Evening for the Environment 2024 • Maine Conservation Voters
Oct
17
6:00 PM18:00

Evening for the Environment 2024 • Maine Conservation Voters

A Celebration to Benefit Maine Conservation Voters and Maine Conservation Alliance

The Evening for the Environment will be held on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at UNE’s Innovation Hall in Portland, ME.

Our community will come together for an exciting night to honor the environment that we all love. For 22 years, the Evening for the Environment has brought together community advocates, legislators, business leaders, environmental visionaries, and philanthropists to celebrate the bold work done by MCV, MCA and our allies.

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Home + Energy Chat: Making the shift to whole-home heat pumps
Oct
9
12:00 PM12:00

Home + Energy Chat: Making the shift to whole-home heat pumps

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have rescheduled this session to October 9. We hope you can join us and will share a recording for anyone who cannot join at the new time. If you registered for the previous time, you can use the same link as before and do not need to re-register

Swapping out that old boiler for whole-home heat pumps can reduce energy costs and improve your home’s comfort year-round. And, as with any heating system, other factors also play a role in your home’s overall energy efficiency. Wondering what energy upgrades might make sense for you? If you’ve been considering whole-home heat pumps, you won’t want to miss this conversation with three of Maine’s foremost energy efficiency experts.

Tune in to our Home + Energy Chat with Andy Meyer (Senior Program Manager, Efficiency Maine), Richard Burbank (President, Evergreen Home Performance) and Colin McCullough (Owner, All-Around Home Performance) to learn how to maximize your heating system’s performance. We’ll debunk myths, answer your questions, and discuss how improvements like insulation and air-sealing impact a heat pump’s performance.

Register now to join us on Wednesday, October 9 from 12-1.


Thank you to the Home + Energy Chats sponsors


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Sustainable Scarborough Day
Oct
6
10:00 AM10:00

Sustainable Scarborough Day

Celebrate being green in your community! The Town of Scarborough is hosting its second annual Sustainable Scarborough Day, bringing together everyone from the environmentally conscious to the eco-curious for a day of learning and fun.

Meet with experts, local businesses, nonprofits, and enthusiasts on topics ranging from sustainable living, efficient homes, transportation, landscapes, recreation, waste management, land conservation, and climate action.

All activities will be based at Wentworth School. Test drive an electric vehicle, listen to some live music, attend a workshop, do a fun, hands-on activity, learn from experts.

This is a family friendly event with activities for all ages!

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Marine Propulsion Electrification: Technology for our Waters • E2Tech
Sep
26
4:00 PM16:00

Marine Propulsion Electrification: Technology for our Waters • E2Tech

  • 109 Cleaves St Biddeford, ME (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

E2Tech is proud to partner with Maine Electric Boat Co., Maine Marine Trades Association (MMTA), The Roux Institute, and LOOKOUT to bring you networking and a celebration of electrifying the marine industry! Representatives of all the above organizations will be in attendance. Maine Electric Boat Co. will host the gathering at their facility in Biddeford, where demo rides will be offered on the quietest electric boats around!

The LOOKOUT is an AI-powered marine camera that synthesizes data from charts, AIS, computer vision, and the cloud, then fuses it into one intuitive, 3D augmented reality view to improve boating safety.

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 National Drive Electric Week in Maine
Sep
21
to Sep 28

National Drive Electric Week in Maine

  • Google Calendar ICS

Cape Elizabeth EV Fair

Day: Saturday, September 21, 2024

Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm EDT

Location:
Cape Elizabeth High School
345 Ocean House Rd.
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

Cape Elizabeth’s Energy Committee is excited to host an Electric Vehicle (EV) Fair this Saturday, September 21, at the High School parking lot behind Community Services. This free community event will run from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. It will be a great opportunity to explore the benefits of a range of EVs and learn about whether an EV can fit into your lifestyle and driving needs.

Downeast EV Expo & Green Energy Fair

Day: Saturday, September 28, 2024

Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm EDT

Location:
Cobscook Institute
10 Commissary Point Rd
Trescott TWP, ME 04652

Have you considered upgrading to an electric vehicle? Get all your questions answered, and experience all the benefits EVs have to offer from local EV owners! Owners will be showing their vehicles at the event, and will be available to discuss their experience and answer all your questions. Pratt Chevrolet will be showing the new Chevy Blazer EV and/or Hummer EV, and will be giving test drives to participants.

Solar & EV Expo in South Paris, Maine

Day: Saturday, September 28, 2024

Time: 12:00 - 4:00 pm EDT

Location:
Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School
256 Main Street
South Paris, ME 04281

Ride in an electric school bus! Ride and drive in locally-owned EVs as well as vehicles from local dealerships. Test ride E-Bikes, learn about heat pumps, check out electric lawn equipment, and talk to local solar installers. Talk ride-sharing, bike and pedestrian safety, public transit, and other ways to get cars (even EVs) off the road. Check out local nonprofits, a food truck, and more.

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Pro Tour: Net Zero Energy Modular Home & Factory Tour • NESEA
Sep
20
12:30 PM12:30

Pro Tour: Net Zero Energy Modular Home & Factory Tour • NESEA

Join NESEA for this special Pro Tour event: we’ll be visiting a new, free-standing single-family home and the modular manufacturing facility where it was pre-fabricated. After an opening presentation where attendees will learn about the collaboration between our hosts, BrightBuilt Home, and the manufacturer, we'll tour the factory and a finished home, getting a behind-the-scenes look into the process.

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2024 Common Ground Country Fair • MOFGA
Sep
20
to Sep 22

2024 Common Ground Country Fair • MOFGA

The 48th annual Common Ground Country Fair will be held at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity, Maine on September 20, 21 and 22, 2024. The fairgrounds are open Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. MOFGA’s annual celebration of rural living features 1000-plus exhibitors and speakers, and emphasizes vibrant communities, sustainable living and local economies, while highlighting organic agriculture. 

Fair tickets and schedule available August 1.

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Rockland Electrification Expo 2024
Sep
14
10:00 AM10:00

Rockland Electrification Expo 2024

The Recharge Rockland Electrification Expo is a free, outdoor community event showcasing electric and energy efficient technologies, hosted by the City of Rockland. The Expo features businesses and organizations involved in electrification and energy efficiency. This year’s Expo will feature all the elements of last year’s, plus an expanded emphasis on heat pumps and building electrification and efficiency.

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Clean Transportation Festival • Orange Bike Brewing Company
Sep
7
3:00 PM15:00

Clean Transportation Festival • Orange Bike Brewing Company

  • Orange Bike Brewing Company (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In addition to food, drinks, and games, there will be e-bike demonstrations, keynotes from leaders in the field, and opportunities to take action to support a clean transportation future. You'll have a chance to interact with the organizations leading on making our streets cleaner and safer through investment in public transit, active transportation, and better community design.

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2024 Plant Sale • Wild Seed Project
Sep
7
to Sep 8

2024 Plant Sale • Wild Seed Project

  • The Native Seed Center at Turkey Hill Farm (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The Wild Seed Project plant sale is an opportunity to buy a diverse array of native wildflowers, shrubs and trees – all grown from seed for resilience, biodiversity and beauty.

This year’s sale is Saturday, September 7, 9 to 4, and Sunday, September 8, 9 to 4. Saturday is our Members Only Day, and Sunday is open to the general public. Space is limited, registration required.

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Maine Forest BioMaterials Week • University of Maine
Aug
27
to Aug 29

Maine Forest BioMaterials Week • University of Maine

The first-ever Maine Forest Biomaterials Week, hosted by the University of Maine.

The week will feature THREE exciting events: Manufacturing RENEW3D, a celebration of Maine’s recent U.S. EDA designation as a Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub, and the Process Development Center’s 6th Annual Cellulose Nanomaterials Forum.

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Biological Control of Black Swallow-wort in Maine • Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District
Aug
6
5:00 PM17:00

Biological Control of Black Swallow-wort in Maine • Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District

DACF Integrated Pest Management Specialist Dr. Hillary Peterson will present about an ongoing project deploying a moth species from Ukraine, Hypena opulenta, as a classical biological control agent of the invasive black swallow-wort in Maine. Black swallow-wort is a challenging invasive plant that is difficult to control and can negatively impact populations of monarch butterflies. The caterpillar stage of Hypena opulenta only feeds on swallow-worts. Releases of Hypena opulenta have taken place in Ogunquit in 2019 and 2021, Harpswell in 2022, and South Portland in 2023. This summer (2024) releases are taking place on Little Deer Island. Release sites are monitored to determine if the moth species has established on an annual basis.

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AI's Evolving Impact on Accelerating the Energy Transition • E2Tech & The Roux Institute
Aug
1
12:30 PM12:30

AI's Evolving Impact on Accelerating the Energy Transition • E2Tech & The Roux Institute

This talk will cover a high-level overview of the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in accelerating the energy transition. It will begin with a brief historical perspective on AI, highlighting recent trends and advances. Next, the presentation will touch on the current energy landscape, outlining the urgent need for a shift towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy supply. Then the talk will outline a few examples of how AI is revolutionizing various sectors of the energy industry, including renewables, energy efficiency, and carbon management. The talk will conclude with a brief treatment of future opportunities and challenges, followed by an open discussion on the same.

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Hempcrete Building Learning Experience • Permatours
Jul
28
6:30 PM18:30

Hempcrete Building Learning Experience • Permatours

Join us at Diggers Co-op in Acton, ME, for an immersive experience in natural building practices. This hands-on workshop will cover the entire process of building with hempcrete, from construction 101, to permitting, planning, sourcing the materials, mixing the recipe, and installing it in a livable structure.

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Women's Building Science Discussion Group • Performance Building Supply
Jul
18
5:00 PM17:00

Women's Building Science Discussion Group • Performance Building Supply

An informal discussion for women and non-binary building professionals to ask, learn, debate, knock around, support, and question the challenges and concepts of the best building practices.

July: Electrify Everything, Moderated by Emily Mottram 

  • Why should we consider fully electrifying our homes?

  • Pros and cons of a fully electric home.

  • Short term vs long term costs.

  • Battery back ups

  • Drinks, snacks and discussion start at 5 pm

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Maine Permaculture Design Certificate Course • Maine Ecological Design School
Jun
1
to Aug 25

Maine Permaculture Design Certificate Course • Maine Ecological Design School

  • Common Ground Education Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The Permaculture Certificate Course (or PDC for short) is offered all over the world in various formats and with local variations to suit the teaching team’s specialties. We have tailored our PDC to the local conditions of our bioregion in Maine. Because we have extensive ongoing design experience with farms, residences and community projects, the teaching comes from real-life examples of permaculture projects based in Maine.

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Green Home + Energy Show 2024
Apr
6
9:00 AM09:00

Green Home + Energy Show 2024

Get inspired to create your green & healthy dream home at the 2024 Green Home + Energy Show!

The Green Home + Energy Show is a one-day event that brings together the leaders in Maine’s sustainable home and energy industries. From solar power to heat pumps, air quality to air sealing, and electric vehicles to green home goods, you’ll find endless inspiration for creating your high-performing, green and healthy home—whether you are looking to build, buy or enhance an existing property.

Come with a specific question about your home or energy project or browse the booths and find inspiration in this thriving industry. Chat with experts, find new products, learn about financing and incentive programs and get your questions answered.

Test drive an electric vehicle at the EV Expo, enjoy coffee, baked goods and lunch, shop sustainable goods at the Maine Makers Fair, and learn directly from experts at free workshops included with admission! Plus, new for 2024: discover local businesses and nonprofits that prioritizing eco-friendly landscaping practices at the premiere Sustainable Landscape Expo.

As home to many nationally recognized building science and design professionals, Maine is leading the way in the high-performing home industry. Don’t miss your chance to learn directly from these highly sought out professionals.


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BuildingEnergy Boston 2024
Mar
19
to Mar 20

BuildingEnergy Boston 2024

  • Google Calendar ICS

BuildingEnergy Boston is a conference designed by and for practitioners in the fields of high-performance building and design, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. It brings more than 1,000 industry leaders and emerging professionals together to learn from and share ideas with each other. Sessions are curated by a volunteer NESEA-Member content committee to ensure that conference sessions are genuinely useful to attendees. The conference will feature product demonstrations, networking events, and accredited sessions that offer best practices and lessons learned, case studies and proven data, technical "how-to"s, emerging technologies, and innovative policies and programs.

Conference Theme: Climate Resilience

As the planet warms, the Northeast is already experiencing severe weather events, including prolonged heat waves and cold snaps, strong winds, heavy rains, and coastal flooding. Achieving climate resilience in our built environment will require us to implement a wide array of passive and active solutions to mitigate the effects of these changes. At the same time, we must continue to address the root causes by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. It is also critical to ensure that vulnerable and under-resourced communities do not bear the brunt of these challenges.

As practitioners, we have a multitude of tools to apply to this work, ranging from the tried-and-true to the experimental and cutting-edge. All these tools will be necessary for the task at hand, which will also require bringing together stakeholders from many fields and backgrounds.

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ADUs for Independent Living Seminar • Backyard ADUs
Feb
22
5:00 PM17:00

ADUs for Independent Living Seminar • Backyard ADUs

Join us as we explore the concept of ADUs (accessory dwelling units) as an innovative living solution for family members. Discover the affordable option that not only provides comfort and independence but also ensures peace of mind.

Whether you're considering building in your backyard for yourself, an aging parent or an adult child with disabilities, multi-generational independent living offers the perfect balance between privacy with close proximity for caregiving and autonomy with the ability to spend quality time spent together. And that's just the beginning to the benefits!

Our small home advisors will discuss the following:

  • How ADUs make a great affordable indepentdent living opportunity.

  • Considerations for aging in place with potential downsizing.

  • The financial impacts of this alternative living option.

  • ADU builds that have the option to be ADA compliant.

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Portland Loves LD2003 • Portland Society of Architecture
Feb
13
6:00 PM18:00

Portland Loves LD2003 • Portland Society of Architecture

LD2003 is a state law designed "to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to housing production in Maine." The City of Portland adopted LD2003 on Dec 18, 2023. Join the Portland Society for Architecture, the Urbanist Coalition of Portland, and Backyard ADUs in a celebration of : Housing options, affordability, multigenerational living, diverse neighborhoods, aging in place, upzoning, walkability, duplexes, triple deckers, four-plexes, garage conversions, prefabs, modular, adaptive reuse, shorter commutes, and yes, of course, accessory dwelling units. Learn about newly streamlined building rules in and around Portland. Meet and mingle with local home builders, designers and manufacturers. Anyone is welcome to bring a table top display of your work. The PSA's Complete City: Filled In ADU design exhibit will be on display on the walls. Refreshments will be provided

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Augusta Breakfast: Maine's 131st Legislature - Enviro & Energy • E2Tech
Feb
1
7:30 AM07:30

Augusta Breakfast: Maine's 131st Legislature - Enviro & Energy • E2Tech

Join E2Tech in Augusta for E2Tech's Annual Review of What's up in the Maine Legislature. This year's program also includes leaders of executive branch agencies responsible for implementing the new legislation. The panel discussion is 8-10, and there is time at the beginning and the end of the program to speak informally with public servants, colleagues from the business and non-profit community, the media, and members of the public.

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Start Summit: Decarbonizing the Built Environment • The Roux Institute
Jan
26
to Jan 27

Start Summit: Decarbonizing the Built Environment • The Roux Institute

The Roux Institute invites you to their upcoming Start Summit -- the opportunity to creatively address a local challenge and transform ideas into action. At this fun and interactive event, you’ll experience what it’s like to build a startup solution in a very short time — all with the support of facilitators and mentors and fueled by good food!

  • Develop eco-friendly strategies to mitigate the construction industry’s environmental impact

  • Participate in educational workshops and collaborate with a team

  • Pitch your idea as a team for a chance to win up to $2000

  • Enjoy food and beverages that will fuel your creativity!

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Zoom in With NRCM: Maine's Environment and the 2024 Legislative Session
Jan
24
12:00 PM12:00

Zoom in With NRCM: Maine's Environment and the 2024 Legislative Session

NRCM’s experts have been hard at work identifying our top priorities for the 2024 legislative session that will protect Maine’s climate, water, wildlife, and outdoors. Please join us on January 24th for a webinar to learn more about NRCM’s top priority bills to protect Maine's environment, and ways you can get involved.

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Home + Energy Chats: Carpentry & Construction Training in Maine
Jan
9
6:00 PM18:00

Home + Energy Chats: Carpentry & Construction Training in Maine

Carpentry & Construction training in Maine

Tuesday, January 9 | 6:00-7:00 pm
Register via Zoom

Kick off the new year with a course on building science and construction. Whether you are a homeowner who wants to boost your DIY skills or a professional looking to stay informed, there are many opportunities in Maine to increase your knowledge in modern approaches to residential construction. Hear from three Maine organizations that are leading the way in providing education in this space. Join us to learn about their programs and other opportunities to increase your homebuilding and construction skillset.

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