On October 10, 2018, decision makers across the industry gathered for the 11th annual GoGreen Conference in Portland to discuss and learn about innovative ways to improve sustainability best practices.

The all-day conference was full of exciting events including several keynote speeches from industry leaders, followed by nine breakout sessions with topics ranging from equity, to smart grid technologies, to single-use plastics.

Energy Trust of Oregon’s Jessica Iplikci was a member of the Resilient Design and Operations in an Era of Climate Change panel. She discussed the importance of the initial planning phase when incorporating resilient and energy-efficient features in new construction. Other panelists spoke to the importance of climate resilience when designing and constructing new buildings. Local governments and agencies are recognizing the importance of building community resilience by preparing for climate-related disasters at the regional, city-wide and individual building levels.

Mayor Mark Gamba spoke of Milwaukie’s approach to addressing resiliency, highlighting the importance of including a diverse group of stakeholders to provide input during the visioning process. A major goal in Milwaukie’s Climate Action Plan is to achieve net zero building energy by 2040, and the city is utilizing Energy Trust’s Path to Net Zero to achieve that goal. Energy-efficient design, including renewable energy and smart grid technologies, are key strategies to enhance community climate-resilience with new design. Energy Trust’s Path to Net Zero provides a framework and financial support that guides customers through early-design decision making.