Beneficial Electrification - Virtual Webinar

The Wilton E. Scott Institute of Energy Innovation and Duquesne Light Company are co-hosting a virtual event on Dec 16, 2021 from 9:30am -12noon ET that will bring together national experts to discuss the implications of electrification in the built environment, and specific ways that it can help accelerate the energy transition in communities.

If you are in the region and interested in attending this event in-person, please email Anna Siefken at asiefken@andrew.cmu.edu. Space is very limited.

Speakers:

Alex Laskey is the Founder and Executive Chair of Rewiring America and formerly the CEO of OPower. Duquesne Light has signed their support to the Rewiring Americas Initiative, which aims to achieve national emissions goals, improve our health, lower monthly bills, and create millions of clean energy jobs by first electrifying households. Alex will bring a depth of knowledge of what needs to be done to influence the transition to a clean energy future and an inspiring view of what we can accomplish in the region.

Kevin Walker is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Duquesne Light Holdings, Duquesne Light Company. Kevin has nearly 30 years of utility experience in a host of roles at multiple utilities throughout the country. Prior to joining Duquesne Light Company (DLC), he served as senior vice president of customer and operations services and nuclear decommissioning at Southern California Edison. In this role, he oversaw customer experience for more than five million accounts; the services provided to the corporation through the Operational Services group, which included Supply Chain, Corporate Real Estate, Transportation Services and Corporate Environmental Services; and the on-site transfer of spent nuclear fuel from wet to dry storage. As DLC’s first Black man and person of color to become president and CEO, he is a proud Veteran of the U.S. Army, having served six years as a field artillery officer with a deployment to the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm. Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from West Point Academy and a Master’s of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He resides in Marshall Township, Pennsylvania, with his spouse John, seven-year-old twins Grace and Max and two dogs Ellie and Henry. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys biking, hiking and exploring Pittsburgh’s trails and parks.

Destenie Nock is an Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) and Engineering and Public Policy (EPP) at Carnegie Mellon University, and conducts research on energy equity within the US and internationally. Earlier this year, Nock was designated as a Scott Institute Energy Fellow. She joins CMU having received her Ph.D. in 2019 from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. There, she performed energy systems modeling and analysis in both New England and Sub-Saharan Africa, using multi-criteria decision analysis and applied optimization to better equip policy makers to understand energy planning options. In her previous work she assessed the sustainability of different future scenarios for electricity generation in the New England region.

Jeremy Snyder is a partner and trained MEP engineer who has been with Buro Happold for nearly 20 years. He has led some of the firm’s most sustainable multidisciplinary engineering projects – including the LEED Platinum Tower at PNC Plaza in Pittsburgh, one of the greenest in the world, as well as the LEED Gold business schools at both Carnegie Mellon University and Yale University. Working within a variety of sectors – from aviation and urban development to higher education, culture and commercial developments – Jeremy collaborates with clients, architects, engineers and contractors to deliver innovative, resilient and future ready projects. Jeremy oversees Buro Happold’s Mid-Atlantic region which includes Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC, and has been responsible for much of the firm’s growth in these markets. His experience in high performance building and campus design and his ability to serve as a trusted advisor to his clients has led to numerous long-term working relationships with architects and end-clients alike. Jeremy’s understanding of the industry has allowed him to speak frequently at conferences, such as the Mascaro Center for Sustainability and the ASHRAE High Performance Building Conference, the AIA, and more. He has lectured at higher education institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia University, The Pratt Institute, Parson’s New School, and the University of Pittsburgh. He is a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, DC, Arkansas, and Florida.

Steve Pantano is Chief Research Officer at CLASP, a global non-profit dedicated to advancing climate and energy access solutions through energy efficient appliances and equipment. For the past 15 years he has worked to develop policy and market based solutions to encourage the deployment of more beneficial and sustainable end-use products in countries around the world. Most recently he authored a research study which promotes rapid and cost-effective electrification of space heating in the US by replacing the supply of residential central air conditioners with heat pumps. The Hybrid Heat Homes strategy was covered in the New York Times and Canary Media, and has since been influential in the design of state and Federal building decarbonization strategies. Steve received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s of Business Administration from The Johns Hopkins University.

Anna J. Siefken is the inaugural executive director of the Scott Institute where she helps drive initiatives integral to the Institute’s mission and vision. Previously, she served as the Scott Institute’s Associate Director for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, a role in which she deepened engagements and developed an innovative partnership strategy that promotes collaboration with industry, government, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, universities and several of Carnegie Mellon's energy-related centers. The strategy focused on research, commercializing technologies, education and outreach. Prior to joining CMU in 2016, Siefken was the Pittsburgh 2030 District director and vice president of Strategic Engagement for the Green Building Alliance, one of the largest regional chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council. She previously worked at ICF International and The Home Depot headquarters. She is a founding member of the international 2030 District Network’s Board of Governors. Siefken is one of six CMU-affiliated women who were honored with the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 2016 Women in Energy Leadership Award. In 2018, she received the Cribs for Kids' Women of Achievement award for promoting a sustainable community, her work with the Pittsburgh 2030 District and being an exemplary role model for women and girls. Most recently, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory selected Siefken as a member of its national Executive Energy Leadership Academy cohort.