficiency as part of social innovation in Munich (Ramon Arndt)

10:50 Creating a people-driven energy regime in Zagreb (Vlatka Vlahek and Zoran Kordic)

11:20 Q&A on energy efficiency in Europe

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Energy as a driver for urban renewal (Katrina Kelly, University of Pittsburgh)

1:20 Case studies of social energy ventures and other innovative energy ventures in Pittsburgh with Zaheen Hussain, Millvale Sustainability Coordinator + Director of Sustainability at New Sun Rising

2:00 Q&A on energy efficiency in Pittsburgh

2:30 Coffee break

3:00 Panel discussion: how to balance energy equity and energy efficiency? (with all speakers)

3:50 Closing remarks

4:00 End

Ramón Arndt is a Spanish-German urban ecologist who has been instrumental in the effort to integrate ecological practices and concepts into the strategic urban planning process at the city of Munich for nearly three decades. In addition to his role as Senior Expert in the Department of Urban Planning in Munich where he is, among other duties, responsible for the development and assessment of circular economy initiatives and the city’s energy transition, Ramón is a board member of Green City, a civic-engagement organization that encourages citizen participation in the broader transition to a sustainable urban future.

Zoran Kordić is cofounder and President of Green Energy Cooperative, an umbrella organization for the emerging field of energy cooperatives in Croatia and the West Balkan region. The projects are centered around citizen engagement and use the post-carbon transition to reimagine the interplay of energy, economy and environmental preservation. Zoran coordinated the Good Energy in Social Entrepreneurship project funded by the European Social Fund and serves as a board member of REScoop.eu, the European Federation of Energy Cooperatives. He works to create a ‘good economy’ model in which social good rather than consumable goods measure success.

Vlatka Berlan Vlahek is head of the city development department in Ivanić-Grad, Croatia, where she is responsible for a comprehensive portfolio of sustainability and development initiatives and goals, including city infrastructure reconstruction, the Sustainable Energy Action Plan targets and cooperation with ministries, government agencies and international institutions. Vlatka has led municipal efforts to, among other things, involve local civic organizations in future strategy building processes and activities related to environmental protection and sustainable energy. She is also implementing the city’s Living Streets Project which helps support and grow the local circular economy that empowers the citizens.

Dr. Katrina M. Kelly-Pitou is a Research Associate, Resilient Energy and Power Systems, Swanson School of Engineering and Manager, Strategy and Business Development, Center for Energy and Energy GRID Institute.
Katrina currently holds dual roles as both a Research Associate in Resilient Energy and Power Systems at the Swanson School of Engineering, also acting as Manager of Strategy and Business Development at the Center for Energy at the University of Pittsburgh. She has joined Pitt to work alongside Dr. Gregory Reed in the development of next generation grid solutions for the US, the state of Pennsylvania, and the City of Pittsburgh. Her work takes a systems approach and works on understanding both the policy architecture and financial mechanisms that are needed to deploy resilient and sustainable energy systems. Katrina currently helps to lead the research on the University’s “District Energy” research grant (in partnership with the Department of Energy/NETL, supported by RK Mellon), and on the “Comparative Energy Governance for Smart Cities” project, conducted in partnership with the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate (supported by the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities, and Climate).

Max Gruenig is the President of Ecologic Institute US and has been with Ecologic Institute since 2007. His work focuses on sustainable development in the energy and transport sector, as well as urban sustainability and resilient cities.

Brendan O’Donnell is a Fellow at Ecologic Institute. His work focuses on sustainable urban development, especially the visibility and accessibility of diverse communities in the decision-making process; post-carbon finance, including the development of vehicles and policies to support sustainable investing; and the future of environmentalism, particularly how art and other cultural influences inform the concept of nature and inspire environmental policy.

Zaheen Hussain is leading the charge for sustainability and equity in Millvale. Prior to Millvale, he worked at GTECH strategies as the project manager, leading the ReEnergize Pittsburgh Coalition to strengthen residential energy efficiency through collaboration and community-level advocacy. He has taken those skills of community building to Millvale, where he works with the Millvale Community Library and the Millvale EcoDistrict Collaborative. He is a shared community resource to advance the EcoDistrict goals of food, water, energy, mobility, air quality, and equity.

FAQs

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?

Any age is welcome.

What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?

The University Club is located at 123 University Place in the heart of Oakland and is situated on lower campus, next to the Soldiers and Sailors Museum and Garage.  We highly recommend that all guests for all events park in the Soldiers and Sailors Garage.

Or, even better, you get there by public transport, bike or walk.

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Please email us at office@eius.org

• Ramon Arndt

  City of Munich

  Senior Expert in the Department of Urban Planning

• Dr. Katrina M. Kelly-Pitou

  University of Pittsburgh

  Research Associate, Swanson School of Engineering and Manager, Center for Energy and Energy GRID Institute

• Zoran Kordic

  Green Energy Cooperative

  President

• Vlatka Berlan Vlahek

  City of Ivanić-Grad

  head of the city development department