Design, Construction, and Operation of Energy-Efficient Buildings

Overview

Our own future building incorporates many energy-efficient features including an A/C system that recovers energy from lab exhaust; a heat-pump domestic hot water system with environmentally-friendly CO2 refrigerant; and high-performance glazing coupled with passive shading devices.

Join leading voices from academia, industry, and startups for a day of insight and collaboration on decarbonizing buildings from materials to energy systems.

Buildings account for a significant share of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, from the carbon-intensive materials used in construction to the energy required for daily operation. Addressing these challenges requires bold, interdisciplinary innovation across the entire building lifecycle.

This symposium will spotlight technologies and strategies to dramatically reduce both embodied carbon and operational energy demand. We aim to convene leaders from academia, industry, and startups to share research breakthroughs, scalable solutions, and commercialization pathways for sustainable construction and operation.

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Venue

All sessions will be held in the auditorium at the Bakar BioEnginuity Hub, located at 2625 Durant Ave., Berkeley, CA 94720. Followed by a reception in the courtyard.

Agenda

Morning Sessions – Materials & Design

8:30 AM | Welcome and Breakfast

Begin the day with breakfast and introductions from the Symposium Steering Committee and partner organizations. Connect with colleagues as the event opens with a warm welcome and overview of the day’s program.

9:15 AM | Opening Plenary: The New Carbon Architecture

Speaker: Bruce King, Founder of BuildWell Project, Author, “Build Beyond Zero”, “The New Carbon Architecture”, Structural Engineer

Topic: Insights on how next-generation building materials and construction methods are redefining sustainable design and performance

10:00 AM | Understanding Environmental Impacts Across the Life of a Building

Speaker: Matt Roberts, Assistant Professional Researcher, Center for the Built Environment

Topic: Opener on life-cycle assessment and pathways to whole-life decarbonization

10:30 AM | Case Studies in Embodied Emission Innovation

Speakers:

Maria Paz-Gutiérrez, Professor of Architecture, UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design
Ramon Weber, Assistant Professor of Architecture, UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design
Franco Zunino, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UC Berkeley
- Topic: Decarbonizing concrete, an interplay of materials science, engineering, and common sense.

11:00 AM | Challenges and Opportunities for Embodied Carbon Reductions in Practice

Speaker: Brett Stuckey, Business Development Manager, Turner

11:30 AM | Fireside: Engaging the Industry on Embodied Carbon

Speakers: Hanjiro Ambrose & Jeff Kessler, California Air Resources Board (CARB)

12:00 PM | Lunch and Poster Showcase Discussion

Join speakers and attendees for lunch and an engaging poster session showcasing innovative research and projects in sustainable materials and design. Come back soon for updates on presenters!

Afternoon Sessions – Systems & Implementation

1:00 PM | The Shift: How Buildings Are Evolving to Support Lower Cost, Efficient, and Reliable Operations for the Customer and Grid

Speaker: Cindy Regnier, Whole Building Systems Department Head and FLEXLAB® Executive Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Topic: Strategies for achieving operational excellence across buildings and portfolios

1:45 PM | Lightning Presentations for Operational Innovations

Speakers & Topics:

Jim Baldwin, Founder & CEO, Domatic
Topic: Building automation systems and advanced controls
Robert Shephard, Senior Technical, iMod
Topic: Low-GHG refrigerants
Apoorva Pasricha, Chief Operating Officer, Cloud Apartments
Topic: Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and other advanced integrated energy systems

2:45 PM | Panel & Fireside Chat: Policy, Finance, and Political Challenges

Speakers:

Tyler Pullen, Researcher, Terner Center for Housing Innovation
Jan Lindenthal, Chief Investment Officer, Housing Accelerator Fund
Lois Kim, Assistant Project Manager, Mutual Housing
Sean Kennedy, Deputy Director of Energy Investments, State of California Strategic Growth Council

Topic: Focus on regulatory, financial, and political challenges for low-cost, energy-efficient housing construction

3:30 PM | To Be Announced!

Come back for more updates on this section!

4:00 PM | Closing Speaker: Delivering Lower-Carbon, High-Quality Projects at Scale

Speaker: Alex Spilger, Vice President of Real Estate Sustainability, Sobrato

Topic: How industry considers material choices, supply chains, permitting, financing, and partnerships

4:30 PM | Happy Hour & Reception

Conclude the day with a relaxed networking reception and happy hour, connecting with fellow attendees, speakers, and partners over refreshments and conversation.

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