Wednesday, January 8 at noon ET
Register via Zoom

Here in Maine, we build houses with basements and concrete foundation walls…at least, that’s the conventional wisdom. There are many reasons to rethink this approach, including concrete’s high environmental impact. If you’re interested in ditching the traditional concrete basement for a sustainable alternative, you won’t want to miss our conversation with Randy Rand (r.haus design.build, passivhausMAINE) and Reggie Lebel (Emerald Builders). We’ll explore alternatives to traditional concrete foundations, discuss how they impact building performance, and learn about real Maine projects utilizing these technologies. Be sure to bring your questions!

Thank you to the Home + Energy Chats sponsors

This is an in-person, one-day builder training. Retrofits can present a number of complex and evolving challenges such as significant financial investments, complexity of and access to the building structure, and its overall disruptiveness to using the home. With an upfront understanding of the building and knowing a variety of practical approaches, meeting a fast track or long term phased approach to your retrofit goals can be achieved.

At IAQ & Energy 2024 you'll put it all together: all the components to design, construct, operate and repair healthy, environmentally-sustainable indoor spaces. The event is packed with ample interactive activities and resources that you will love! Amazing education by presenters from around the continent.  Opportunities to explore products and services from valued vendors. Ability to network with other attendees.  And greater flexibility to meet the demands of your busy schedule.

Presented by Maine Indoor Air Quality Council

Learn more at www.iaqandenergy.com

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

This training focuses on meeting the new MUBEC building and health codes as well as implementing the most effective and modern practices for building long-lasting, low-carbon structures.

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.

Join us for a site walk of the Portland Commons dorm at USM. The university's first dormitory, now redesigned for a passive future, is currently the second-largest passive building at a U.S. university.

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.

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.

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.

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

Save the Date for the 2024 ClimateWork Maine Summit: May 9, 2024 at the Augusta Civic Center

CEBE’s fifth annual climate convergence will be keynoted by Living on Earth's Steve Curwood and polar scientist Dr. Susana Hancock. Hallmarks of each convergence include workshops, roundtable discussions and presentations, as well as great food, music, art and poetry to energize the urgent work of climate justice.

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.

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.

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

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.