Activities
2019 Next Generation Water Summit Keynoters Announced
The Next Generation Water Summit always looks to provide innovative content, and 2019 is no exception. Keynoters include: Dr. James White of University of Colorado at Boulder, Paula Kehoe of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-NM). The Summit features over 50 sessions, many qualifying for Continuing Education Credits from AIA (Health, Safety & Welfare), QWEL, ARCSA, WERS, and BPI. Discussions dedicated to advancing water reuse, water conservation and advancing innovative water effective building practices will fill the halls of the Santa Fe Community Convention Center on June 12-14.
Dr. James White, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder will address the Next Generation Water Summit on June 12th in Santa Fe, NM. Dr. White’s keynote address, “Climate Change – The Tipping Point and the Economic Impact”, will begin at 8:15am in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. Climate change is going to impact our water supply, both the demand side and the supply side of the equation. “A changing climate presents a host of problems for us as we seek to create a sustainable society for the future. We need to not only know what lies ahead, but how fast that new reality will come at us, and continually ask ourselves if we are adequately prepared to face the challenges,” stated Dr. White.
Paula Kehoe, Director of Water Resources, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) will give the keynote address on June 13th at 8:15am. “Onsite non-potable water treatment is gaining traction in an effort to match the right water with the right use. These advances represent a significant opportunity to transform the way water is managed in our communities. I am excited to discuss these advances at the upcoming Next Generation Water Summit,” stated Kehoe.
U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) will address the Next Generation Water Summit on June 14th in Santa Fe, NM. Congressman Luján’s keynote address will begin at 8:15 am in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. “One of my earliest memories is helping tend the acequia on my family’s small farm in Nambé, and I know that water is one of our most precious resources in both New Mexico and in the West. I introduced the Acequia Conservation Program Eligibility Act to help ensure that water conservation is a chief goal as we live, work, and plan for our communities’ futures. I am encouraged that we are holding the Next Generation Water Summit in Santa Fe to work on the solutions that are necessary for our survival,” Rep. Luján recently stated.
Some of the experts scheduled to present June 12th – 13th include:
- Dr. Rolston St. Hilaire, Professor & Department Head at New Mexico State University
- Bill Hoffman of H.W. Hoffman & Associates and father of commercial water audits
- Art Ludwig, founder of Oasis Design and father of modern greywater systems
- Mary Ann Dickinson, Executive Director of the Alliance for Water Efficiency
The final day of the Summit will feature a “Careers in Water” track aimed at students preparing to embark on their careers, as well as others who might be seeking a career in water. Mary Ann Dickinson will help kick off the day by participating in a panel discussing leadership roles in the water industry. “I’m thrilled to present once again at the Next Generation Water Summit,” exclaimed Dickinson. “This intimate event on sustainable water provides a great balance between deep-dive sessions and networking.”
Friday also features 20+ presentations and a Careers in Water track. This track will also feature sessions on various facets of the water industry that are applicable to projects big and small, including water certifications, alternative water, irrigation and landscape. “We’re really excited to offer content that is relevant to today’s students, but we also hope they take the opportunity to network with some of the most prominent leaders in the industry,” said Doug Pushard, co-Chair, 2019 NGWS and co-founder of KUELWater.
The workshops include: Greywater Basics, Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS)® Verifier and Consultant training, Commercial Water Auditor Training, Hotel Water Audits, QWEL Landscape training, and several others. For more information on the rest of the Summit, please visit www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com.
Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit will be the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce; Green Builder® Coalition; City of Santa Fe; the Alliance for Water Efficiency, KUELWater, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Major sponsors include the Turner Foundation and Phyn. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder® Media is the national media partner.
About the Next Generation Water Summit
The Next Generation Water Summit brings together the building and development community, water reuse professionals and water policymakers in a collaborative setting to share best practices and learn about innovative water conservation and water reuse techniques that can be used to comply with water conservation restrictions spreading across the southwest.
Coalition Executive Director to Deliver Plenary at National Energy Codes Conference
Green Builder Coalition Executive Director Mike Collignon has been asked to deliver a plenary at the upcoming National Energy Codes Conference in Denver, CO. His session is titled, “Water: The Overlooked Resource” and will occur on Wednesday, May 29 at 4:30pm MT.
“Even though this is a year in which the model energy code (IECC) is being updated, the Department of Energy has made water one of the priorities at their annual conference,” stated Collignon. “I commend them for making it so, because the energy footprint of water cannot be ignored if we are truly striving for zero-net energy communities.”
For more information on the conference, please click here.
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