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About Us
Free Webinars
Online Courses
Online Courses
Urban Elephant Media conducts regular free webinars on topics related to sustainability, climate resilience and clean energy.
Online Courses
Online Courses
Online Courses
Our instructors are your peers: Working professionals, urban planners, consultants, engineers and industry experts with real-world experience in the topics they teach.
Our Mission
Online Courses
Our Mission
We bring together a cohort of professionals in government, utilities and the private sector to share intellectual capital, solve problems and make the world a better place.
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Urban Elephant Media produces free sustainability webinars and paid online courses for civic leaders and professionals involved in the day-to-day challenge of building sustainable communities. Join this mailing list to receive occasional notifications about upcoming sustainability training events.
Host a sustainability webinar
Urban Elephant Media webinars average 292 registrants
What would you give to have hundreds of prospective clients sit in an auditorium and listen to you describe your sustainability project or product for an entire hour?
Now you can do that, virtually, for a fraction of the cost!
More than 16,000 local government officials and urban designers have attended our webinars. We currently promote to over 20,000 active subscribers. If your business helps cities in North America reduce emissions, conserve natural resources or become healthier, more equitable places, get the word out by sponsoring a free webinar. You can provide the presenters, or we’ll arrange for a government/nonprofit organization to speak on a topic of your choice.
We provide a variety of pricing models to fit your needs, and special low rates for government entities.
Call Randy at 563-513-1244 for details.
Free, On-Demand Webinars
Biogas to RNG 101
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded Sept. 2024
This webinar discusses the basics of biogas chemistry, how to get started on a biogas upgrading project, and the overall process of treating biogas to produce RNG for pipeline injection. We discuss systems that reliably produce Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from a variety of biogas sources, in addition to proven methods for reducing both the installation time and contractor costs of biogas systems, while meeting unique site requirements.
This webinar features Unison Solutions, an industry leader in biogas conditioning, biogas upgrading, and BioCNG vehicle fuel systems. Unison's approach provides a complete system for producing RNG from biogas. Unison systems have been installed around the world at landfills, wastewater treatment facilities, dairies, and food processing digester plants.
Our Speakers
Unison Solutions, based in Dubuque, Iowa, designs and builds biogas upgrading and treatment systems. The sales group at Unison has more than 100 years of combined biogas equipment experience and will be discussing proven technologies that have been implemented at sites since the company was started in 2000.
Click here to download the handout.
Sponsored by Unison Solutions
A Blueprint To Decarbonize Your Real Estate Portfolio
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded February, 2024
This webinar outlines the key steps to creating an actionable and cost-effective decarbonization plan, whether it's for a small campus, an entire city, or a company with hundreds of facilities across the globe. Topics covered include:
* How to identify the 5 risks of not decarbonizing;
* How to quantify baseline emissions the right way;
* Why you should be setting SMART carbon targets;
* What levers to pull to reduce emissions, and the pitfalls most people have trouble factoring in;
* How to create a portfolio-wide decarb roadmap that actually combines capital planning needs and GHG goals.
OUR SPEAKERS
Simon Fowell is an economist and director of customer success for Carbonsight at Autocase. He has dedicated the last 11 years of his academic and professional career to building a business case for environmental sustainability. Autocase software and services empower you to create a more sustainable, resilient and cost-effective built environment by unleashing the power of economic insights at scale.
Nicolette Sanfilippo is director of portfolio sustainability strategy at Stok. She guides clients in the development and implementation of portfolio-level sustainability and decarbonization programs. With a focus on creating large-scale impact, she combines third-party green building certifications with customized solutions for clients including programs for energy, carbon, indoor air quality, healthy and sustainable materials, waste, and operations procedures. Working with multiple confidential technology clients to develop and implement portfolio sustainability programs, Nicolette has influenced over 20 million square feet of new construction, tenant improvement, and existing building projects in their sustainability journey.
Download the presentation slides.
Download Carbonsight's decarbonization guide.
Sponsored by Autocase. If you have any questions or want to schedule a demo, please contact info@autocase.com.
How Ultra-Low Maintenance Grass Saves Resources and Reduces Emissions
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded October, 2023
People love grass. But mowing, watering and fertilizing lawns and parks can take a toll on air quality, consume up to 50 percent of our clean drinking water, pollute waterways and strain the budgets of local governments and residents alike. But, what if there was a better way?
This webinar features sustainability advocate Jackson Madnick, the developer of Pearl's Premium Ultra-Low Maintenance Grass Seed, whose patented, organic turf is helping communities dramatically reduce their water usage, improve water quality, save labor and reduce emissions by using this special grass that requires mowing only once a month and no chemicals.
The secret is in the slow growth above the soil and roots that grow over 6 feet deep!
This low-maintenance grass is great for most municipal, commercial and residential settings, as well as for use around buildings, along roads, parks, cemeteries and airports. It's also excellent for green roofs, with one-fifth the wet weight and one-third the cost of other green roofs using grass.
With more than 400 rave reviews from the experts, and five national and international awards for innovation, Pearl's Premium was recently a semi finalist for the EarthShot prize, one of the highest honors in the world for environmental solutions and addressing climate change.
Click here to download the handout.
Sponsored by Pearl's Premium
Innovative Biogas Solutions: Proven Designs and Customized Systems
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded Sept. 2023
This webinar discusses biogas systems that reliably produce Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and conditioned biogas from a variety of biogas sources. Included are proven methods for reducing both the installation time and contractor costs of biogas systems, while meeting unique site requirements.
This webinar features Unison Solutions, an industry leader in biogas conditioning, biogas upgrading, and BioCNG vehicle fuel systems. Regardless of the level of impurities such as high hydrogen sulfide, or high levels of siloxanes and other volatile organics, Unison's solution-based approach provides a complete system for producing RNG from biogas. Unison systems have been installed around the world at landfills, wastewater treatment facilities, dairies, and food processing digester plants.
Our Speakers
Unison Solutions, based in Dubuque, Iowa, designs and builds biogas upgrading and treatment systems. The sales group at Unison has over 100 years of biogas equipment experience and will be discussing proven technologies that have been implemented at sites since the company was started in 2000.
Click here to download the handout.
Sponsored by Unison Solutions
Sustainability in Oklahoma City
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded June 2022
This webinar features T.O. Bowman, sustainability program planner for the City of Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City's size, tax structure, and development history all present both unique challenges and opportunities to implementing a practical, context-sensitive approach to sustainability. Sustainability, resilience, and adaptation planning efforts all approach these challenges and opportunities from slightly different angles but all working toward "futureproofing" the community, economy, and organizational operations. In his presentation, T.O. covers the foundational research, strategies, implementation vehicles, and progress of Oklahoma City's first sustainability plan, adaptokc.
Our Speaker
T.O. Bowman directs the Office of Sustainability in the City of Oklahoma City's planning department. In that role, Bowman develops policy and manages grants including energy efficiency upgrades funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and projects via Federal Highway Authority, Department of Energy, and Environmental Protection Agency. In summer 2020, Bowman led the office through the adoption of the city’s first sustainability plan, adaptokc.
Previous to his time at the city, he coordinated energy efficiency, sustainability planning, and outreach efforts for the State of Oklahoma. Bowman is a LEED Green Associate, has served on the US Green Building Council's Market Leadership Advisory Board for Oklahoma, board of directors for the Oklahoma Green Schools Program, a nonprofit seeking to advance environmental education in the state, and is a past board member of SustainableOKC.
Sponsored by the Growing Sustainable Communities Conference.
Equitable Climate Action in Ann Arbor via A2ZERO
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded May 2022
This webinar features Missy Stults, PhD., sustainability and innovations director for the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, who describes a variety of the city's sustainability programs.
Solving the climate crisis necessitates using every tool in our toolbox. You'll hear how the City of Ann Arbor is working with residents, businesses, property owners, students, and internal staff to achieve the goal of a just transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by the year 2030, working across every scale, sector, and system in the local community. And, you'll learn about the work of the Office of Sustainability and Innovations to find replicable and scalable solutions that work in Ann Arbor and beyond. This high-energy presentation is sure to get you excited for the next step on your sustainability journey!
Our Speaker
Dr. Missy Stults is the sustainability and innovations director for the City of Ann Arbor. In this role, she works with all city operations, residents, businesses, the University of Michigan, nonprofits, and others to achieve a just transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, as outlined in the A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan. Prior to joining the city, Missy worked with cities and tribal communities around the nation to advance their climate and sustainability goals, including during her time as the climate director at ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability and as a consultant to philanthropic organizations. Missy has a PhD in urban resilience from the University of Michigan, a Masters in Climate and Society from Columbia University, and undergraduate degrees in Marine Biology and Environmental Science from the University of New England.
Sponsored by Pearl's Premium Low-Maintenance Grass Seed .
Sustainability in the City of Livonia, Michigan
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded March 2022
This webinar features Jim Baringhaus, chairperson of the Greenleaf Commission on Sustainability for the City of Livonia, Michigan. Jim describes how a group of seven residents evolved from a citizens advisory committee into a formal city commission focused on making Livonia a more sustainable and resilient community. You’ll learn how this group:
- Created a foundational planning document that outlined the importance of sustainability for the City of Livonia;
- Created an award to recognize local businesses for their environmental leadership;
- Launched social media sites on community sustainability;
- Launched a communication system to link city government information to its neighborhoods; and
- Worked to include sustainability goals in the city’s Master Plan.
The commission, which helped the city earn two environmental awards, is now working on recommendations for building EV infrastructure, green infrastructure, tree ordinances and tree replacement programs, as well as formulating recommendations for solid waste and recycling policies for the Livonia community.
Our Speaker
Jim has chaired the Greenleaf Commission since 2013. He brings his expertise in sales, e-business, technology optimization, and corporate sustainability initiatives to Livonia’s sustainability commission. He has also served on the city’s Master Plan Steering Committee, Ordinance Technical Team, Bike/Walk Committee and is a member of the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals. He has passion for building, launching, and communicating sustainability initiatives in his community.
Sponsored by Pearl's Premium Low-Maintenance Grass Seed .
Biogas Upgrading, Proven Technologies
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded Sept. 2022
This webinar discusses systems that reliably produce Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from a variety of biogas sources. Case studies include large agricultural facilities using amine technology and mid-size systems at municipal digesters, landfills and industrial digesters that utilize membrane technology.
This webinar features Unison Solutions, an industry leader in biogas conditioning, biogas upgrading, and BioCNG vehicle fuel systems. Regardless of the level of impurities such as high hydrogen sulfide, or high levels of siloxanes and other volatile organics, Unison's solution-based approach provides a complete system for producing RNG from biogas. Unison systems have been installed around the world at landfills, wastewater treatment facilities, dairies, and food processing digester plants.
Our Speakers
The sales group at Unison has more than 100 combined years of biogas equipment experience and describes proven technologies that have been implemented at sites since the company was started in 2000. They are joined by staff from two of their industry partners, Wartsila and Macrotek, to highlight amine and Sulfcat technologies.
Click here to download the handout.
Sponsored by Unison Solutions
Sustainability in the City of Orlando
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded February 2022
This webinar features Christopher Castro, director of sustainability & resilience for the City of Orlando. Chris describes his department's seven focus areas and corresponding goals: transitioning the electric grid to 100 percent clean energy; creating a market for high-performance, green building development in commercial and residential sectors; building a local food economy that embraces urban agriculture; transforming to a zero-waste future; enhancing livability with natural systems and ecology; developing programs around water quality; and reducing the number of single-occupancy vehicles through the implementation of multimodal transportation solutions.
Special attention is given to green building, clean energy and transportation.
Our Speaker
Chris is a renowned public official, sustainability professional, clean energy enthusiast, and eco-entrepreneur with a passion for advancing smart, resilient, and sustainable cities in balance with nature. In his current position since 2014, he has served as a senior advisor to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and "Future-Ready" steering committee member at the City of Orlando -- developing policies, programs, and partnerships that have turned Orlando into one of the leading cities in America accelerating sustainability, resiliency and climate action. Chris is also known for his entrepreneurial efforts prior to coming to the City, including co-founding a global sustainability nonprofit, IDEAS For Us, as well as a clean energy consulting firm, Citizen Energy, and a renowned urban farming social enterprise, Fleet Farming. In 2020, Chris also joined partners to launch Climate First Bank, the first B-Corp community bank in Florida working to advance ESG and local sustainable investing. Outside of work, Chris serves on many nonprofit and academic boards, including the UCF Energy Research Center, US Green Building Council of Florida, Project Greenschools, and Goodwill Industries of Central Florida. In December 2018, Chris was featured in a National Geographic documentary on climate change called "Paris to Pittsburgh."
Sponsored by Pearl's Premium Low-Maintenance Grass Seed .
There's more value in your design than you might know! LEED gives 2 credits to show it
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded November, 2021
This year's Greenbuild made it clear how important it is to make sure future building designs and retrofits are both environmentally and socially conscious. Hear how design teams have used LEED's Informing Design credits to showcase additional value from their designs, such as occupant benefits, owner benefits, and social impacts. A demonstration follows, showcasing the newly released feature in Autocase's software app that can get you up to 2 additional LEED credits quickly and easily.
Our Speakers
• Jill Kurtz, AIA, LEED AP, is a Principal and Director of Building Sciences at Page Southerland Page, Inc. She helps advance the multidisciplinary firm’s work to design for impact through higher performance, health, and resilience. Jill combines a research-based approach with a client-centric mindset. She leverages her strengths as a systems thinker and her ability to "speak engineer" to work across the firm's interdisciplinary practices to integrate building performance analysis into project delivery methods and tools.
• Ewa Rajchert-Linowski, Hon. BA, MSc, LEED AP BD+C, is Senior Project Manager at Ecovert Sustainability Consultants. She brings her expertise in sustainable building to the team with a holistic approach for incorporating energy, water, and building materials solutions early in the design phase. She has completed a wide array of sustainable building certifications, and worked on sustainable policies and plans for existing buildings.
• Riley McKillop, is an Account Manager and Economist at Autocase. He supports with research and economic modelling used in both software and consulting projects. His experience includes econometric modelling and research on equity risk premiums. He has a passion for financial economics and investment analysis pertaining to sustainable infrastructure.
Sponsored by Autocase. For more information or to schedule a demo, contact cansu@autocase.com.
Upgrading Biogas to RNG, featuring the City of Lincoln, NE
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded September, 2021
Biogas Upgrading to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) discusses the characteristics of raw biogas and the equipment needed to produce RNG for both pipeline injection and vehicle fuel. Our system case study on the Theresa Street Water Resource Recovery Facility is presented by the plant superintendent, the facilities maintenance coordinator and the energy recovery coordinator from the City of Lincoln, Nebraska. We break down the details for starting this type of project and discuss how a variety of biogas producers, both municipal and agricultural, are making these projects work for them.
This free 1-hour webinar is sponsored by Unison Solutions, an industry leader in biogas conditioning, biogas upgrading, and BioCNG vehicle fuel systems. Unison systems have been installed around the world at landfills, wastewater treatment facilities, dairies, and food processing digester plant.
Click here to download the handout.
Sponsored by Unison Solutions.
Carbon reductions, climate change, and the cost effectiveness of building sustainably
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded June, 2021
Finding cost-effective ways to reduce emissions is vital to achieving sustainability goals set by standards, owners, and design teams. The Autocase environment helps users create a business case for sustainable design features by leveraging previously accumulated data and accessing new information such as early stage cost estimation, life-cycle assessment (LCA) and life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA). Aligning the project performance, impact on emissions, and cost to take the necessary steps, design teams can optimize their budgets and make the case for better built environments.
Our speakers:
- Shane Minckley is an economics and implementation manager at Autocase. Shane has a passion for environmental economics and mathematical analysis. His experience includes data curation, empirical research and econometric modelling. His work with the firm focuses on sustainability in the built environment, the economics of those sustainability measures, and the pain points for practitioners in getting their designs approved.
- Caroline Quinn is a product manager at Autocase. Caroline has experience in data ontology for building automation systems to support smart and ongoing commissioning. She has a passion for the built environment and shifted into the industry by completing her masters in building science. Prior to this she worked in project coordination and management, implementing business systems. Her work at Autocase has been focused on improving and adding partner integrations including RSMeans early stage cost estimation.
Click here to download the handout.
Sponsored by Autocase. If you have any questions or want to schedule a demo, please contact cansu@autocase.com.
Finding Value in Liabilities: Incorporating property reuse into comprehensive planning
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded April, 2021
Taxes are a primary source of revenue for municipalities. Property use plays a big part in relation to that revenue potential. The value of property may be reduced based on perceived or actual impairments resulting in decreased tax revenue. This presentation discusses the impairments, potential consequences, and remedies that can be employed to improve the likelihood that all available property is utilized to its fullest potential.
Two examples – one in Anniston, Ala. and one in Oxford, Ala. – will be presented illustrating the benefit of evaluating property utilization in the context of a municipality’s comprehensive plan despite the presence of a perceived or actual property impairment (i.e., property located within a Superfund Site).
In this webinar, Mary Cate Loper, corporate sustainability analyst at Loper Group, Inc., explains how the two cities maximized the value of impaired properties by incorporating property reuse into their comprehensive plans.
Click here to download the handout.
Sponsored by the Loper Group, Inc.
How Cities are Divesting from Fossil Fuels
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded August, 2020
In January 2018, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that three of the city's largest pension funds would divest from fossil fuel companies and in September of the same year announced a commitment to double investments in climate solutions. Since then, 16 other U.S. cities have joined New York in adopting a fossil fuel divestment policy, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors recently passed a resolution supporting what has now become a global movement to build an economic recovery grounded in clean energy.
In this free 1-hour webinar recorded in August 2020, Lolita Jackson, Special Advisor, Climate Policy & Programs in the NYC Mayor's Office, and city of Pittsburgh Chief Resilience Officer Grant Ervin explain how the two cities are implementing their divestment policies. They walk us through a divestment toolkit New York recently developed in partnership with the city of London and C40 Cities. This new guide was prepared as part of the C40 Divest/Invest Forum, a first-of-its-kind initiative that helps urban leaders make the leap to effective and efficient divestment from fossil fuels, and accelerate green investment.
Click here to download the handout.
Sponsored by www.Hydroecology.org
Lean Six Sigma & Sustainability
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded July, 2020
Lean and Six Sigma are improvement methodologies that have helped organizations and businesses save money, improve delivery performance, reduce inventory and improve quality for decades. These techniques can also be used to help reduce negative impacts on the environment (energy, waste and landfill usage), and improve government agencies, education systems, nonprofits, healthcare, and more. Learn how you can apply these improvement skills to have a positive and rewarding impact in your organization and your local community.
Instructor Brion Hurley is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at Business Performance Improvement in Portland, Oregon. He teaches Lean and Six Sigma classes, facilitates workshops and events, performs statistical analysis, and mentors employees through improvement efforts. Prior to BPI, he spent 18 years at Rockwell Collins as a Lean Six Sigma consultant. He also led corporate sustainability teams to reduce electricity usage and solid waste, and volunteers his time with local nonprofits. He is the author of the “Lean Six Sigma for Good” book series.
Sponsored by Business Performance Improvement
Tying Operational & Embodied Carbon into Decision Making
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded June, 2020
Part 2 of a 2-part series
In Part 2, Architecture 2030, Cove.tool, Tally and Autocase team up to examine the importance of considering informed decision making for building designs, and specifically how these tools can help combat climate change. It's critical that projects sequester, offset, and avoid both operational and embodied carbon to do their part in combating the climate crisis.
In this session, you will learn how to implement these carbon-based goals using tools like Cove.tool, Tally and Autocase. We also discuss the importance of making the case for reduced carbon in a time where stimulus spending on infrastructure is expected.
Our speakers:
- Sandeep Ahuja is co-founder of Cove.tool, pioneering the integration of building performance into the design and construction process by developing and using intelligent technology and software.
- Roderick Bates is a principal in the KieranTimberlake Research Group, makers of Tally, using ecological, economic, climate, social, and site data to drive informed sustainable design.
- Erin McDade leads Architecture 2030’s public policy and embodied carbon initiatives, a crucial part of which involves developing data-driven solutions for building sector decarbonization.
- Shane Minckley is an economist and account manager at Autocase with a passion for environmental economics and mathematical analysis.
Sponsored by Autocase. If you have any questions or want to schedule a demo, please contact info@autocase.com
Learn How to Make the Economic Case to Support Your Sustainable Building Project During These Trying
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded May, 2020
Part 1 of a 2-part series
In Part 1, our speakers present: "A Triple Bottom Line Cost Justification for Green Buildings – Building the Business Case for Healthy, Sustainable, and Resilient Design - Introduction to Green Building Economics."
Using real-life case studies of buildings whose designs were informed by economic business cases, the speakers walk participants through how to efficiently prepare a comprehensive analysis of sustainable investments. Participants gain a better understanding of the resources that can be used to complete the assessments, and which opportunities can benefit most from economic cost justification.
Our speakers:
- John Peterson, OAA FRAIC, is director of sustainable design & building innovation at MJMA in Toronto, Ontario.
- Jeanne Ng is senior associate at MJMA.
- Ted Kesik is a professor of building science in the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto.
- John Parker is an economist by trade and is chief product officer & co-founder of Autocase.
Attendees also learn how they can use Autocase free of charge for 30 days starting in June. Visit Autocase.com/freejune for details.
Sponsored by Autocase. If you have any questions or want to schedule a demo, please contact info@autocase.com
Understanding How Climate Risk Affects Property Owners
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded May, 2020
In response to growing interest in understanding how climate risk affects property owners, a Canadian study examines system-wide vulnerabilities and opportunities for resilience investment to reduce risk and increase response capacity to more frequent catastrophic loss events.
This free one-hour webinar features climate resilience consultant Chris Chopik and Jenny Whyte, strategic foresight and innovation consultant at Northumberland County, Ontario, who discuss their research examining the current and future projected impacts of climate change on property values.
This study reveals a unique framework for resilience investment for commercial and residential real estate markets and demonstrates an innovative approach to asset-centric investment in resilience, which delivers more tangible value to property owners.
The case study examines climate impacts across all regions of Ontario, Canada's economic hub. The framework presented offers a simple and understandable value proposition that can be used by governments to get buy-in from property owners. This framework is usable by governments for engaging constituents and property owners/managers in understanding the real estate value of investing in resilience infrastructure, and regional capacity to respond.
In addition to the asset-centric approach, this framework advocates a unique process for community engagement in areas both acutely affected by climate impact, as well as those developing resilience plans. This inclusive design approach aims to strengthen the fabric of resilience investment, as communities facing these challenges are only as strong as their weakest link.
Telling the full carbon story of your design
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded April, 2020
Learn how life cycle assessment (LCA) can help quantify the triple bottom line benefits of green building projects.
Beyond just thinking about operational carbon, reducing embodied carbon has become an effective way to reduce a building's overall carbon footprint. This webinar illustrates how Autocase and One Click LCA have teamed up to enable design teams to quickly and easily quantify the whole carbon story. You'll come away with an understanding of the importance of both embodied and operational carbon plays, how to quantify them, how to make the case for them, and real-world applications.
Our speakers:
- Dr. Rodrigo Castro is senior life cycle assessment expert at One Click LCA. He is an expert in building sustainability with advanced know-how in Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing, EN and ISO LCA standards, and their application for embodied and operational carbon.
- Sara Kingman is a sustainability engineer at Buro Happold Engineering and is a LEED AP, EcoDistricts AP, and a TRUE Zero Waste Advisor.
- Simon Fowell is an economist and account manager at Autocase. He has dedicated the last seven years of his academic and professional career to building a business case for environmental sustainability.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA):
This free webinar describes how to use best-practice economics and life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of a high-performance building project through its life cycle, from the sourcing of raw materials to the manufacturing, distribution, use, recycling, and final disposal of the building materials.
Sponsored by Autocase. If you have any questions or want to schedule a demo, please contact info@autocase.com.
Developing an Economic Business Case for Healthier Buildings
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded October, 2019
This webinar describes the evaluation of high-performance building projects using best practice economics to develop a business case for healthier, high performance buildings across the triple bottom line (social, environmental, and financial).
In 2019, Autocase evaluated Miami-Dade County's Building Efficiency 305 Program and its related strategies. Policies analyzed in the report include annual benchmarking for all buildings of 20,000 square feet or larger, and re-tuning and auditing, respectively, every five and 10 years, for all buildings 50,000 square feet or larger. Results of the Triple Bottom Line Cost-Benefit Analysis (TBL-CBA) conducted by Autocase show that the combination of these policies provides benefits to both property owners and the general public by providing more than $7 billion in net value through 2030. This report validates the positive triple bottom line benefits of the program, including social benefits such as health improvements related to reduced air pollution.
In this webinar, featuring Patricia Gómez, P.E., C.E.M, LEED AP BD+C, resilience/energy program manager at Miami-Dade County's Office of Resilience, and Eric Bill, vice president of economics at Autocase, we discuss how occupant health and well-being can be quantified as important components of a building project's triple bottom line.
By participating in the webinar, attendees are eligible for 1 AIA Learning Unit (LU). This webinar is Part 2, a more in-depth follow-up to Part 1, which was titled: Triple Bottom Line Cost Justification for Green Buildings - Building the Business Case for Healthy, Sustainable, and Resilient Design.
Sponsored by Autocase. If you have any questions or want to schedule a demo, please contact info@autocase.com.
Quantifying the Benefits of Better Building Design
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded June, 2019
There is an increased emphasis on understanding the impacts your building project will have on occupants, the surrounding community and environment, as well as the owner's Return on Investment (ROI). In this presentation you'll learn how Autocase quantifies the impact of your design, using cost benefit analysis, to add location-specific metrics to your story, such as occupant health, improved air quality, and your building's carbon footprint, in addition to the more traditional metrics, such as ROI and Net Present Value. See how easy it is to make a comprehensive business case for more sustainable, resilient and smarter buildings.
This webinar features Phil Bernstein, associate dean at Yale School of Architecture; John Williams, CEO of Autocase; and Kate Lawson, lead product manager at Autocase, as we discuss how occupant health and well-being can be quantified as important components of a building project's triple bottom line.
Sponsored by Autocase
Re-Thinking the Value of Water: Turning single-purpose infrastructure in to public assets
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded March, 2019
The challenges local governments face with water can be put into three buckets (excuse the pun): quantity, quality and reliability.
This webinar follows case studies in Los Angeles County, Calif., and Jacksonville, Fla. It features Josh Svensson, a civil engineer in the Los Angeles County Public Works' Stormwater Planning Division; Rebecca Vanderbeck, a professional engineer and senior associate environmental engineer in Wood’s Jacksonville office; and Simon Fowell, an economist and account managers at Autocase. The three discuss regional water challenges and how we can use sustainable return on investment (S-ROI) to re-think the value of water in our cities, and in doing so turn single-purpose infrastructure in to public assets.
Sponsored by Autocase
Philadelphia's Clean Energy Future
Free 1-Hour Webinar – Recorded February, 2019
This free 1-hour webinar features Christine Knapp, sustainability director for the City of Philadelphia. Among other climate- and energy-related topics, she and Energy Manager Adam Agalloco provide an overview of a new power purchase agreement that will enable the construction of a 70-Megawatt solar facility – the largest in Pennsylvania by sevenfold – providing 22 percent of the city government’s electricity needs.
In 2017, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced the city's pledge to get all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. This new PPA is just one of the strategies that will help reach that goal.
Sponsored by the Growing Sustainable Communities Conference