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19th Annual Energy Efficiency Forum Gets Attention of Presidential Campaigns
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - June 13, 2008) - The 19th
Annual Energy Efficiency Forum, sponsored by the U.S. Energy Association and Johnson
Controls, Inc., offered spirited discourse on the potential for innovative
energy and climate change policies under a new presidential administration.
The event, held this week at the National Press Club, included a keynote
address by U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman who stressed to an
audience of energy decision makers that "efficiency does not need to come
at the expense of profitability."
A packed Forum agenda was ushered in with speeches by representatives from
both the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns. In his remarks
on behalf of Senator John McCain, former Governor of Virginia George Allen
said, "What Senator McCain as president would do is propose a national
energy strategy that will amount to a declaration of independence from
energy insecurity and he'll promote diversification and conservation of our
energy resources."
In his comments about the need to change energy production incentives,
Executive Director of the National Commission on Energy Policy, and advisor
to Senator Barrack Obama's campaign Jason Grumet said, "Senator Obama
believes that we have to decouple the profit motives of the energy sector
from energy production." Grumet added that Senator Obama also believes that
within the next decade new buildings need to be 25% more efficient than
they are today, and 50% more efficient by 2030.
Delivering the luncheon keynote address at the Forum was Pulitzer
Prize-winning author and New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman, author
of the upcoming book, "Hot, Flat, and Crowded:
Why We Need a Green Revolution - and How It Can Renew America." During
his address, he shared excerpts of the book for the first time in the U.S.
Through the reading he offered strong advice about the serious challenges
we face and proposed mobilizing to a "code green." He explained, "What red
was to America in the 1950s and 1960s...we need green to be for today's
America." Friedman went on to say, "I would be less than truthful, though,
if I said that America as it operates today is ready for this mission. We
are not."
Immediately following his speech, Friedman lead an engaging panel
discussion with Robert K. Watson, founder of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED®
Green Building Rating System, and David B. Goldstein, co-director of the
Natural Resources Defense Council's energy program. Electric Power Research Institute president
Steven Specker spoke separately about his organization's focus on research
and development on technology, and Brenna Walraven, president of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
International, discussed the impact of energy legislation on facility
owners and operators.
The Forum agenda also paid close attention to youth awareness of energy
efficiency, beginning with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's debut of its "Horton Hears a Who" public service announcements
aimed at children. Student and teacher winners from the Igniting Creative
Energy competition were recognized, along with a group of college students
from Carnegie Mellon University who won a national climate change writing
competition.
Additionally, the Forum's Energy Leaderships Awards were presented to:
-- Andy Karsner, assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable
energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, for his efforts to advance
programs that reduce energy in buildings and vehicles.
-- Greg Nickels, Seattle mayor, for his efforts to reduce energy in his own
city in addition to his formation of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement to advance the goals of the Kyoto Protocol through
leadership and action. It has been signed by more than 850 mayors across
the country.
-- Alan Edwards, national energy manager for the U.S. Federal Bureau of
Prisons, for his efforts in implementing energy efficiency projects at 96
federal prisons to renew aging prison infrastructure and introduce
renewable technologies, resulting in approximately 166 billion Btu in
energy savings.
A special pre-Forum event sponsored by Johnson Controls featured an address
delivered by noted political pundit, Charles Cook, editor and publisher of
the Cook Political Report. His
presentation to business leaders and government policy leaders offered an
engaging mix political insight and humor that focused on the turn of events
leading to the current nomination of both presidential candidates.
Following the Cook presentation, top-level policy and energy decision
makers representing a variety of industries participated in a World Café
format working session. This exercise focused on sustainability and
functioned as a tool by which participants could share strategies and
solutions that they would later consider putting into action at their
respective organizations.
The Forum's mission is to be the premier event that promotes an energy
efficiency ethic through the presentation of national and worldwide views
on energy efficiency and the resulting impact on the environment, national
security and economic growth.
About United States Energy Association
The United States Energy Association is the U.S. Member Committee of the
World Energy Council. USEA is an association of public and private
energy-related organizations, corporations, and government agencies. It
represents the broad interests of the U.S. energy sector by increasing the
understanding of energy issues, both domestically and internationally. In
conjunction with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S.
Department of Energy, USEA sponsors our nation's Energy Partnership
Program. Membership in USEA is open to all organizations having an interest
in the energy sector of the United States. For more information, please
visit http://www.usea.org/.
About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls (NYSE : JCI ) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to
the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies,
products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the
relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000
employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through
our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million
homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to
sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate
citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and
services we provide to customers. For additional information, please visit
http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/.
