June 13, 2024 | 5:00 – 8:00pm
Hotel Marcel | New Haven, CT
Tickets
$55 Early-Bird BuildGreenCT/CTPH/CTGBC members*
(through 5/17 with promo code**)
$75 BuildGreenCT/CTPH/CTGBC members*
(starting 5/18 with promo code**)
$100 Non-members
Event Agenda
5:00-6:00pm | Networking, hors d’oeuvres, and libations
6:00-7:30pm | Panel Discussion and Q&A
7:30-8:00pm | Continuing the conversation with panelists and attendees
* Become a member to qualify for a discounted ticket.
** Login to the member portal to access the promo code.
One discount ticket per individual membership, two discount tickets per company membership. Honor system, please!
As the landscape of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards continues to evolve, so too does the field of green buildings. This evolution highlights the interconnectedness and mutual benefits shared between ESG principles and sustainable building practices.
The synergies include a focus on transparency, stakeholder engagement, reducing the environmental footprint, implementing metrics, targets and demonstrating impact.
ESG programs may not be fully leveraging the benefits of green building approaches. Corporations can benefit from sharing more disclosures about their efforts to mitigate risks and improve the built environment.
During this panel, we will discuss leveraging the principles of green building within ESG frameworks and programs to result in more holistic and impactful sustainability strategies, driving long-term value creation and resilience for businesses and society.
Your ticket also includes a complimentary beverage and sustainably sourced farm-to-table hors d’oeuvres from Hotel Marcel’s kitchen served during the first hour.
Who Should Attend?
C-suite Professionals
Government, State officials, and Public Policy Makers
Sustainable practitioners
Corporate sustainability managers
Sustainability consultants
Asset managers
Developers, Building Owners & Managers
Finance & Insurance professionals
Real Estate professionals
Academia
AEC Industry
Your Panelists
Laney Brown
Avangrid
Vice President of Sustainability
Ms. Brown leads the ESG+F strategy and coordination supporting Avangrid as a leading sustainable energy company in the US. She also supports the Corporate Citizenship strategy including her role as President of the Board of the Avangrid Foundation.
She has experience in both regulated and unregulated energy including, leading the start-up of a retail renewable energy business as well as leading innovation and strategy for grid modernization and future utility strategy. Laney served on the US Department of Energy’s Electricity Advisor Committee (EAC) for 5 years. Laney is a graduate of Colby College as well as having a double MBA with a focus on the Global Energy Industry from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland and the Universidad Pontificas Comillas in Spain.
Larry Jones
Ernst & Young
Manager | Climate Change and Sustainability Services
Larry joined Ernest & Young in 2022, bringing over 25 years of environmental consulting experience. He specializes in helping major energy corporations establish environmental management systems like ISO 14001 and 18001, and ensuring compliance with local and federal regulations. For the past 15 years, he has focused on decarbonization strategies for buildings, ranging from individual structures to city master plans. He has facilitated projects achieving Living Building Certification and LEED Platinum. Currently at Ernest & Young, Larry aids companies in decarbonization planning, emissions assessment, and integrating ESG into business models.
Additionally, he serves as adjunct faculty at Yale School of Architecture.
Elena Lebensbaum
Time Equities Inc.
Director of Sustainability
Ms. Lebensbaum oversees sustainability programs across a diverse real estate portfolio. In this role, she manages efficiency and renewable energy projects, sustainability reporting and compliance, and designs net-zero strategies. Elena brings her expertise in energy management, renewable energy, and technology to the management of commercial, residential, and industrial properties. Elena is also part of the Renewable Energy investment team, working on project origination, financial modeling, and due diligence.
As an adjunct professor at Baruch, Elena teaches Sustainability and Environmental Social Governance (ESG), providing students with sustainability concepts and emerging trends, disclosure frameworks, and practical decarbonization strategies.
Leon Levine
ECOThinkGroup, LLC
Principal
Dr. Levine is a seasoned sustainability leader specializing in designing and implementing environmental initiatives across industries. With a focus on management systems and life cycle assessments, he delivers innovative solutions for decarbonization and climate strategies. Dr. Levine’s career spans regulatory compliance to sustainability in property management, including LEED certification projects like the Solaire in NYC. He has also led corporate sustainability programs for a Fortune 500 company and developed ESG benchmarking tools with ISS. Through expertise in ESG reporting and stakeholder engagement, he enhances clients’ sustainability performance and fosters environmental stewardship.
Dr. Levine holds degrees in Biology, Environmental Ecology, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, and a Doctorate in Public Health and Environmental Science. His research centers on indoor environmental quality and health outcomes in the built environment.
Your Moderators
Heather Burns
Connecticut Sustainable Business Council
Founder and CEO
Ms. Burns oversees Connecticut Sustainable Business Council’s work at the intersection of climate, ESG and responsible business. In her role, she convenes, educates and connects business leaders and decision makers.
Before founding the Council, Heather spent more than ten years as a sustainability consultant and working with household brands and mid-sized enterprises. She advised the EPA to identify sustainability standards and ecolabels for government procurement and she helped to create the first Sustainability Standard for Professional Services companies.
Heather became interested in sustainability in 1999 while working as a Dive Master in Koh Tao, Thailand. Diving every day in the same waters, she realized that the fishing and tourism industries could benefit the local economy if they implemented sustainable business practices. In 2000, she co-founded Save the Reef Foundation, a non-profit organization educating local fishermen on environmental impacts that continues its mission today.
Paul Keyes
The Greenfoot Print, LLC
Owner
As the owner of The GreenfootPrint, LLC, Mr. Keyes helps clients understand and develop strategies for successful implementation of sustainable, energy, renewables, water, and waste solutions. He was also the founder and owner of Victory Energy Solutions, a successful energy efficiency and sustainable firm providing services in both Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Over his career, Paul has played a key role in many successful state-wide energy and sustainable programs and initiatives. He was instrumental in bringing the Clean Energy Communities Program to the Town of Bloomfield which won a $10,000 grant from EnergizeCT and is also credited for bringing energy benchmarking to the affordable housing market through Connecticut Housing Finance Investment Authority (CHFA) to help owners understand and reduce their energy usage. He was a founding member of the Home Performance Alliance of CT (HPACT) and a longstanding board member of Build Green CT (formerly CTGBC).
Paul has held many green certifications including BPI Multi-Family, Healthy Homes, 30 Hr. OSHA, and has been a DOE Century Award recipient. He has recently been certified in ESG consulting. Mr. Keyes holds a Bachelor of Science from Albertus Magnus College in Business Management.
The Venue: A Bold Vision For a Zero-Carbon Footprint, Health & Equity
Hotel Marcel is committed to doing what it can to tackle the global climate crisis and serves as a model for sustainability within the hospitality industry. As a 100% electric hotel that operates fossil-fuel free, the hotel has created a new standard for environmentally friendly hotel operations and continues to make headlines.
The renovation and adaptive reuse of Marcel Breuer’s icon building, a New Haven landmark and significant work of mid-century modern architecture, is impressive. The project received the CT Green Building Council’s Award of Excellence at the 2022 Green Building Awards for cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to reduce its carbon footprint and emphasis on health and equity, both during the construction and operation of the hotel. Hotel Marcel is LEED Platinum-certified and is anticipated to also achieve two notable “firsts” by the end of 2025 — the nation’s first Passive House-certified hotel and the first Net Zero hotel.
Hotel Marcel is a Hilton hotel. Hilton recently released their most current report (for 2022) outlining their environmental, social, and governance successes and referencing their 2030 goals. Read more at esg.hilton.com.
Learning Objectives
You will learn:
- Why ESG is important to the built environment and vice versa.
- The synergies between the two and why we are discussing them together.
- Why investors have taken a keen interest in ESG and the spill over into Green Buildings.
- How corporations can leverage the principles of green building to improve their sustainability programs and ESG performance.
Continuing Education Credits
1.5 AIA LU credits approved
You can self-report general CEUs for:
- Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) / LEED
- WELL Building Standard
- LFA Living Future Accreditation
- state license may be applicable
Event Logistics
Parking
Available at hotel or nearby in IKEA lot.
Hotel Marcel has 12 Tesla and 12 Universal EV charging stations that hotel guests may utilize.
Carpool
When you register you will receive a link to our GroupCarpool to help our sustainability-loving community save gas and curb greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a simple interface that does not require setting up an account. Offer your car or find one to ride in.
Food and Beverage
Your ticket includes a complimentary libation and hors d’oeuvres, served during the first hour. Hotel Marcel is proud to support the local farming community with its farm-to-table menu and to feature regional distilleries and breweries alongside a dynamic curation of sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines.
A cash bar will be available for additional beverages.
Membership
*Become a member to qualify for a discounted ticket.
**Login to the member portal to access the promo code.
One discount ticket per individual membership, two discount tickets per company membership. Honor system, please!