SyracuseCoE Research & Technology Podcast

Market opportunities and visions for growth

On-site energy storage at buildings is a key component in reducing energy costs for operating buildings, contributing to their decarbonization and increasing their energy resilience.

This panel discussion features three companies working on innovation products for energy storage at buildings. The discussion will center on the market opportunities and visions of three companies seeking to grow their business in this energy sector.

PANELISTS:

The Basics of of Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEBs)

A SyracuseCoE Research & Technology Forum

Buildings account for more than 70% of U.S. electricity consumption and power sector CO2 emissions. By combining energy efficiency and demand flexibility, grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) can remake buildings into a clean and flexible resource, saving billions in power system costs, reducing carbon emissions and relieving stress on the nation’s grid. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings (GEB) work to remake buildings into a clean and flexible energy resource by combining energy efficiency and demand flexibility with smart technologies and communications to deliver affordable, comfortable, productive, and high performing homes and buildings.

Widespread school closings, like we've seen through the COVID-19 pandemic, create long-term individual and societal costs. It is in the best interest of children and families for schools to remain open. To do that, every effort must be made to keep children healthy.

In the last year, we have learned a great deal about preventing COVID-19 transmission with in-person instruction. The delta variant now challenges us to make use of every layer of prevention. The good news is that children are at a lower risk than adults and there is a new body of evidence that shows that kids can be kept safe at school with a holistic, multi-layered plan to reduce exposure, limit transmission and respond to outbreaks.

This fall, how can schools prioritize risk reduction measures for COVID-19?

We will speak with Harvard researcher and exposure science expert Joseph Allen and East Syracuse Minoa School Superintendent Donna DeSiato to describe the most valuable strategies and how they can be effectively implemented in schools, even with limited budgets and staff.

A SyracuseCoE Research & Technology Forum and Panel Discussion

What should restaurant goers take into consideration before reserving that table?
What can restaurateurs do to make indoor dining safer?

Approximately one year ago, the coronavirus pandemic shut down some of our favorite places to go – bars and restaurants. Frustrated and desperate, restaurateurs have been agile by innovatively reworking their business models, where possible, just to stay open. Take-out, outdoor dining and ghost kitchens helped keep restaurants afloat, but most state and local guidance does not allow 100% occupancy yet.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. With vaccines rolling out and community transmission rates slowly descending, many are anxiously pondering – how safe is it to go out to eat now?

Listen to a round table discussion with three experts: a buildings expert, a restaurateur and a public health expert who bring perspective and clarity to this complex question. The conversation highlights the factors that contribute to a safer restaurant reopening and dining out experience. Audience members ask the expert panel intriguing questions during the Q&A session.

Panelists:

Charles Bertuch, P.E., Principal, Bergmann Architects, Engineers and Planners

Bertuch has more than 30 years professional experience as a consultant and plant engineer. He is currently Principal - Energy Solutions for Bergmann Associates in Syracuse, NY. He holds a M.S degree in Mechanical Engineering from Syracuse University.

Ian Shapiro, co-author of the newly released Green Building Illustrated, 2nd Edition, joins Dr. Nina Sharifi, an Assistant Professor of Architectural Technology at Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, to talk about updates to the new edition of the book, including:

• Will central heating systems be replaced by installing heat pumps in every room?
• Shape efficiency helps reduce energy and construction costs. How can we maximize this new metric and retain the character of external features?
• Lighting gains by LEDs and the thermal loss of excessive glazing may sunset a favorite green building strategy. Are the days of daylighting over?

How do we minimize COVID-19 infection risk when we return to school?

Students are heading back to classrooms. Undetected, there may be one who’s infected by COVID-19. Beyond masking, what are the options for teachers and administrators to minimize the spread of disease through the air?

Join us as we talk with Central New York experts about how air can be replaced or purified to help protect classmates and teachers.

When do portable air purifiers make a difference if a superspreader is in the room? How do I choose purifiers that will be effective and economical? Where should I place them?

How can I understand how air moves in my room? What are the possibilities for rearranging the flow to minimize the risk of disease transmission?

Panelists:

Experts Agree on Aerosol Transmission of COVID-19: How Can Schools Manage Indoor Air to Stop the Spread?

A new school year is beginning soon. Understanding the ventilation and air quality of indoor spaces is critically important.

With strong recommendations from 239 scientists from 32 countries, including faculty from Syracuse University, the World Health Organization is now acknowledging the evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted through aerosol droplets. Viral particles become airborne when people sneeze, cough, sing, talk or breath.

As students return to campuses and classrooms, how can faculty, teachers and building managers optimize ventilation and filtration strategies to help keep students and faculty healthy? From improved ventilation modifications, to HVAC and air filtration, to physical modification of spaces, we will be discussing the current knowledge of how to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in indoor environments.

Transcript coming soon.

Speakers: