COTE: Equity in Renewables
What does equity mean in the context of renewable energy? What can you do to facilitate equitable access to the benefits of renewable energy? How can you encourage inclusivity in design and construction? This session will serve as a primer to these concepts. Presenters will provide overviews of frameworks and resources you can use to advance equitable outcomes of your projects, and will share examples of real-world implementation from their experiences working with projects and communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Click here to view the full recording of the webinar.
Speakers:
Nori Catabay, Program Manager, King County Internal Green Building Team
Nori Catabay leads the internal King County Green Building Team. She provides green building technical assistance and training to County capital projects and manages the King County Sustainable Infrastructure Scorecard. She helped develop new equity and social justice credits that are now applicable to all capital projects for a more holistic triple bottom line approach. She led the County’s Green Building Ordinance renewal requiring Platinum certification for LEED and Scorecard projects, as well as adding alternative green building rating systems such as Living Building Challenge and Salmon Safe. She is currently coordinating the County’s commitment of registering 10 Zero Energy or Living Building Challenge Projects by 2020. She co-manages the Green Building Chapter of the County Strategic Climate Action Plan. Nori has 24 years of experience in government implementing public policies on a local and state level.
Celine Fujikawa, Environmental Intern, King County Solid Waste Division
Celine Fujikawa is an Environmental Intern at King County specializing in work related to green building, equity and social justice and environmental compliance. She is currently finishing up her dual degree in Environmental Studies and Environmental Health from the University of Washington and plans to continue work in the waste management world. She completed her thesis in Ethiopia and conducted research on understanding health disparities that were linked to poor waste infrastructure in a rural community through culturally sensitive practices. She has also played an active role in building recommendations for continuous improvement for internal and external practices at the county and hopes to build more diversity and inclusivity in the environmental sector. Celine continues to push the boundaries as an advocate for institutional and systematic change in the public and private sector to help advance equity and social justice in order to build strong and resilient communities.
Mikhaila Gonzales, Project Manager, Spark Northwest
Mikhaila has led the Access Solar program at Spark Northwest since January 2017. While mastering the business side of solar energy development, she has cultivated partnerships with a range of public, private and non-profit organizations. She also supports Solar Plus State Energy Strategy work across Oregon and Washington, and is driven to find energy solutions that work for local communities.
Jack Newman, Senior Sustainability Specialist, Sazan Environmental Services
Jack is a Certified Renewable Energy Professional with the Association of Energy Engineers, and serves as President of the Board of Directors for Solar Washington, a non-profit association of people, companies, programs, and organizations that advance solar energy in Washington State. Working as a senior sustainability consultant with Säzän Environmental Services (SES), Jack specializes in net zero energy consulting services for high performance buildings, which includes renewable energy, battery storage and microgrid project development. With a focus on energy resiliency for tribal and indigenous communities, Jack is committed to helping the industry become free of fossil fuels.
This program is presented by AIA Seattle’s Committee on the Environment. Contact Member Engagement Manager, Connor Descheemaker, with any questions or concerns. Please note in your registration if you require any accommodations to fully participate in this online webinar.
