IDEA campus conferences regularly tap leaders from colleges and universities to share their best practices
during the opening panel of experts, shown here.
former general manager of the Medical
Area Total Energy Plant serving the
Harvard Medical School and Longwood
Medical Area, offered insights on Harvard’s
operating systems and area-wide approach
to resource conservation and sustainable design.
IDEA was honored to welcome Ian
Bowles, secretary, Executive Office of
Energy and Environmental Affairs for
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
who oversees six environmental, natural
resource and energy regulatory agencies. Massachusetts is the first U.S. state
to combine energy and environmental
agencies under one Cabinet secretary.
bers spoke of rising energy costs, student
activism for cleaner energy solutions,
administration pressures to assess carbon
emissions and the need to address energy
and water conservation imperatives. The
robust technical program featured sessions
on carbon strategies, master planning,
project development, system integration
and a variety of other topics. A mix of
presentations and panel discussions
allowed for participation and dialogue
on key issues such as system controls
and operational performance.
IDEA was pleased to recognize Sen.
John Kerry, D-Mass., with the IDEA Clean
Energy Champion Award for his leadership
and support of legislation favorable for
district energy and CHP in the passage
of the Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007. Sen. Kerry was held back in
Washington, D.C., for Senate votes but
provided a video address to the assembly.
It is posted on IDEA’s Web site (www.district
energy.org/pop-up/pop-up/html).
His Excellency Minister Dr. Mohammed
Saeed Al Kindi, United Arab Emirates’
minister of environment, was not able
to attend, but Ahmad Bin Shafar, chief
executive officer of Empower, kindly
accepted the Global Environmental
Leadership Award on behalf of Minister
Al Kindi.
The conference was preceded by
the 20th Distribution Workshop, which
was organized by co-chairs Mark Vogler,
Citizens Thermal, and Renato Derech,
Con Edison Steam Operations. The workshop started off with a half-day training
session on water hammer safety by
Wayne Kirsner, PE, Kirsner Consulting.
Offering practical insights to the sources
and causes of water hammer incidents,
Kirsner delivered a thoughtful session
that probed and tested underlying causes, alerting attendees to dangerous field
conditions. By the time Derech provided
the report on the causes and findings of
Massachusetts is the first U.S.
state to combine energy and
environmental agencies under
one Cabinet secretary.
Secretary Bowles also chairs the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and
the Energy Facilities Siting Board. In his
remarks, he referenced the convergence
of policy, economics and environmental
imperatives as an opportunity for clean
energy technologies like district energy
and combined heat and power.
With an opening panel of experienced
campus utility directors, the conference
theme came to life as leading IDEA mem-
IDEA Business Partner exhibitors turned out in full force as the tabletop exhibits space was completely
sold out. During conference breaks and evening receptions, the exhibit area was abuzz with activity.
Many exhibitors report that this conference exhibit event generates the largest percentage of their
annual business each year.
