Calendar

IIASA Conference 2012. Worlds within reach: from science to policy

annebe — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:00:24 +0200

Today’s world is undergoing major transformations, characterized by increased globalization, fundamental shifts in economic and political power, escalating environmental challenges, and deep social conflict. IIASA’s 40th Anniversary Conference will examine the many sustainability and development challenges such transformations impose and explore options for resolving them. It will explore new ‘future worlds’: Worlds that accommodate our collective needs and aspirations, while living within, and respecting, planetary boundaries.

Leading scientists and experts from a diverse range of disciplines, regions, and institutions will present findings which aim to generate debate and further analyses, and help to identify viable pathways through these complex and interlinked global challenges. The Conference will reinforce the relevance and application of advanced systems analysis and integrated approaches in providing science-based solutions for policymakers faced with these pervasive problems.

The IIASA 40th Anniversary Conference will take place over three days: the first two days at the Hofburg Congress Centre, Vienna, and the third as a more interactive Open Day at IIASA, Laxenburg. IIASA Open Day guests—researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders—will have the opportunity to interact through a range of formal and informal activities, enabling participants to experience where, and how, IIASA scientists conduct research and analysis and to extend discussions initiated during the previous two days.

Call for papers - IIASA Conference 2012. Worlds within reach: from science to policy

annebe — Tue, 22 May 2012 09:19:16 +0200

IIASA invites you to submit an abstract for the poster session of its international conference:

WORLDS WITHIN REACH: FROM SCIENCE TO POLICY

taking place in Austria from 24-26 October 2012

The poster sessions provide an excellent opportunity to display your research to conference participants and expected 800 people including researchers, policy makers, diplomats and research funders. IIASA˙s conference will build on the outcome of Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, by presenting what science can contribute toward the policies for resolving the many sustainability and development challenges brought about by today˙s major global transformations. Read more

Posters need to fit within one of the following conference themes:

Global Transformations - Understanding the world we live in and its possible futures
Drivers of Global Change - People, institutions, and technology: A systems perspective
Respecting Nature - Boundaries for a Fair and Secure World, Food and Water
The Multiple Co-benefits of a Cleaner, More Equitable World - Energy and Climate Stability
Eliminating the Unacceptable Social Ills of the 21st Century - Poverty and Inequity
Addressing the Challenges Concurrently - The formidable tools of Systems Analysis
New Concepts of Equity and Wellbeing
New Concepts of Development

Posters will be selected based on the quality of the research and the relevance to the conference themes, see conference program

To apply for the poster session, please complete the online form by 15 June 2012. A review of abstracts will be conducted by an independent committee of scientists both from IIASA and external organizations, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance by mid-July. The best posters will receive awards in the final plenary at IIASA.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact David McCollum or Sabine Fuss.

International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, SEB'12

annebe — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:35:37 +0200

Following the success of earlier events in the series, SEB'12, the Fourth International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, will take place in Stockholm, Sweden at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in partnership with KES International.

Applicable areas include technology for renewable energy and sustainability in the built environment; also optimisation and modeling techniques, information and communication technology usage, behaviour and practice, including applications. More details can be found on the conference topics page.

In addition to the presentations, SEB'12 will include expert keynote talks, invited sessions and workshops. SEB'12 is an exciting chance to present, interact, and learn about the latest research in this important area. Stockholm in the late summer provides a beautiful background to the conference providing an excellent opportunity to enjoy the many attractions of the city.

The Australian Research Council Excellence for Research in Australia survey in 2010 (ERA2010) rated SEB as a Grade 'A' (top grade) conference.

For more information

Energy futures and civil society in the EU - building a low carbon alliance

annebe — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:55:00 +0200

This conference will explore how the process of guidance towards a future energy mix launched by Energy Roadmap 2050 can focus on the genuine participation of citizens in the debate on a low carbon energy future. Good practices on the dialogue with citizens or among citizens on energy futures will be starting point of discussions on:

Debate on energy futures: what is the current state of dialogue at the EU, national, regional and local level?
Management of change in European societies: What forms of a structured dialogue are used and which of them do civil society and the authorities find the most effective? Which of them are able to influence the mindsets of citizens about sustainable energy and the need to reduce energy use?
Role of media: what is the state of the debate on energy future in the media: is it transparent and informative enough for citizens? What does civil society expects from the media?
Coherent debate: What are the interactions between the different levels of the debate on energy futures? What are the gaps?
Citizens education and consciousness: Are citizens equipped and willing to understand the challenges linked to energy futures, climate and lifestyle change? Is good information sufficient or are other, more diversified forms of communication needed to respond to deeply held views?

The participation is free of charge and the invitation open to all stakeholders concerned by low carbon energy futures. Among the speakers will be representatives of EU Institutions, national, regional and local authorities, NGOs, research, media and citizens' initiatives.

For further information please contact us at: EnergyFutures2012@eesc.europa.eu

Programme

In the coming days, please check our website for the update of the programme and more information about the event.

7th International Renewable Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition (IRES 2012)

annebe — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:35:00 +0100

EUROSOLAR and the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE) are continuing their successful IRES conference series in 2012. The IRES 2012 will take place at the bcc Berlin Congress Center in the heart of the German capital, November 12-14, 2012.

The event brings together all relevant protagonists: From the energy storage business, both the renewable and conventional energy business, grid operators and utilities, players from the hybrid and electric vehicle sector, the building industry, finance, R&D and politics.

The view in the professional energy storage world is that IRES has developed into the central platform for sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas on one of the key issues of future energy supply. IRES 2011 attracted attendance from more than 40 countries with 600 attendees and repeated the success of the previous year.

We cordially invite you to attend the IRES 2012 and to respond to the call for papers! More information is available online.

Finally, we would like to invite you to become a sponsor and/or exhibitor at the IRES 2012, an invaluable opportunity to reach out to an international high-profile audience.

MILEN 2012 Conference

annebe — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:48:06 +0100

The goal of the 2012 conference is articulated in the title: to advance research and policy agendas on sustainable energy and the environment. In addition we expect the conference to provide a forum for the presentation of cutting edge research; to stimulate interdisciplinary cooperation; and to solidify and expand MILENs international network.

The conference will take place over two full days on the University of Oslo campus. There will be 3 keynote addresses, several plenary and parallel sessions, and ample opportunities for informal discussions. We are expecting around 100 participants and 40 – 50 papers, which will be selected based on an assessment of abstracts.

Conference themes

Transforming practices
If we are to make progress towards a lower energy using and lower environmental impacting society, significant changes will be necessary in the practices of households, researchers, policy makers and businesses. We are interested in new thinking on how to make these transformations happen and papers which present and analyze cases or examples of successful transformations.

Implementing technologies
There is a dire need for accelerated implementation of technologies which contribute to the amelioration of energy-related environmental challenges (e.g. renewable energy technologies, carbon storage and end-use technologies) without causing significant socio-economic or environmental side-effects. We are interested in papers which address the scientific, political, economic, environmental and societal challenges associated with implementation of sustainable energy technologies.

Stimulating natural and social science interaction on innovative policy
There are many examples on how natural scientists and social scientists have cooperated in the fruitful development of new policy instruments (such as critical environmental loads, carbon taxes and green certificates). But what characterizes successful interdisciplinary cooperation? We are interested in papers which illustrate how interdisciplinary research can generate synergy and generate new perspectives and/or new policy frameworks. Papers should take up either ideas or cases (examples) which illustrate how natural and social science can work together to contribute to the development of more effective policies in the domains of sustainable energy, climate change and the resolution other critical environmental challenges.

For more information

33rd AIVC and 2nd TightVent Conference

annebe — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:10:00 +0100

Conference concept
The conference will consist of 2 or 3 parallel tracks:

One track will to a large extent be devoted to ventilative cooling;

One track will to a large extent be devoted to airtightness issues.

The conference will consist of a mixture of:

Well-prepared structured workshops focused on the conference topics;

Presentations on invitation;

Presentations from call for papers.

Scope
The joint ’33rd AIVC Conference‘ and ’2nd TightVent Conference’ aims to focus on ventilation and infiltration in nearly zero-energy buildings and more particularly on challenges and perspectives for ventilative cooling (the use of ventilation systems to cool indoor spaces) as well as the rationale and solutions for better building and ductwork airtightness.

Ventilative cooling strategies, as part of an overall design strategy including adequate solar protections, thermal mass and active cooling, can help improve thermal comfort. Their potential is more and more considered to reduce the cooling energy demand in summer or mid-season conditions, depending in particular on outdoor climate, building design and internal loads.

At the same time, ventilation as well as envelope and ductwork airtightness remain a specific challenge for new or renovated very low-energy buildings as they can represent over 50% of a building's total space heating (or cooling) needs. Besides, their share often increases with increasing energy performance.

To address these issues, the aim of this conference is to present and foster new research and development, applications and market transformation with a specific focus on ventilative cooling strategies as well as envelope and ductwork airtightness, two aspects that are particularly relevant in the trend towards nearly zero-energy buildings.

Topics of the conference
Contributions are invited in the areas of research, development, application and market and legislative implementation of ventilation and infiltration. Preference will be given to abstracts focusing on one of the following topics:

For ventilative cooling aspects:

Potential for ventilative cooling strategies
Design approaches for ventilative cooling and case studies
Ventilative cooling in energy performance regulations
Summer comfort and ventilation

For airtightness related aspects:

Product and method developments for envelope and ductwork airtightness
Best practice and case studies
Quality management approaches for envelope and ductwork airtightness
Airtightness issues in existing buildings
Energy and IAQ impact of envelope and ductwork leakage
Ventilation and infiltration in mild climates

For other ventilation aspects:

Innovative ventilation concepts and combined systems
Demand-controlled ventilation
Humidity control and moisture damage
Ventilation and thermal comfort, and infiltration in nearly zero-energy buildings

Registration form

Conference flyer

Conference secretariat
Mr. Stéphane Degauquier
sd@bbri.be - Fax +32.2.653.07.29
INIVE EEIG (c/o WTCB-CSTC-BBRI)
Lozenberg 7 – BE-1932 St-Stevens-Woluwe, Belgium

Additional information
More information will be soon available on the AIVC website and TightVent Europe website.

Energy efficiency and behaviour conference 2012

annebe — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:10:19 +0100

The Second European Conference on Energy Efficiency and Behaviour will take place on September 20th to 21st, 2012 in Helsinki, Finland.

In October 2009 NL Agency organised a similar conference in Maastricht with a wide range of presentations on behaviour and decision making related to energy consumption and a sustainable future. The conference attracted a wide audience from European countries but also participants from other continents.

The Helsinki conference aims to tackle the topic further from the end users' and market’s point of view. We aim to attract companies offering advanced energy efficiency services and products along with members of the research community and energy efficiency and behaviour practitioners in different sectors.

Call for Abstracts

The conference organisers welcome presentations under the following topics:

Energy use in buildings
Technology and behaviour
Consumer behaviour
Behaviour in and of organisations
Transport
Feedback and metering
Social context of energy
Choosing specific instruments (advice, audits)
Monitoring and evaluation

Submission deadline: Monday, March 19th, 2012

Submit your abstract here

The conference is organised by Motiva Oy. Motiva is an expert company promoting efficient and sustainable use of energy and materials.

The conference is financially supported by the Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA, Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Ministry of the Environment and Helsingin Energia, a major energy company in Finland.

Learn more about the conference

Electronics goes green 2012+

annebe — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:12:43 +0100

The event is a cutting-edge forum for discussion on electronics and the environment. Leading technology experts and eco-designers will meet for four days of lectures, workshops and networking on this ever more important topic.

Under the slogan, “Taking Green to the Next Level”, the program will feature exciting new approaches in green IT, life-cycle engineering, new technologies and all the latest issues in legislation and regulation, corporate social responsibility and managing critical resources and sustainability. The congress will include an exhibition of best practice products, where participants can get a hands-on look at all the latest in green technology and have a chance to meet with the developers and manufacturers of tomorrow’s technology today.

The event will build on the success of the last three “Electronics Goes Green” Conferences in 2000, 2004 and 2008, which were all attended by over 500 participants. Particularly exciting was the international character of the event –participants from over 35 different countries registered for the last conference. We plan to seize this opportunity at Electronics Goes Green 2012 by including a special forum for scientific and educational exchange with emerging economies.

Join hundreds of participants from industry, academia, NGOs and politics in Berlin, Germany, from September 9 to 12, 2012 for the premier conference on the intersection between electronics and the environment. Bookmark this website to stay up-to-date as the program and organizational details are finalized. We’ll also be posting public material from the key note presentations, other presentation material and updating the conference statistics on a regular basis.

More information

Green Economics Institute- 7th Annual Green Economics Conference

annebe — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:40:00 +0100

Green Economy: Reform and renaissance of economics and its methodology-Green Economics-the solutions for the 21st century. Green Economy: Rethinking Growth: RIO+20

Topical recent and current issues will be featured and debated at the Conference. Share and discuss green ideas and methodologies with international experts in the field, with academics and green business leaders, MPs, Economics professors, engineers and business directors, campaigners and many others.

Please inquire for detailed information and fees, and reserve a place: greeneconomicsevents@yahoo.co.uk
www.greeneconomics.org.uk

Brochure (pdf)

International workshop on energy efficiency for a more sustainable world

annebe — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:48:29 +0100

The International Workshop on Energy Efficiency for a More Sustainable World will be held at the University of Azores, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal, 14-16 September 2012.

This international workshop aims at providing a forum for researchers and practitioners working in energy efficiency in multiple and interdisciplinary perspectives ranging from technology and economics to environmental and social sciences, also encompassing policy design and implementation as well as behavioral sciences.

Communications are expected to cover a wide range of topics including the design and analysis of energy efficiency policies and programs; assessment of socio-economic impacts at local, regional, national and international levels; energy efficiency in the residential, services, industrial and transport sectors; the contribution of energy efficiency for GHG mitigation; innovative technologies to improve energy efficiency, including ICT; energy efficiency in buildings and urban environments; demand-side management and demand response; consumer behavior and dynamics of consumption; the role of electric vehicles to promote energy efficiency; education for a smarter use of energy; smart grids as an energy efficiency enabler; the role of energy service companies; integration of energy efficiency with other energy policies; energy efficiency in isolated systems; methodologies to evaluate and certify energy savings; market-based mechanisms for energy efficiency; the role of regulators in promoting energy efficiency; standards and labels; market transformation; free-ridership and rebound effects; energy efficiency case studies. Other topics and disciplines dealing with energy efficiency for more sustainable world are mostly welcome.

For more information

PassiveHouse Symposium

annebe — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:42:00 +0100

The passive house concept is the ideal way to reach zero energy!

The 5th of October 2012 Passiefhuis-Platform and Plate-Forme Maison Passive will organise the eleventh edition of the PassiveHouse Symposium in Brussels, Belgium.

PassiveHouse Symposium
The PassiveHouse Symposium was founded to facilitate the exchange of ideas, knowledge and progress in the field of energy-efficient construction.

This symposium offers a platform for speakers all over Europe to share their knowledge on innovating technologies, their research and their experience. In 2011, 400 participants gathered for this symposium to exchange ideas and learn the latest developments.

For more information

Behaviour, energy & climate change conference (BECC) 2012

annebe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:12:18 +0100

The Behavior, Energy and Climate Change (BECC) Conference 2012 - now in its sixth year - is the premier event focused on understanding individual and organizational behavior and decision-making in the realms of energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and sustainability. BECC 2012 will build on the overwhelming success of previous BECC conferences, at which more than 650 participants discussed innovative policy and program strategies, shared important research findings, and engaged in building dynamic new networks and collaborations.

Ultimately, we seek to answer the question, how can we most effectively encourage low-carbon behavior?

No single field encompasses all facets of behavior change, so BECC brings together a wide range of top academics, practitioners and policy-makers to provide the latest and most relevant behavioral research findings, best practices and measured results.

Why Attend BECC 2012
Great Speakers: The BECC 2012 program will include more than 40 plenary and topic sessions showcasing over 150 presenters There will also be poster presentations, workshops, participant-organized sessions, "tweet-ups" and our traditional fun film festival.

Extraordinary People: senior-level policymakers, social and natural scientists, program implementers, media, and energy experts. Don't miss our conference Kick-Off Program and Networking Reception on Sunday evening, November 11.

Cutting-Edge Information: Come hear the latest behavioral research, discuss emerging policy issues, share effective program/communication strategies, and engage in collaboration building across all sectors of endeavor, public and private.

For more information

eceee industrial summer study - eceee introduces new Summer Study to be held 2012

admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:25:00 +0100

Economically sound, energy efficient industries are key to maintaining and developing the industrial production base in old and newly industrialised economies. The energy and climate gains are large as well: the industry sector accounts for about one third of energy consumption in the EU and the share is similar in other industrialised economies.

In a time of global financial turmoil and shaky markets, it is crucial to improve the resilience of the industry sector by making it more efficient and productive. This is important not only to maintain or secure a stable position in the market, but also to contribute to sustainable development. Increased focus on energy efficiency can not only control fuel costs, it can also help to increase quality of production and reduce non-energy costs associated with maintenance, production stand still and insurance fees. And this will have positive employment benefits.

The eceee Summer Study on energy efficiency in industry is inspired by eceee’s traditional Summer Studies (see the recent conference evaluation – as well as the ACEEE’s US-based Summer Study on energy efficiency in industry. The conference covers all types of industry, from production and food processing to heavy process industry. The eceee industrial Summer Study will be held over three and a half days and is expected to attract industry, energy service companies, policymakers, academia, NGOs and other professionals in energy efficiency. They will meet in the stimulating informal setting that is the trademark of eceee’s Summer Studies.

Where and when?

Papendal Hotel and Conference Centre in the Netherlands, 11 – 14 September 2012. The Centre is located on the site of the Papendal National Sport Centre in Arnhem, a training ground for many Dutch olympic teams.

Format of the industrial energy efficiency Summer Study

Just like the traditional eceee Summer Study, the industry Summer Study will offer a mix of formal presentations in parallel panel sessions, plenaries, informal sessions, poster presentations and, of course, round the clock networking.

Those familiar with our Summer Studies will notice a few innovations: There will be the possibility to pre-book informal sessions, but these will be held in a “power-point free zone”. Special emphasis will be placed on the quality of posters to make them a true complement to the presentations of papers in parallel sessions.

Presenting at the Summer Study

The call for papers will be announced shortly. Abstracts are due mid-February, so you should start thinking about your paper now.

Peer reviewed papers will be presented in 6 panels. Acceptance of posters will be based on abstracts received.

The thematic panels are presented below.

Become a sponsor

eceee welcomes partners and sponsors. A number of options are available. Please contact eceee for more information: eceee@eceee.org

Spread the word!

The conference needs abstracts and attendance to become a success. Please help spread the word on this conference within your own networks. If you want to receive more information about this conference, or if you know of anyone else who should do so, just send us the contact information. eceee@eceee.org

See you in September 2012!

The six thematic panels

1. Programmes to promote industrial energy efficiency

National & regional (or state) programmes have the benefit of short lines between policymakers, implementers and industry. What types of programmes have been implemented to encourage industry to improve its energy efficiency levels? What are the results of these programmes, what lessons learned can be shared and what would be the advice to other economies? Are the programmes primarily aimed at energy, environment, or is economic recovery and job creation equally important? In this panel, examples from all over the globe are welcome. This panel includes policy measures such as Long Term Agreements, other voluntary programmes and mandatory programmes.

2. Sustainable production design and supply chain initiatives

Energy efficiency experts often have a very narrow focus on energy efficiency in a given enterprise. Often that’s their strength. But the best results can often be achieved if the design of sustainable production is done not in one production unit, but in the whole product chain. Extending the design to materials (including water) with concepts like cradle to cradle (including CEN TC 350) can be far superior to the focused energy approach. We invite studies on both theoretical production design and practical production. Papers dealing with non-energy benefits will be of interest in this panel.

3. Matching policies and drivers: Policies and Directives to drive industrial efficiency

The EU Energy Efficiency Plan 2011 is very ambitious. Making it happen will take an immense effort. This panel is looking at the effects of the different Directives and policies that have been in place so far, and that have had an impact on the industrial sector. What can we learn from monitoring & evaluation of Directives like ETS, CHP, Ecodesign and ESD? And what may we expect from the Lead Market Initiative, SET Plan, and the 2050 Roadmap? How do they influence industry and its energy efficiency and CO₂ goals?

What lessons can be learned for the implementation of the Energy Efficiency Plan 2011 and does it have the potential to reach the 20% savings target in 2020? What will be the biggest barriers to implementing measures?

4. Undertaking high impact actions: The role of technology and systems optimisation

Evidence from implemented national and international programs shows that, while efficient components may bring about gains in the range of 2 – 5 %, systems optimization measures can attain average efficiency gains of 20 – 30 % with a payback period of less than two years. Figures by IEA and others indicate that R&D budgets of the private sector at least equal those of the public sector. Although not all information will be publicly available there are good examples of results of research that can have a broader impact. On both specific techniques and more general topics (like insulation or ICT) we welcome papers on this topic. The discussion on extended product approach within the EU ecodesign context is highly relevant here. Examples of PPP’s also belong in this panel, as do papers on market barriers for technology. The non-energy benefits of increased efficiency are highly relevant, for instance through increased safety, increased reliability and reduced insurance costs.

5. The role of energy management systems, education, outreach and training

Being energy efficient is often a question of know-how. Programs that target energy management or energy audits in SMEs, for example, involve training and targeted knowledge transfer to companies. While important in large companies, these issues are particularly important for SMEs. We welcome papers that contain information on good training and outreach projects as well as those discussing national and international energy and environmental management standards.

6. The role of financing to improve industrial efficiency, global perspective

Recognition of energy efficiency as a powerful tool to cut operating costs, improve the economy and reduce environmental pollution has never been greater; yet, the implementation of energy efficiency measures is slow to materialise. Once the necessary legal and regulatory environments, including availability of information, are in place, the single greatest reason for this slow progress around the world is the absence of commercially viable financing. This panel thus deal with the role of financiers and financial institutions.

In the EU the ESD (and EED) stimulates the creation of the market of service providers (ESCOs). In other parts of the world ESCOs already are a booming business. Other models based on Carbon trading (including JI and CO₂), CO₂ tax rebates and White Certificates. All these financial products and protocols that are key to financing industrial efficiency projects will have a place in th

ACEEE 2012 Summer Study on Efficiency in Buildings - Fueling our future with efficiency

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:26:56 +0100

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) is pleased to announce the 17th biennial 2012 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, "Fueling Our Future with Efficiency" to be held Sunday, August 12 - Friday, August 17, 2012 at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California.

The Summer Study brings together a diverse group of professionals from around the world to gather at this preeminent meeting to discuss the technological basis for, and practical implementation of, reducing energy use and climate impacts associated with buildings.

The conference promotes the interaction among participants through a balance of structured and unstructured sessions. Refereed papers are presented in the mornings, informal and display session in the afternoons, and plenary sessions in the evenings.

More information about opportunities to participate in this sell-out event will be available in July. Keep checking our Web site for updates on the Summer Study, Panel Leaders, Panel Topics, and Call for Papers.