VX2014 Program

Monday, January 27, 2014

7:00 AM

Registration

7:50 AM

VX2014 Welcome (B1)
David Abel, Chairman, VerdeXchange
Bill Allen, President and Chief Executive Officer, LAEDC
Mark Ridley-Thomas, Supervisor, 2nd District, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

8:00 AM

Morning Plenary: The Role of Carrots and Sticks—State Public Policy as a Driver of Markets (B1) 
Moderator:
Robert Hertzberg, California Assembly Speaker Emeritus; Mayer Brown LLP
Remarks:
Mary Nichols, Chairman, California Air Resources Board
Speakers:
Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association
Daniel Breton, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier for Transport Electrification, National Assembly of Québec

California's Air Resources Board newly released update of its Scoping Plan relies on a carrot and stick approach to leverage existing and new funds to further drive greenhouse-gas emission reductions through strategic planning and targeted low-carbon investments. The post-2020 Update's focus is on: transportation, fuels, and infrastructure; energy generation, transmission, and efficiency; waste, and water. WSPA and other like petroleum industry representatives believe the California cap-and-trade program as currently designed creates severe competitive disadvantages for some businesses, including refiners. The Canadian Provence of Québec, by adopting an ambitious greenhouse-gas emission reduction target for 2020 and implementing a greenhouse-gas emission cap-and-trade system, like California, intends to pursue its long-term commitment to combat climate change and allow for the sustainable development of the Québec economy, thus ensuring that our children enjoy a greener future. Are public policies driving the markets as designed and with results that are publicly supported?

8:45 AM

Plenary: Are American Utilities Now in a Death Spiral? (B1) 
Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Former Senior VP, Southern California Edison
Speakers:
Michael Peevey, President, California Public Utilities Commission
Peter Rive, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, SolarCity
Susan Bitter Smith, Commissioner, Arizona Corporation Commission
Jim Avery, Senior Vice President of Power Supply, San Diego Gas and Electric

Every week, another story comes out asserting that traditional electric utilities are now in a “death spiral.” The reasoning is usually that the net cost of solar photovoltaic keeps coming down because of economies of scale, technological advances, and various subsidies—and many consumers can now reduce their energy bills by installing panels. This could leave utilities facing flat or declining consumption, forcing large and growing fixed costs to be spread over fewer units, which would drive the price of utility electricity still higher and make more solar cost-effective. Now, small-scale, natural-gas-based distributed generation is being touted as perhaps “even better than solar.” Are the traditional electric utilities doomed?

9:45 AM

Adaptation of Water Supply and Uses to the Challenges of Climate Change (P2) 
Moderator:
Debra Man, Chief Operating Officer, Metropolitan Water District
Speakers:
Gary Bardini, Deputy Director, California Department of Water Resources
Felicia Marcus, Board Member, California State Water Resources Control Board

Los Angeles sources most of its water from the San Joaquin River Delta and the Colorado River. Those in the water industry emphasize that supply is limited, noting that it will become increasingly difficult to continue growing the quantity of water available for Los Angeles County. As population increases, and climate change further decreases water availability, how will authorities at the local, regional, and state levels need to adapt in order to continue providing residents with the resource? What efforts toward conservation and efficiency are underway to address this? What role will local uses play?

9:45 AM

Natural Gas in an Era of Energy Abundance: To Frack or Not to Frack—Is that the Question? (B3) 
Moderator:
Bill Allen, President and Chief Executive Officer, LAEDC
Speakers:
Anthony Eggert, Executive Director, UC Davis Policy Institute
George Minter, Director, Policy and Environment, Southern California Gas Company
Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association
Dennis Luna, Managing Partner, Luna & Glushon; Editor in Chief, California Oil and Gas Report
Responder:
Donald Paul, Executive Director, USC Energy Institute; William M. Keck Chair of Energy Resources

Although often overlooked, the oil industry’s cyclical nature perpetually returns oil to a lower price. New sources of fossil fuel have already been tapped through fracking—a technology that will continue to make available abundant reserves of natural gas in the United States. Given this, is it unrealistic to expect that markets will incent renewables? Facing the possibility of a longterm downturn in oil prices, how can we transition to green energy sources? What role will government, business, and consumers need to play in order to succeed? Where does California stand, keeping in mind that 21 scientists have backed fracking regulations proposed by the state, and given also that fracking in California would likely lead to huge new oil and gas production with impacts on jobs, taxes, and investment creation opportunities?

9:45 AM

Clean Cities: Initiating and Funding Programs that Drive Sustainable Policies and Procurement (P1) 
Moderator:
Rick Cole, Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation, City of Los Angeles
Speakers:
Matt Petersen, Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Los Angeles
Colin Tetreault, Former Senior Policy Advisor of Sustainability, Office of Mayor Stanton, City of Phoenix
Robyn Beavers, Senior VP, NRG Energy

Although innovation often occurs in the private sector, municipalities can play an integral role in supporting for-profit innovation. How can cities, through partnerships with utilities and energy companies, encourage industries to move toward sustainability? What strategies can cities employ to continue facilitating technological advances and innovation?

10:45 AM

Cleantech Grid Integration of Renewables (P1) 
Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Former Senior VP, Southern California Edison
Speakers:
Marvin Moon, Director of Engineering, LADWP
Lauren Faber, West Coast Political Director, Environmental Defense Fund
Jeff Reed, Director of Business Strategy and Development, Southern California Gas Company

Most Americans really like the idea of clean, renewable power. The daunting problem with renewable energy has historically been its variability—it only works when the sun shines or the wind blows. California has been the national leader in renewables, with a legislated mandate for 33 percent of our power from them by 2020, and much talk of a further requirement of around 50 percent by 2030. Is it possible and practical to base the power grid on renewables? Will the lights go out? And how much will it cost us to get there?

10:45 AM

Water-Energy Nexus: Energy from Waste (P2) 
Introduction:
Malia Cohen, Supervisor, District 10, San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Moderator:
Robyn Beavers, Senior VP, NRG Energy
Speakers:
Tommy Moala, Assistant General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Traci Minamide, Chief Operating Officer, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation

While the water/energy nexus is a familiar topic, there are still many layers to the concept that need to be explored. How can "waste” from power and water generation actually become fuel or valuable input for power generation? In what ways can waste water, waste heat, and other waste products from industrial processes actually provide opportunities for innovative new solutions that help deliver a more sustainable future?

10:45 AM to 12:15 PM

Cars 2.1: The Market Today and Tomorrow for Clean and Fuel-Efficient Cars (B3) 
Moderator:
Mary Nichols, Chairman, California Air Resources Board
Speakers:
Dan Sperling, Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis; Board Member, California Air Resources Board
Frank Breust, Vice President of Governmental Affairs, BMW Group Representative Office California
Terry O'Day, VP, eVgo/NRG; Mayor Pro Tempore, City of Santa Monica
Christine Kehoe, Executive Director, California Plug In Electric Vehicle Collaborative
Edward Kjaer, Director, Plug In Electric Vehicle Readiness, Southern California Edison
Tim Carmichael, President, California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition
Chantal Guimont, Director, Strategic Planning and Transportation Electrification, Hydro Québec
David Patterson, Chief Engineer, Mobile Emissions Certification and Regulatory Affairs, Mitsubishi Motors
Matt McClory, Manager, Toyota Technical Center, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing, North America, Inc.

With the market expanding for clean and fuel-efficient cars, California is at the forefront of efforts to accelerate market growth and support infrastructure development. From electric vehicles to natural gas to ethanol, many technologies are under development—and already in use—to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars. How can states best utilize limited funding to leverage private investment and build lasting markets? What legislative avenues have proven must effective? What lessons can be learned from recent research results, local efforts and early market experiences from a range of stakeholders?

10:45 AM

China and Climate Change: Opportunity and Opportunity Costs (P3) 
Moderator:
Jim Wunderman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bay Area Council
Speakers:
Yufu Cheng, China County Director, R20: Regions of Climate Action
Henry Wang, China Chief Representative, Los Angeles County Investment and Trade Office

China and California have two of the most innovative and competitive economies in the world. But together, the pollution we have produced has compromised our planet, people, and slowed down our economies. China is now the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and its pollution problems have strained public health, depressed economic growth, and significantly reduced quality of life. In California, careless practices during the first half of the 20th century led to air pollution issues, prompting serious environmental regulation and behavioral change. Perhaps because of China’s commitment to changing its course and California’s leadership on climate policy, China and California have formally partnered to accelerate their mutual transition to low carbon economies. How can entrepreneurs and investors capitalize on this new partnership? What technologies are in demand? Where can private-sector visionaries make the most impact? What incentives exist for those who get in the game?

11:30 AM

Carbon Capture and Utilization (P1) 
Moderator:
Dennis Luna, Managing Partner, Luna & Glushon; Editor in Chief, California Oil and Gas Report
Speakers:
Jonathan Carley, Vice President, Business Development, CO2 Solutions
Ron Kent, Technology Development Manager, Southern California Gas Company
Brandon Iglesias, Research Scholar, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator

Given that over 80 percent of energy in the US comes from fossil fuel combustion, and the carbon released from these processes is the principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas leading to climate change, innovative approaches are necessary to decrease the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere. Solutions are in development to capture carbon dioxide from power plants, petrochemical plants, and other industrial sources, and even utilize the gas to produce fuels and chemicals. What challenges remain to be solved before this technology can be implemented? Viewing carbon as a resource, rather than a waste product, what uses could it serve if captured, without disrupting the carbon cycle?

11:30 AM

California and the West's Water Action Plans: Making Progress or Running in Place? (P2)
Moderator:
Bill Hasencamp, Manager, Colorado River Resources, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Speakers:
Chuck Cullom, Colorado River Programs Manager, Central Arizona Project
Coby Pellegrino, Colorado River Program Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority

The development of water supplies has allowed the Western United States to develop and grow over the last century. But as ever-increasing drought conditions grip the Western United States, cities need to get more creative to meet the water supply needs of the area’s growing populations. Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Southern California have implemented various programs, including cash for grass, seeding the clouds, paying farmers for idle farmland, and recycling water supplies—so that urban areas can supply more customers with less water. But even as these areas are stretching their water supplies, reservoirs throughout the west continue to drop to record low levels. Will there be enough water to meet the west’s future needs? Will the area continue to thrive, or will water shortages limit future growth?

11:30 AM

Will Big Data Enable the Next Renewables Revolution? (P3) 
Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Former Senior VP, Southern California Edison
Speakers:
Eliot Abel, Strategic Operations Manager, GE Renewable Energy
Jonathan Naimon, Founder and Managing Partner, LGA Asset Management
Richard Hammond, Senior Vice President, Government and Regulatory, GRIDiant

“Big Data” is all the rage right now, and there may be no sector in which more Big Data advertising dollars are being expended than energy. Everyone seems to want to play. One pundit said that soon, “everything will talk to everything, everywhere, all the time,” and the result would somehow be a better future for everyone. Can “Big Data”—fueled by the trio of super-fast computers, ubiquitous high-speed communication, and vast numbers of embedded sensing devices—really change the game for energy, especially for clean, renewable energy? Will consumers really care, and will it ultimately save us money or help improve our environment? Or is “Big Data” just “Big Business”?

12:20 PM

Luncheon Plenary: Aligning University Research with the Goals of California's Climate Change Policymakers (B1) 
Introduction:
Robert Hertzberg, California Assembly Speaker Emeritus; Mayer Brown LLP
Keynote Speaker:
Janet Napolitano, President, University of California; Former United States Secretary of Homeland Security

Q&A Session To Follow

1:30 PM

Post-Lunch Plenary: Rethinking Utility Regulation to Get from Megawatts to Gigawatts (B1) 
Moderator:
Susan Kennedy, Former Chief of Staff to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Former Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Gray Davis
Speakers:
Bob Foster, Mayor, City of Long Beach; Chair, ISO Board of Governors
Michael Picker, Senior Advisor to the Governor for Renewable Energy Facilities, Office of Governor Jerry Brown
Carla Peterman, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Robert Weisenmiller, Chair, California Energy Commission
Leslie Starck, Senior Vice President, Regulatory Policy and Affairs, Southern California Edison

This panel will focus on the following questions: How does California get to higher penetration of renewables in a post 33 percent world? What is the business model for electric utilities in a post 33 percent world? What policies are needed to pursue optimization of grid resources? What is the role of Demand Response in an optimized grid? What role does Energy Storage play in a post 33 percent grid?What would it take to make the next major leap in energy efficiency? What is the role and relationship of electric-vehicle infrastructure in optimization of the grid? 

2:35 PM to 4:00 PM

Where Now for Solar and Wind: Marketplace Strategies, Contested Policies and Funding (P1) 
Moderator:
Eliot Abel, Strategic Operations Manager, GE Renewable Energy
Speakers:
Carla Peterman, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Sanjay Ranchod, Assistant General Counsel and Director, Policy and Electricity Markets, SolarCity
Jonathan Weisgall, Vice President, Mid-American Energy
Robyn Beavers, Senior VP, NRG Energy
Nate Lewis, Scientific Director, Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) at Caltech
David Hochschild, Commissioner, California Energy Commission

What do declining subsidies mean for the solar and wind marketplaces? Have we reached “grid parity” and, if not, how/when will we get there? How are energy market reforms, technology advancements, and big data analytics helping to solve the ongoing challenges of intermittency and enable greater penetration of renewable energy? Is rooftop solar changing the game for utilities?

2:35 PM

One Water—Making It a Reality: The Growing Market for Reuse/Recycling of Stormwater and Wastewater (B3)
Moderator:
Adel Hagekhalil, Assistant Director, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation
Speakers:
Jim McDaniel, Senior Assistant General Manager, Water Systems, LADWP
Martha Davis, Executive Manager Policy Development, Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Mark Gold, Associate Director, UCLA Institute for the Environment and Sustainability
Jack Baylis, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Baylis Group

One Water—an approach that views, manages, and values water as a single resource—offers a new outlook on watershed planning. Rather than operating in silos that separate drinking water, stormwater, and water reuse, water interests can work together to solve the difficulties arising out of climate change and increased demand. What obstacles stand in the way of widespread One Water adoption? How could this new approach allow Los Angeles to overcome its longstanding water challenges?

2:35 PM

Sustainable Transportation: Trains, Buses and Fleets (P2) 
Moderator:
Fiona Ma, Former Speaker Pro Tempore, California State Assembly
Speakers:
Edward Kjaer, Director, Plug In Electric Vehicle Readiness, Southern California Edison
Zev Yaroslavsky, Supervisor, 3rd District, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Stella Li, Senior Vice President, BYD
Denny Zane, Executive Director, Move LA
Cliff Gladstein, President, Gladstein, Neandross and Associates

As California grows, it will become increasingly important that the transportation network is modernized to meet the public’s needs, as well as creating more sustainable methods of mobility in the face of climate change. In the attempt to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, how can cities transition away from car use toward public transit? In what ways will California's High Speed Rail plans and the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $30 billion investment in rapid buses and trains relieve the urban metropolis of traffic congestion and improve air quality? What can we expect from increased use of alternative fuels, be it natural gas or electrification, as we upgrade the transportation system locally, regionally and nationally? How will the reauthorization process of MAP-21, at a national level, impact mobility and air quality? How can we upgrade the commercial freight system to green heavy duty commercial trucks and help make our ports more sustainable?

2:35 PM

Sustainability Performance Reporting (P3) 
Moderator:
Mike Wallace, President, Wallace Partners; Former Director, GRI Focal Point USA
Speakers:
Thomas Day Jr., Chief Sustainability Officer, United States Postal Service
Linda Glasier, Environmental Specialist, State of Washington Department of Ecology
Jessica Fox, Program Manager, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Rebecca Cranford, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Safety and Environmental, Southwire Company

As sustainability and the concepts surrounding the idea of sustainability (energy, waste, water, human and labor rights, supply chain responsibility) rapidly expand through the global market, so do the claims of sustainability. Public and private corporations, government agencies, academic institutions and non-profits are increasingly disclosing an ever widening collection of sustainability information. In essence, this new form of performance reporting is creating new awareness about the importance of non-financial reporting and stakeholders are growing increasingly astute at analyzing and critically assessing this type of reporting. Learn from a range of organizations across our economy that are measuring, managing and reporting sustainability information. Hear the how and why of sustainability reporting. What are the latest global trends?

3:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Financing Water, Energy and Resilient Infrastructure Projects (B3) 
Moderators:
Kathleen Brown, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP; Former Treasurer, State of California
Adel Hagekhalil, Assistant Director, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation
Speakers:
Dan Adler, Managing Director, CalCEF Dan Hartman, Managing Director and Co-Head of National Utilities Group, Public Financial Management
Jessica Fox, Program Manager, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Paul Brown, President, Paul Redvers Brown Inc.
Jack Baylis, Member, National Infrastructure Advisory Council
Ian Parker, Managing Partner of Public Sector and Infrastructure Banking, Goldman Sachs

Communities and utilities across the nation face the challenges of aging infrastructure, climate change, increased costs, and limited funding. With such challenges come opportunities to be innovative and for our utilities and communities to become more efficient, sustainable and resilient. Solutions such as green infrastructure and renewable energy projects are addressing these issues while enhancing the quality of life in our communities. Funding them, however, is a major challenge. With creative financing ideas being tried across the nation to help utilities and communities meet these challenges, what are some of the best ideas and examples in the water and energy sectors?

3:30 PM

Greening the San Pedro Bay Ports (P2) 
Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Former Senior VP, Southern California Edison
Speakers:
Doug Failing, Executive Director of Highway Projects, Los Angeles Metro Ambassador
Vilma Martinez, Chair, Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners
Hector de la Torre, Commissioner, California Air Resources Board; Executive Director, Transamerica Center for Health Studies
Rodger Schwecke, Vice President of Customer Solutions, Southern California Gas Company
Rich Dines, Vice President, Harbor Commission, Port of Long Beach
Responder:
Rob Del Core, Business Development Director, Fuel Cell Power Systems, Hydrogenics USA

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach combined are the busiest in the nation, and the 6th busiest in the world. They have undertaken ambitious efforts toward sustainability, including adopting the most comprehensive strategy to cut air pollution and reduce health risks ever produced for a global seaport complex. What now? Which areas offer the most promising next steps for the ports as they seek to increase efficiency, lower energy consumption, and reduce pollution—all while facing formidable competition from around the world? What initiatives will have the largest impact on creating more sustainable ports?

3:30 PM

Monetizing and Incenting Efficiency and Conservation (P3) 
Moderator:
Panama Bartholomy, Formerly with the Office of Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez
Speakers:
David Jacot, Energy Efficiency Director, LADWP
Matt Golden, Senior Energy Finance Consultant, EDF
Donald Paul, Executive Director, USC Energy Institute; William M. Keck Chair of Energy Resources

Utilities like the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are making active strides toward reducing energy consumption, both through improved technology and by promoting behavioral changes. The Los Angeles City Council agreed to allocate $267 million over two years for energy efficiency efforts at the LADWP in 2012. How can utilities best spend funds like these to maximize impact and savings for commercial, residential, industrial, and lower-income users? Where will efficiency funds be invested and which markets will they influence? What are the best opportunities for financial partnerships and collaborative ventures in the coming decade?

4:25 PM

(By Invitation Only) WTCA/LAEDC Panel: International Cleantech Opportunities (P1)

4:25 PM

The High Desert Corridor: The Promise of Sustainable, Multi-Purpose Infrastructure (P2) 
Moderator:
Kathleen Brown, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP; Former Treasurer, State of California
Speakers:
Doug Failing, Executive Director of Highway Projects, Los Angeles Metro
Andrew Mack, Chief Operating Officer, XpressWest
Jeff Morales, Chief Executive Officer, California High-Speed Rail Authority
Responder:
Chris Margaronis, Project Manager, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

In 1933, the Auto Club had on the drawing board "The LA Bypass," an east-west highway to connect the I-5 and the I-15. In 2014, the High Desert Corridor has evolved as a 50-mile-long net-zero Green Energy Corridor—a multi-purpose public-private partnership that includes a high-speed rail connector and renewable energy generation/transmission/connection to the grid. Construction would include laying infrastructure for electric and CNG fueling stations. The HDC incorporates means for sustainable land use and transportation planning. It promises to connect over a million people in two population centers, permitting game-changing freight transportation routes. How will planning for jobs in conjunction with new rail and highway routes reduce commute vehicle miles traveled in the housing-rich High Desert? What challenges stand in the way of beginning to build a multipurpose P3 corridor today, and how can these be overcome?

4:25 PM

113th Congress: Renewable Energy Policy (P3) 
Moderator: 
Panama Bartholomy, Formerly with the Office of Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez 
Speakers: 
Jonathan Weisgall, Vice President, Mid-American Energy
Tom Soto, Managing Director, 
TCW

With the new Congress sworn in at the beginning of the month, what renewable energy issues can the nation expect policymakers to focus on in the coming year? How will the Environmental Protection Agency’s forthcoming regulations around hydrofracking, coal ash, and carbon dioxide emissions—among others—impact the work of Congress? How will the legislature likely handle the scheduled expiration of energy tax policy incentives? What challenges will the ongoing debate around reducing the national debt present as lawmakers work to pass renewable energy legislation?

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Morning Session Presented By VX2014 in Collaboration with ULI-LA FutureBuild **AIA Members should note that they may be eligiable for AIA Continuing Education System (CES) credits for attending Tuesday morning ULI panels.**

7:15 AM

Registration

8:00 AM

ULI-LA FutureBuild / VX2014 Welcome (B1)
Gail Goldberg, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute-Los Angeles
David Abel, Chairman, VerdeXchange

8:10 AM

Morning Plenary: Why Cities and Regions are the Solution to Global Climate Change (B1) 
Moderator:
Matt Petersen, Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Los Angeles
Speakers: 
Terry O'Day, VP, eVgo/NRG; Mayor Pro Tempore, City of Santa Monica
Martha Welborne, Chief Planning Officer, Countywide Planning, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

As the country and globe grapple with climate change, searching for solutions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, slow climbing temperatures, prevent food shortages, and handle natural disasters already occurring, problems must be tackled at a scale where innovation can occur on the ground, but also where these solutions can be shared. What role will dense cities play, as centers of experimentation and problem-solving? How can regions facilitate collaboration, both connecting municipalities within a region that share similar environmental and economic conditions, and also linking regions with one another to undertake large-scale issues together? What role will local governments and public agencies play in these processes? How can local governments both mitigate and adapt to climate change simultaneously?

9:10 AM

(ULI 1) Space Changers: Housing and Retail—Micro Apartments, Pop-Up Retail and 3D Printed Houses (B3) 
Moderator:
Cecilia Estolano, Co-Founder, ELP Advisors
Speakers:
Jan Van Tilburg, Principal, Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh; Honorary Consul, Consulate of the Netherlands, Los Angeles
Behrokh Khoshnevis, Director, Center for Rapid Automated Fabrication Technology, USC
Jim Andersen, Chief Executive Officer, Baru Investments, Inc.

Innovations in housing and retail spaces are changing the urban fabric of major cities across the country. Compact residential design, attractive to Millennials, is leading to denser living spaces in popular and expensive urban centers. How do these micro apartments create both a need and opportunity to enhance community spaces and public life? Additionally, new technologies could dramatically change the timeframe of construction for housing and retail spaces, with contour crafting completing buildings at a rapid pace. How will these new tools and procedures change the built environment? What shifts will be necessary for cities to accommodate the needs and tastes of changing demographics?

9:10 AM

(ULI 2) Space Changers: Microgrids for Smarter Buildings and Communities (P1) 
Moderator:
Steve Sullivan, Formerly of Southern California Edison
Speakers:
Susan Kennedy, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Advanced MicroGrid Solutions
Nick Haschka, Director of Strategy, NRG Energy
Michael Webster, Assistant Director of Power System Planning and Development, LADWP
Steve Glenn, Founder and CEO, LivingHomes, LLC

Microgrids offer industrial developers, property owners, and communities the opportunity to design a local power grid for a set of buildings, whether a corporate campus or a residential neighborhood. How does this approach overcome the issues with continuing to rely on centralized power plants, and address the challenges of depending on individualized power generation in the form of privately operated wind turbines and solar panels? With about 300 microgrids in use currently, will reliance on distributed energy in the future be a viable and cost affordable option for developers, residential, and commercial tenants and owners?

9:10 AM

Commercialization of Clean Technology (P2) 
Moderator:
David Fransen, Consul General of Canada, Los Angeles
Speakers:
Alex Beavers, Director, Commercial Ventures and Strategic Programs, SRI International
Paul Bunje, Senior Director of Oceans, XPRIZE Foundation
Indrani Graczyk, Manager, Commercial Program Office, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Zoltan Tompa, Director, Partnerships, Sustainable Development Technology Canada

Innovations in the cleantech world happen constantly, fueled by creative minds in the engineering and technology fields. However, incorporating these new developments into products and practices often proves challenging. What are the best strategies for tech transfer and for bringing cleantech innovations to market? What early stage resources are available to nurture start-ups? How can tech incubators and government initiatives add value and accelerate coming to market? Likewise, university labs and research centers?

9:10 AM

Cap and Trade: Following the Money in California's Carbon Market (P3)
Moderator:
Gary Gero, President, Climate Action Reserve
Speakers:
Tanya Peacock, Regulatory Rate and Strategy Manager, Southern California Gas Company
Morgan Hagerty, Director, CE2 Capital Partners
Lauren Faber, West Coast Political Director, Environmental Defense Fund

Led by the Los Angeles-based Climate Action Reserve, this panel will discuss the state of market activity in California’s pioneering cap-and-trade program, including consideration of allowance pricing and procurement, offsets and other cost-containment mechanisms, and allocation of auction revenues. Experts from industry, the financial sector, and Lauren Faber of the Environmental Defense Fund will engage the audience in a lively discussion of how and where money moves within this newly emerged marketplace that has been created to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

10:10 AM

(ULI 3) Space Changers: Transformational Corporate Offices—Free Address and Paperless (B3) 
Moderator:
David Waite, Chair, Urban Land Institute-LA; Partner, Cox, Castle, Nicholson
Speakers:
Lew Horne, Executive Managing Director, CBRE
Steve Adams, PwC WorkPlace
Rob Jernigan, Managing Director/Principal, Gensler
Responder:
Tony Lucente, Director, Business Transformation, Nissan Latin America

Untethered office spaces—workspaces with no assigned desks or cubicles—offer a host of benefits. They help foster efficient collaboration between teams, cut down on rent because spaces are used more resourcefully, and decrease paper use through mainly electronic communications. How does this new movement in office design require a shift in corporate office culture? What does a younger generation of workers look for in an office when evaluating professional opportunities? What challenges does a shift to flexible spaces entail, and what are effective ways to overcome them?

10:10 AM

(ULI 4 and VX2014) Industrial Development and Innovation Districts (P1) 
Moderator:
Richard Katz, Commissioner, City of Los Angeles Planning Commission
Speakers:
Brad Cox, Senior Managing Director, Trammell Crow Company
Fred Walti, Executive Director, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
Kelli Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, City of Los Angeles

The clean and green-tech industries require an environment where successful innovation, entrepreneurship, and production can take place. Companies like Trammel Crow have identified opportunities for cleantech manufacturing in Downtown Los Angeles, investing in properties such as the Crown Coach Site, while the LA Cleantech Incubator accelerates the growth of such enterprises by offering space and coaching resources. What are the needs—real estate, and otherwise—of these companies, and why are they gravitating toward Downtown Los Angeles and Silicon Beach? How are innovation districts—clusters of anchor institutions and innovative firms, along with related companies, mixed use housing, office, and retail—taking the place of traditional corporate campuses, and what impact will this have on industrial development?

10:10 AM

(ULI 5) Space Changers: Guerilla Planning and Urban Acupuncture (P2) 
Moderator:
Sandra Kulli, Board Member, CicLAvia
Speakers:
Ron Finley, Co-Founder, LA Green Grounds
Omar Brownson, Executive Director, LA River Revitalization Corporation
Mia Lehrer, President, Mia Lehrer and Associates
Daveed Kapoor, Director, Utopiad

Creative efforts to reinvigorate cities abound—and, often, transformational efforts start from the ground up. From urban farming, to parklets, to citizen coalitions that create change by advocating for green space or taking to their bikes, Los Angeles contains a host of innovative solutions from sources outside the political and regulatory systems. What role do these types of efforts play in improving a city? How can smart, quick fixes for transportation, retail and open space lead to a larger re-envisioning of urban space?

10:10 AM to 11:30 AM

A Game Changer: New Battery Technologies (P3) 
Moderator:
Jim Kelly, Former Senior VP, Southern California Edison
Speakers:
Atsushi Honzawa, Senior Engineer, Hitachi Ltd.
Erica He, Director, ICS/Sumitomo Electric Industries
Philippe Bouchard, Vice President of Business Development, Eos Energy Storage
Akira (Keith) Morise, Senior Manager, Toshiba

Battery technology is a major topic of interest these days, with a new announcement about “revolutionary” electrochemistry released almost weekly. Claims are being made, and governments around the world, as well as high-tech investors, are racing to capture the huge prize that is on the horizon. However, for the most part, the battery-based devices on the market today seem to still feature variations on 20 year-old lithium-ion chemistry. What’s the winning technology or set of technologies—and how soon will we get it?

11:10 AM

(ULI 6) Space Changers: Adaptive Reuse of Existing Buildings into High-Tech Offices (B3) 
Moderator:
Brenda Levin, FAIA, Principal, Levin & Associates
Speakers:
Wayne Ratkovich, President and Chief Operating Officer, The Ratkovich Company
Candace Damon, Vice Chairman, HR&A
Nash Hurley, AIA, Creative Director, Vital Environments
Carl Muhlstein, Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle

Classic buildings, rather than becoming outmoded or stagnant, can be remade when tenants bring creative, fresh ideas into existing spaces. In what ways are structures taking on a second life through adaptive reuse? What benefits does this approach offer, as compared to relying on new construction? How are high-tech offices well-suited to inhabit converted spaces?

11:10 AM

(ULI 7) Space Changers: Healthy Facilities and Communities by Design (P1) 
Moderator:
Claire DeBriere, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Ratkovich Company
Speakers:
Paul Scialla, Founder, Delos Living
Dr. Robert Olgilvie, Vice President for Strategic Development, ChangeLab Solutions
Mike Donahue, Chief Brand and Communications Officer, LYFE Kitchen

A community’s design impacts the health of its inhabitants, with green space, efficient street connectivity, and availability of healthy food increasing the physical and mental health of residents. Beyond that, decisions made when designing and constructing individual buildings can have a tremendous impact on the quality of life within. How will the adoption of the WELL Building Standard facilitate the creation of healthy spaces? How can planners, policy makers, architects, and health professionals collaborate to develop a built environment that meets our physical needs?

11:10 AM

New Financing Mechanisms and Initiatives to Accelerate Investment in Clean Energy Solutions (P2) 
Moderator:
Matt Golden, Senior Energy Finance Consultant, EDF
Speakers:
Cisco DeVries, President and Chief Executive Officer, Renewable Funding
Brad Copithorne, Financial Policy Director, Environmental Defense Fund
Bob Hinkle, President, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, Metrus Energy
Deana Carrillo, Executive Director, California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority

New approaches are dramatically changing the investment markets for energy efficiency and renewable energy. Learn about the potential for innovative ideas currently being implemented, which promise to increase access to capital. These include efforts to standardize the Energy Efficiency product offering, innovations in energy services company business models, and credit enhancement through PACE 2.0, On-Bill Repayment, and State Green Banks. As many of these systems go live and begin to reach scale in 2014, what impact will this have in the coming year and beyond?

12:15 PM

Luncheon Plenary: Building Sustainable and Resilient Cities—Greener by Design (B1)
Introduction:
Joe Edmiston, Executive Director, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
Keynote Speaker:
Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles
Moderator:
David Abel, Chairman, VerdeXchange
Responding Panel:
Ted Tanner, Senior Vice President of Real Estate, AEG
Renata Simril, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, Los Angeles Dodgers

1:45 PM

Renewables Post 2020 (P1) 
Moderator:
V. John White, Executive Director, CEERT
Speakers:
Caroline Choi, Vice President, Integrated Planning and Environmental Affairs, Southern California Edison
George Minter, Director, Policy and Environment, Southern California Gas Company
Laura Wisland, Senior Energy Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists

In California, discussions have begun within the governor's office about the path forward for renewables after 2020, given that the state appears likely to meet the 33 percent RPS goal, and perhaps soon. Ideas under consideration include setting a 2030 GHG reduction target for the electric sector, and shifting the focus of clean energy policy from the current RPS and renewables targets to an emphasis on using low/zero carbon resources—such as efficiency, demand response, storage, transmission, and renewables—to meet future system needs, before adding conventional gas. In addition, the governor’s task force on Southern California Reliability, recommended that at least 50 percent of the resource need would be met with “preferred resources,” including demand response, efficiency, transmission, and renewables. Given this, will renewables post-2020 have the ability, along with other zero/low carbon resources, to meet the reliability and grid operation needs of the future, while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Considering one of the key findings of the recent draft AB 32 scoping plan—that meeting long-term greenhouse gas reduction goals for 2030 and 2050 and fully decarbonizing the electric grid will require significantly greater reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions after 2020 than achieved to date—what role will renewables play in achieving these targets?

1:45 PM

Connected Transportation: Working Toward a 'Car Lite' Los Angeles (P2)
Moderator:
Dan Sturges, Transport Designer, Project 100 | South Bay Cities Council of Government
Speakers:
Bill Rouse, General Manager, Yellow Cab of Los Angeles
Nat Gale, Manager, Mayor's Office of Transportation, City of Los Angeles
David Grannis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Point C
Larry Pizzi, President, Currie Technologies
Damon Nagami, Senior Attorney, NRDC

Every car on the 405 could be an electric Tesla, and the freeway still would not be moving. Private companies and government agencies are learning to work with each other to create and foster smart, multimodal transportation that residents will swap a private car, a bus, a Jitney, and a taxi for. Once, the options were only Metro, Yellow Cab, and your bicycle. Today, Zipcar, Uber, and Lyft have joined in, with bike-sharing and other new, smart mobility services on their way. What are the challenges facing both the private transportation companies as well as government agencies if this bold mobility future is to advance and saturate LA’s grid with new integrated services?

1:45 PM

Business Innovation in Practice: The Key to Unlocking Renewable Energy Projects (P3) 
Moderator:
Mike Levin, Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Ener-Core Speakers:
K.Y. Cheng, Director of Strategic Markets, East West Bank
David Prezioso, Chief Executive Officer, Ice Energy
Brian Kremer, Director of Cleantech Investment Banking, Roth Capital Partners

For so many clean energy companies, now is a critical time. Many companies have received capital to develop their technology and other funds to demonstrate it. Now, their customers are asking for the capital to deploy it. In his new book, Creating Climate Wealth, Jigar Shah, the founder of SunEdison, makes the argument that we have at our disposal right now the knowledge, technology, resources, and proven solutions to dramatically increase renewables as part of our energy supply. What is holding us back, he argues, is the reluctance of mainstream capital to invest in alternative energy projects. So, in addition to technology innovation, we need more business model and finance innovation. This expert panel will discuss the current state of renewable energy project finance, new innovations to help scale projects that cannot receive mainstream financing, and the proper role of government in the process.

2:45 PM

Financing Sustainable Communities: New Sources and Approaches (P1)
Moderator:
Panama Bartholomy, Formerly with the Office of Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez
Speakers:
Adi Liberman, Founder and Principal, Liberman and Associates
Jessica Fox, Program Manager, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Varun Sivaram, Rhodes Scholar; Former Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Los Angeles, Energy and Water Policy
Lauren Michele, Principal/Founder, Policy In Motion

As we begin to build and rebuild our communities using Sustainable Community Strategies and other green development plans, new types of funding will be needed. What sources of funds can we expect to see, and how can they be used to build 21st Century communities? Topics of discussion will include cap and trade revenue, water quality credits, cleantech incubation, ways to run a successful campaign, international finance, and more.

2:45 PM

Global Cleantech Investment Trends: Brazil, China, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom (P2) 
Moderator:
Robert Hertzberg, California Assembly Speaker Emeritus; Mayer Brown LLP
Speakers:
Sergio Pessoa, General Manager, San Francisco Business Center at APEX-Brasil
David Fransen, Consul General of Canada, Los Angeles
Stephen Cheung, Director of International Trade, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, City of Los Angeles
Mike Rosenfeld, Vice-Consul—UK Trade and Investment, British Consulate-General, Los Angeles

This year, many analysts are optimistic, believing that the next wave of clean and greentech innovation, investments in resilient infrastructure, applications of data analytics, breakthroughs in battery and storage, adoption of life-cycle technologies, and services will thrive in the 21st century. Are the analysts correct? Is such optimism global?

2:45 PM

Municipal Waste to Energy Initiatives (P3) 
Moderator:
Paul Krekorian, City Council Member, District 2, City of Los Angeles
Speakers:
Enrique Zaldivar, Director, Bureau of Sanitation, City of Los Angeles
Pat Proano, Assistant Deputy Director, Environmental Programs Division, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works
Rob Costanzo, Deputy Operations Manager, City of Surrey, British Columbia

Since cities have incorporated, handling municipal waste has been a significant challenge for government, sanitation engineers, and the public who both produce the waste and have to suffer its consequences. For decades, sanitation professionals have experimented with various disposal methods, reduction strategies and conversion technologies, including burning for heat and electricity. While older waste-to-energy conversion technologies had onerous consequences for the environment, recent technologies may have changed the equation. How can trash be treated as a resource? What are the policy implications of a shift back to waste-to-energy with a renewable twist?

3:30 PM

Reception Hosted by the Province of Québec and Green Building & Design Magazine