Darryll Fortune, Johnson Controls
One attendee described it as “another blowout conference,” and that it was. I was among the more than 25,000 people who packed this year’s Greenbuild conference the week before Thanksgiving in Boston. Despite tough economic conditions (how’s that for understatement?!), I didn’t see any signs that enthusiasm about green buildings is in retreat.
For those of us who work for Johnson Controls, this year’s Greenbuild was another opportunity to raise our collective voices about the importance of energy efficiency as the first step towards a solution to the energy crisis. Operating under the Efficiency Now mantra a new web site was unveiled looking at some fun energy and sustainability factoids, games and videos. Individuals and businesses are asked to look at energy efficiency as the first step toward solving our energy crisis. Log onto the site: www.johnsoncontrols.com/efficiencynow
Besides that pronouncement, there were several other key initiatives:
- Greenprint – a new online tool we put together in partnership with the National Resources Defense Council that helps both consumers and businesses take next steps to cut their energy use. www.mygreenprint.org to try it out.
- Kilowatt Ours – if this fabulous documentary that we’ve sponsored doesn’t inspire you to take action, you’re hopeless. The film will be broadcast by more than 70 public television stations nationwide. As the announcer says, “check your local listings!”
- New technologies including Gridlogix, PWI Energy and IBM Tivoli Monitoring for Energy Management – all designed to dial up any organization’s energy efficiency.
- And a new training program to certify 800 (500 in the U.S., 300 in Asia) of my Johnson Controls colleagues as LEED Accredited Professionals by this time next year. The salespeople and service technicians who’ll receive this training will be better able to help customers make their buildings as energy efficient as possible.
It was obvious to me that this focus on energy efficiency is in lockstep with what people who attended Greenbuild are looking for –people who design or build or own buildings – people who are hungrier than I’ve ever seen them for new and innovative ways to further reduce their energy costs, shrink their environmental footprint and make their buildings more valuable.
One final announcement Johnson Controls made at this year’s Greenbuild has a very special and very personal meaning to me. That’s the introduction of the new Building Efficiency Lifetime Leadership (or BELL) award and its first recipient: Paul von Paumgartten, director of energy and environmental affairs for building efficiency here at Johnson Controls. Paul is a longtime friend and colleague, and he’s been a champion of green buildings in our company and throughout the industry since before green was cool. Paul was a founding member of the USGBC and helped in the development of the first LEED rating system. He deserves this award more than anyone I know, and we’re all very proud of him.
Future BELL awards will be presented at our Green Tie Affair at GreenBuild in coming years. We’re looking for longstanding leaders in energy efficiency in buildings, energy policy, energy efficient products, renewable energy or energy efficiency communications. If that describes you or someone you know, you’ll find a nomination form here.
Here’s hoping to see you at the next big green events: AHR Expo and ASHRAE Winter Conference, both next month in Chicago. Until then, efficiency now!
