The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announces a distinguished speaker lineup for the 13th Annual Montgomery County Energy Summit on Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9. The Energy Summit will take place at the Silver Spring Civic Building, located at 1 Veterans Place in Silver Spring. County Executive Marc Elrich will deliver opening remarks, joined by Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart, DEP Director Jon Monger and Climate Change Officer Sarah Kogel-Smucker. Carl Elefante, fellow of the American Institute of Architects, member of the Association for Preservation Technology and former president of the American Institute of Architects, will provide the keynote address.
Elefante’s background in decarbonization directly supports the summit’s theme ‘Beyond Benchmarking: Navigating Energy Performance’ and advances the County’s commitment to transforming the built environment.
“The Energy Summit consistently serves as a catalyst for innovation in sustainable building practices,” said County Executive Elrich. “As we move beyond benchmarking, we’re bringing together thought leaders who can share cutting-edge approaches to building energy performance. This summit will be crucial in advancing our climate action goals while fostering economic growth.”
Carl Elefante, known for the influential principle “the greenest building is the one that already exists,” will discuss key themes from his forthcoming book, “Going for Zero: Decarbonizing the Built Environment on the Path to Our Urban Future,” addressing:
- Transforming building design, construction, and operations
- Integrating sustainability with historic preservation
- Creating equitable solutions for the climate emergency
- Practical approaches to decarbonization
“Carl Elefante’s expertise in both preservation and sustainability make him the ideal keynote for this year’s summit,” said DEP Director Jon Monger. “His practical experience combined with his vision for the future will provide valuable insights for our building community as we work toward significant energy improvements.”
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The 2025 Energy Summit will bring together more than 300 building owners, property managers, developers, energy contractors, and sustainability professionals from the DMV area. Registration is now open at mcenergysummit.org .
Visit the DEP webpage to learn more about Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection.
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=46579