What is ZED and EE? Do they have a home in Asheville?

18 Mar 2013

Building on the Green Monday spring theme of ENERGY, the March 18 Green Monday will highlight Zero Energy Districts (ZED) and community based energy efficiency (EE) initiatives. Benefits of both initiatives are familiar to friends of BRSI – reduced carbon emissions, cleaner air, lower energy costs, and getting the most out of the energy dollars we spend.
The questions we’ll focus on are “Can these initiatives add to sustainable energy momentum in Asheville? And if so…how?”
Cecil Bothwell will report on his visit to the FortZED community partner initiative in Fort Collins, Colorado. Richard Fireman will offer a presentation on Clean Energy Durham, a neighborhood initiative designed to support local action toward clean energy & energy efficiency.
Both presentations will be brief and the emphasis of this event will be group discussion to explore implications of both approaches for Asheville and communities in our region. We welcome interested citizens, clean energy policy developers and business representatives, local government representatives, business leaders, educators and students. It will take all of us to build a sustainable future!
Near the end of this event there will be opportunity for interested participants to form an initiating group to move ideas into action. Discussions following the presentation will have an ultimate goal of linking individuals who are motivated to transform ideas into action. These discussions will be oriented to:
(1) better understanding concepts and best practices suggested in the presentation,
(2) examine implications for WNC, and (3) identify venues for action.
Wherever possible, BRSI will offer ongoing support to initiatives that surface from these discussions.
Your participation is vital to moving sustainability forward in our community!

4-5:30pm in the Lenoir Rhyne Board Room of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
36 Montford Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

Contact: BSRI 828-348-5191
Email: admin@blueridgesustainability.org