Overview of the Institute
The impacts of the climate crisis are everywhere around us with severe droughts, wildfires without precedent, extreme weather, ruined crops and famines, and increasing numbers of climate refugees. Despite the global effort to align on environmental priorities, COP 26 ended with a mix of hope and disappointment. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic weighs down recovery efforts with uncertainty, while eager anticipation surrounds the Build Back Better legislative initiative.
Escaping these realities is not an option but focusing on making buildings safe places to live and work while also being energy efficient is part of the solution. In the current situation the building sector faces two big challenges: how to ensure that buildings are safe for occupancy as workers return to their onsite jobs, and how to move forward with more energy efficient building operations. To address these challenges, ongoing technical innovations in the application of Building Automation Systems (BAS), building de-carbonization strategies, on-site energy generation and storage, grid interactive energy management—the list goes on—are also impacting building operations.
As the building sector pursues a greener and healthier future, the role and importance of the technician workforce operating these buildings will become steadily greater. Similarly, the scope and relevance of technical education will also be magnified.
The BEST Center 3-day National Institute will focus our attention on the sustainability challenges we face and the innovative solutions to pursue. We will highlight legislative and international efforts, innovations in the field of energy efficiency and Building Automation Systems, and strategies and opportunities for educators and industry.