WAEE - Meet our presenters

WEEE 2024 Keynote Speaker

Marco Gonzalez, MSEE, CEM

Energy Intensive Industry Makes Major Reductions Under The Leadership of Marco Gonzalez

Waupaca Foundry, Inc., North America's leading supplier of iron castings to the automotive, commercial vehicle, agriculture, construction, and industrial markets, produces gray iron and ductile iron castings using state-of-the-art processes and technology. Waupaca Foundry is one of the founder members of the US DOE Better Climate Challenge, the Low Carbon Pilot Program, and one of the first 29 companies nationwide to join the now US DOE Better Plants program back in 2009. Moreover, Waupaca was the first foundry in the US to achieve ISO50001 certification back in 2016. Headquartered in Waupaca, Wisconsin, and operates five iron foundries located in Waupaca, Wisconsin; Marinette, Wisconsin; and Tell City, Indiana Waupaca employs approximately 4,000 people. For more information, visit www.waupacafoundry.com.

Marco Gonzalez is the Corporate Energy Manager at Waupaca Foundry, Inc. responsible for leading the Energy Management and Decarbonization efforts to achieve Waupaca’s corporate sustainability goals. In recent years, Marco has been leading big impact projects at Waupaca to achieve deep decarbonization, which include among other strategies, Maximizing Energy Efficiency, Process electrification projects, and the adoption of renewable energy. Marco holds 22+ years in power systems and energy management in industrial and manufacturing companies, domestic and international, with more than 120 energy assessments completed. In addition, Marco is the co-chair of the Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group and a co-chair of the Wisconsin Cast Metals Association Energy Committee.

Marco is a Certified Energy Manager by AEE and holds an MS in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee Technological University. He was awarded 2024 Energy Manager of the Year – Midwest region by AEE.

Lunchtime Panel Discussion

Learn How These Major Industries Navigate Energy Efficiency and Make Progress

Moderator - Jennifer Szedziewski, We Energies

Healthcare - Alan Eber

BIO

Alan is responsible for overall operational leadership and strategy development for Eneration. Eneration’s mission is to reduce the cost of health care and improving community health by providing sustainable energy management to healthcare system around the US. Before accepting this position, Alan was the Director of Facility Operations for the Gundersen Health System. In this role he had overall leadership for execution and strategy development responsibilities for the Facility Maintenance, Energy & Engineering, Facility Planning & Construction, Security, Environmental Compliance, and Environment of Care departments. Prior to that role Alan was the Engineering & Energy Manager for Gundersen Health System where he played a significant role in helping Gundersen achieve energy independence. Before joining Gundersen in 2010, Alan was employed by Trane as Product Engineering Manager. Alan holds a BSME from the University of Wisconsin Madison, an MBA from Viterbo University, and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Municipalities - Erick Shambarger

BIO

Erick Shambarger is the Director of Environmental Sustainability for the City of Milwaukee, where he leads the Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO). ECO develops practical solutions that benefit Milwaukee’s environment and economy. Mr. Shambarger oversees implementation of the Refresh Milwaukee sustainability plan and coordinates Milwaukee's involvement with local, national, and global partnerships on environmental sustainability. He oversees all of ECO's programs, including the Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2) program, the Milwaukee Better Buildings Challenge, Water Centric City initiative, the HOME GR/OWN program and green infrastructure work. He led development of the City's Green Infrastructure Plan that was adopted in 2019 and is currently the Project Manager for the forthcoming Climate and Equity Plan. He also negotiated the City's largest solar energy project to date, a 2.25MW solar system on a city-owned landfill. Mr. Shambarger also launched Wisconsin's first Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program that has financed over $38m in projects in the City. He is also co-founder of the Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition (WLGCC.org). Prior to his current role, he served as City Economist in the City’s Budget and Management Division. He holds a Masters of Public Affairs degree from the University of Wisconsin and certificates in Water Technology; Energy Analysis and Policy; and Business Communications.

Industrial - Marco Gonzalez

BIO

Liaison - Mandela Barnes

BIO

Former Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, still working towards equity & sustainability. People for the American Way Senior Fellow, President of Power to the Polls & Forward Together Wisconsin. Founder of The Long Run PAC

WEEE 2024 Speakers and Presentations
(alphabetical by last name)

Alex Dodd

Optimizing Design and Control of Chilled Water Plants

This presentation will focus on chilled water plants that include multiple chillers that support industrial processes and/or campuses of commercial buildings. It is intended to provide techniques for plant design and control strategies (for new or existing plants) that require little added engineering time compared to standard practice but result in significantly reduced life-cycle costs. To demonstrate these energy efficiency concepts, the presentation will utilize research papers and educational documentation provided by ASHRAE, as well as a recent case study of the modifications made to a 32,000 Ton chilled water plant serving a campus in northern Illinois.

BIO

Alex Dodd is an Associate for Grumman Butkus Associates. He manages energy auditing, commissioning, and design projects in industrial and commercial facilities. Alex strives to be an educator of best practices for HVAC controls, compressed air, refrigeration, pumping fan and steam systems, as well as specialty processes like wastewater treatment, plastics manufacturing, metal casting, and healthcare systems

Alan Eber

Energy Efficiency and the Mission of Healthcare

Eneration, the team behind Gundersen's achievement of energy independence, will present on the evolving landscape of healthcare and the growing alignment of energy efficiency and renewable energy with healthcare's mission. Using Gundersen and other health systems as examples, we will explore readily implementable efficiency measures in healthcare that incur minimal costs. We will highlight renewable energy projects that not only enhance financial performance but also reduce reliance on fossil fuels and foster local partnerships. Additionally, we will discuss newly constructed health facilities designed, built, and operated to be all-electric and achieve net-zero energy consumption. These case studies will delve into the processes, technologies, and challenges involved in these pioneering projects.

BIO

Alan Eber is responsible for overall operational leadership and strategy development for Eneration. Eneration’s mission is to reduce the cost of health care and improving community health by providing sustainable energy management to healthcare system around the US.
Before accepting this position, Alan was the Director of Facility Operations for the Gundersen Health System. In this role he had overall leadership for execution and strategy development responsibilities for the Facility Maintenance, Energy & Engineering, Facility Planning & Construction, Security, Environmental Compliance, and Environment of Care departments. Prior to that role Alan was the Engineering & Energy Manager for Gundersen Health System where he played a significant role in helping Gundersen achieve energy independence. Before joining Gundersen in 2010, Alan was employed by Trane as Product Engineering Manager.
Alan holds a BSME from the University of Wisconsin Madison, an MBA from Viterbo University, and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Rebecca Ellis

Making the Case for Ongoing Commissioning

Ongoing commissioning (OCx) has become an industry buzzword in recent years. Typically, OCx applies to new, high-performance buildings, in which a building automation system (BAS) collects and analyzes performance data to help fine-tune the building’s operation. However, such high-performance buildings make up a very small portion of the current building stock in the U.S.
In this course, we’ll demonstrate how many existing buildings can greatly benefit from a simpler form of OCx. Despite the limitations of available data from such buildings, we can perform less sophisticated, but arguably equally beneficial processes to improve building performance. Just as no two buildings are alike—a common refrain in building operations—no two applications of ongoing commissioning should be alike, either. This presentation will detail case studies of buildings that have taken advantage of OCx services. We will cover the processes used, overall best practices, and the benefits of applying these concepts to a variety of buildings.

BIO

Rebecca Ellis is a nationally recognized leader in the building commissioning industry. In addition to being a licensed professional engineer in 13 states, she is a LEED Accredited Professional and holds commissioning certifications from ASHRAE, the Building Commissioning Association, and the AABC Commissioning Group. She has Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and the University of Minnesota, respectively. Ms. Ellis has over 30 years of experience engineering and managing a variety of HVAC system projects. Ms. Ellis is a specialist in the design, analysis, and commissioning of intricate temperature and humidity control systems with a particular strength in direct digital controls. She has helped define mainstream commissioning services and has written a monthly column about commissioning for Engineered Systems magazine for 17 years. Ms. Ellis and the team of commissioning professionals at Questions & Solutions Engineering have successfully commissioned more than 75 LEED registered and certified (mostly Silver and Gold) projects.

Marcus Ellson

Unlocking the Potential of AI in buildings

Discover the future of smart buildings, where artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the built environment, unlocking unparalleled performance and insight. This future entails indoor spaces that achieve new levels of performance, energy efficiency, and occupant comfort through intelligent building systems. Join our Trane controls and building intelligence expert as we delve into the latest technologies, key considerations, and invaluable resources that will guide you through every crucial step to reach your goals. Learn how a Trane customer introduced predictive optimization using an AI-enabled service which has been implemented at over 190 clinics, producing impressive results and showcasing its scalability and ability to reduce carbon footprint while maintaining safety requirements.

BIO

Marcus Ellson joined Trane in 2008 as a Controls Technical Support Engineer. In 2010 he moved into Controls Product Development and worked on a wide variety of projects including enhancements to standard applications, new system integration features, support of legacy controls products, enterprise data analytics tools, graphics productivity savings, and product licensing. Marcus manages a group of Product Planning Engineers working on the entire breadth of controls products. Marcus also serves as Product Manager for Trane Autonomous Control. Marcus graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering, and later a Masters in Management of Technology.

Alexis London

Kevin Frost

Bringing sustainability to Wisconsin affordable housing: the Bayview Foundation

Bayview was formed in 1966 to support culturally diverse, low-income families in Madison, WI. Bayview is in the final year of an effort to revitalize its diverse community. The first two phases of the project are complete, with the third to be complete later this year. The development consists of a new community center and 130 apartment units, the majority of which are Section 8 housing to maximize affordability for low-income residents in Madison.
In preparing for the complete redevelopment of housing and the community center, Bayview started resident engagement in 2018 and engaged 70 percent of adult residents throughout the planning efforts. Bayview staff held more than 25 community meetings, several surveys, one-on-one interviews, and group design “charrettes” to capture resident input and ensure the future Bayview best reflects the values, priorities, and needs of current and future residents. In addition, this comprehensive engagement process and effort has led to all townhomes certified to ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction standards and the community center on track for Passive House Institute (PHIIUS+) certification. In this presentation, Bayview will share lessons learned from this process and how other communities can achieve these results.

BIOs

Alexis London, Executive Director, Bayview Foundation
Alexis provides vision and leadership for the Bayview organization. She ensures safe, affordable housing for the 102 families that live at Bayview and the delivery of a wide array of vital services at Bayview’s Community Center. Alexis is leading Bayview’s redevelopment project that will transform Bayview’s aging townhouses and community center into a vibrant neighborhood that emphasizes social cohesion, mutual aid, sustainability and community health.
Kevin Frost, Senior Energy Engineer, Slipstream
Kevin’s experience in designing heating and cooling systems supports research work into commercial building electrification and recommends sustainability solutions for building owners and operators. Kevin has led three field verification studies of commercial heat pump VRF technology and other electrification heating systems in the upper Midwest. He also assisted in multiple master planning efforts for decarbonization of multiple building owners, including supporting the goals of the Bayview Foundation.

Rachel Ruekert
Dave Guberud

Words Matter in a BAS Submittal

ASHRAE Guideline 36, complicated designer control sequences that might emulate ASHRAE 36 or even packaged Roof Top Units....these devices, these systems don't work by magic though people might think so. So, what is the best way to verify that the Owner, the Designers, the Mechanical Contractor, the Electrical Contractor, the Controls Contractor, and the Cx Provider all understand how the control systems work as shown in the project control submittal with its sequences and the interdependencies in the exact same way? The answer to this question is of course, a controls page turn meeting!
There is a likelihood we have all seen the benefit of construction phase page turns of the control submittals or other technical submittals. While the benefits to having this meeting are large, the most important benefit is communicating in person and making sure that the team is on the same page. This is best conveyed with a face-to-face meeting, seeing people’s eyes of truthfulness, getting actual buy in, and obtaining understanding by all, because people do not always take the same meaning from the same words the same way. Our presentation will provide immediate take aways for owners, designers, and contractors by our dissecting, in an entertaining way, actual control submittals so energy saving measures designed can actually be obtained.

BIOs

Rachel Rueckert, PE, QCxP, CxA, LEED AP, Partner
Rachel has over 23 years of experience in design, project management, coordination, and commissioning of HVAC systems; the last thirteen years have been dedicated to MEP commissioning for Ring & DuChateau. Rachel is a partner and the Co-Lead of the Cx department at Ring & Du. Rachel has been an ACG member since 2015. Rachel is a professional engineer with a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering and master’s degree in Engineering with an emphasis in Building Energy Systems from the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Rachel is also adjunct professor at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Dave Guberud, QCxP, CxA, Partner
Dave has over 38 years of experience in design, installation and commissioning of building control systems; eighteen of those years expressly tied to the craft of MEP commissioning for Ring & DuChateau at various facilities throughout the country. Dave is a partner and the Co-Lead of the Cx department at Ring & Du. Dave is a 1986 graduate of The Milwaukee School of Engineering with a BS in Architectural Engineering. Dave has been an active member of the ACG since 2015. To give back to the industry Dave is also part time certified teacher at the Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Spencer Ingaldson

Leveraging groundwater to bring geothermal everywhere

Darcy Solutions groundwater based geothermal systems provide 100+ tons of capacity per well by utilizing a heat exchanger placed in the aquifer. This leap in technology and capacity is drastically reducing the amount of space needed to implement a geothermal system. Darcy’s team of geologists are able to precisely design a system that is capable of leveraging constant groundwater temperatures to operate with unbalanced loads, with no limit to the size of the system. Darcy’s technology is currently operating at many Midwest locations, including Hospitals, K-12, Municipal Facilities and Universities. Many more projects are currently in construction in Wisconsin. This technology is allowing new and existing building owners to decarbonize, lower their operating costs and leverage the Inflation Reduction Act.

BIO

Spencer Ingaldson serves as the Chief Development Officer at Darcy Solutions, overseeing Business Development, Sales, Marketing, and Applications Engineering. With over 16 years of specialized experience in HVAC systems sales, Spencer brings a wealth of knowledge in applied HVAC systems, along with a deep understanding of the commercial and industrial HVAC markets. A graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Spencer also holds a USGBC-LEED Accredited Professional certification, underscoring his commitment to sustainable building practices.

Adam Sandstrom

A New Perspective on the Modern Microgrid

With over 8GW of power installed globally, Clarke Energy is an industry leader in on-site power generation systems. This presentation will aim to explain the benefits of distributed generation projects with several Clarke Energy case study examples. We will also explain the use of different technologies and applications, as well as current trends in the market. More specifically, we will go into the discussion of Microgrid schemes and incorporating renewable energy sources while also utilizing the waste heat from the system.

BIO

Adam Sandstrom is the Sales & Marketing Coordinator for Clarke Energy USA - A Kohler Company. He has been with Clarke Energy for two years and has a deep interest in the development of microgrid and hybrid technologies as well as renewable natural gas systems. Adam is an active member in several regional and national organizations to include the Midwest Cogeneration Association and the American Biogas Council.

Ralph Muehleisen

Recent and Coming Advances in Heat Pumps

As part of building and industrial electrification, electric heat pumps are replacing gas driven furnaces and boilers for hot water, space, and low-temperature processing heating. While the current generation of heat pumps are able to replace residential furnaces and low temperature radiant heating boilers, replacement of higher temperature furnaces and boilers has been problematic. Research and development of new technologies at the DOE National Laboratories and in industry are creating a new generation of high temperature and wide temperature range heat pumps capable of replacing larger gas driven furnaces and boilers. This presentation will review the current state of the art in heat pumps and give a sneak peek at what is in the research labs and will be coming to market soon.

BIO

Dr. Ralph T. Muehleisen is the Chief Building Scientist and Buildings and Industrial Technologies Group Leader in the Energy Systems and Infrastructure Analysis Division at Argonne National Lab. At Argonne, Dr. Muehleisen leads research to increase the energy efficiency, sustainability, and resiliency of the built environment while improving the quality of life and return on investment for citizens. His current project portfolio includes R&D related to building energy modeling, future weather data, tools and technologies for decarbonizing the built environment, and decarbonization strategy development and analysis for cities, countries, and continents.

Stan Nabozny

Unlocking Flexible Demand: Harnessing 68GW of DERs in the US with Thermal Energy Storage

Discover how Thermal Energy Storage can significantly reduce Grid-Scale load and provide a cost-effective alternative to Lithium-ion batteries. Through case studies and examples, the results of TES shifting load and creating efficiency will be shown offering valuable insights for utilities and customers.
Refrigerated or air-conditioned spaces can utilize TES as a DER to curtail load during the most expensive periods of the day and shift load to off peak. TES is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install and lasts twenty years; delivering storage for one-tenth the cost of electric batteries.
TES offers a range of benefits over conventional electric batteries, including reduced fire risk, readily available materials for sourcing and manufacturing, and improved efficiency by charging during optimal conditions. Unlike batteries, TES systems do not require heavy parasitic energy consumption to maintain temperature limits and boast a much longer lifespan of up to 20 years. This presentation will describe the tangible benefits and practical implementation strategies of TES.

BIO

Stan Nabozny, Director of Thermal Energy Consulting, Michaels Energy
Stan Nabozny manages market development, engineering, cost estimating and commissioning for Michaels' thermal energy storage (TES) programs. He holds patents in TES using phase change materials and has ten years of experience in designing, sourcing, and deploying TES in multiple countries. Stan's focus to date has been TES for industrial refrigeration, shifting load off-peak, and saving energy. He leads Michaels' load management portfolio for TES in refrigeration and HVAC, as well as monitoring-based commissioning.

Bill Neitzel

Electrical Codes – EV and Electrification

This presentation will focus on National and State Code requirements for electric vehicle installations and designs. Load sharing and other technologies will be discussed and what current codes allow and prohibit when these types of technologies are proposed. We will look at EV concerns and the effects that National and State codes have on these issues. Items that may change with future codes will also be discussed.

BIO

Bill Neitzel has 55+ years of experience in the electrical field. He started his career working for his father for 12 years. He owned his own business for 10 years and spent the next 27 years as an electrical inspector for the City of Madison and multiple small communities around the Madison area. For the next 4 years Bill was the Building Inspection Manager for the City of Middleton. Bill semi-retired in 2020 and still works part time doing inspections for various communities around the Madison area. Bill was the Chairman of the Wisconsin Electrical Code Advisory Council in 1999 and 2017 and is secretary of the current Electrical Code Council. He has been the Education Chairman for the Wisconsin Chapter IAEI and does extensive training all over the State of Wisconsin.

Pawel Olszewski

Lessons Learned from Energy Analysis and Optimization of an Existing Microgrid

In today’s rapidly changing world, renewable energy-powered microgrids are emerging as a viable alternative to traditional energy systems. This presentation explores the energy flow within a microgrid operating under dynamically shifting power generation and consumption conditions. The comprehensive energy analysis covers all components establishing the microgrid system. Real data collected by power meters provides valuable insights into the load structure and power consumption characteristics within the existing microgrid. By combining this information with available meteorological data, the optimal size of windmills and solar panels was determined to sustain an independent microgrid system, which necessitates the implementation of energy storage solutions. Our calculations have estimated the required size for battery storage, compensating for erratic electricity generation and extending electricity availability beyond the hours with sufficient solar irradiation and wind capacity. Based on the analysis provided, we propose a rough cost estimation for the microgrid power generation and storage system. Renewable-powered microgrids offer a wide spectrum of feasible applications, but only with relevant management and scheduling of load components, significantly impacting our current on-demand consumption habits. Additionally, microgrids open new potentials for long-term (several months) energy storage by significantly oversized electricity generation sites operating in summer mode.

BIO

Dr. Pawel Olszewski serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering and Engineering Technology at the UW Oshkosh since 2014. He designed and constructed Teaching and Energy Research Industrial Lab, including patented prototype of the Flameless Impingement Oven.
Dr. Olszewski focused his professional interests on modelling and optimization of energy conversion processes. He conducted over 80 energy audits, in various manufacturing systems, generating significant energy savings.
Dr. Olszewski’s educational path led him from Warsaw University of Technology (Ph.D.) in Power Engineering area, to his Postdoc at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. For nearly ten years he worked in the Central Laboratory of the Polish Oil and Gas Company. He turned his interest towards energy conservation in industry while working in the Poland-Japan Energy Conservation Technology Center.
Having his skills and knowledge, Dr. Olszewski’s established Industrial Energy Consulting serving and consulting the local industrial sector in an energy field.

Fred Schnook

Transition to Alternative Fuels - Stories from the Trenches

The presentation will be a dialogue amongst Wisconsin-based, private, and public sector fleet managers about their experience in transitioning to alternative fuels. More specifically, this presentation will be a high-level discussion about the individual organization’s sustainability goals, the transportation needs of the organization and why a specific fuel choice was made. The panel will be facilitated by the Wisconsin Clean Cities Coalition, a nonprofit group with a 30-year history of helping organizations with their sustainability goals in the transportation space.

BIO

Fred Schnook, Executive Director, Wisconsin Clean Cities Coalition, will serve as the Panel Moderator. Prior to assuming the role of Executive Director for Wisconsin Clean Cities, Fred Schnook served as Mayor of the City of Ashland, Wisconsin, where he established the city as one of the first Eco-Municipalities in the nation. Mr. Schnook served as a consultant with Foth, Inc., providing sustainable planning practices and projects to private sector enterprises and municipalities across the mid-west. Fred also served as the City and Village Administrator in Kewaunee and Mukwonago, Wisconsin. Fred Schnook has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh.

Andrew Byrne

BIO

Andrew Byrne is currently the Director of EV Products and Markets for Potawatomi Ventures. Andy leads all facets of the PV’s go to market and service delivery functions of their newly launched EV Infrastructure offering. Potawatomi Ventures (PV) was established in 2002 as the economic development and income diversification business of the Forest County Potawatomi Community (FCPC). Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, our subsidiary companies and investments provide financial diversification for our shareholders and investment partners. We grow with a clear focus on profitability and sustainable economic development. Prior to the Potawatomi Ventures, Andy led eMobility product development and sales for Lindsay Renewables. Lindsay Renewables designs and manufacturers precast concrete and pre-fabricated steel products for the Solar, EV and BESS industries. Prior to Lindsay Renewables, Andy led the North American Sales and Business Development efforts for Autel Energy. Autel Energy is a global OEM hardware and software developer/manufacturer of EV and Energy Storage products. Andy began his journey in the eMobility industry while working for Harley-Davison Motor Company. In 2018, Andy was assigned to the team dedicated to preparing the organization for their forthcoming EV motorcycle (Livewire). After Harley-Davidson, Andy continued his work in the industry, accepting leadership roles in the eMobility teams at both ABM and The State Group. Andy has been dedicated to energizing the Renewables industry for over 6 years.

Dave Hedin

BIO

Dave has nearly 33 years of experience in the electrical field. As a skilled manager with Industrial work, his work load varies in size and type. His managing services run on a 24 hour basis to all customers; this work includes Project management, installation, troubleshooting and repair of industrial equipment and facilities. His dedicated to Pieper Electric’s Safety Committee as well as several other training courses expresses his knowledge and craze to continue in this field.

Lance Jothen - invited

BIO

GORiteway Director of Maintenance

TBA

Lisa Morris

BIO

Lisa has worked for the family business since 2005. She is responsible for the overall management of employees, including acquisition and retention, compensation and benefits. Lisa also oversees Time Transport’s safety program, including FMCSA compliance, crash reduction and fleet maintenance. She is responsible for collecting and comparing data on the operational, maintenance, performance, emissions, and durability of Time’s CNG-powered vehicles, as well as maintaining the fleet’s SmartWay certification. Since Time Transport’s adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks in 2013, Lisa has worked with Wisconsin Clean Cities to continue advancing her team’s education of CNG. This has not only led to substantial environmental benefits but also an improved bottom line. In her free time, Lisa spends time with her husband and 5 children in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. She works professionally as an actor and is a foodie who loves to cook and is inspired by food-based travel.

Brian White

BIO

Brian White was appointed Fleet Services Manager for the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in August of 2023. In this capacity, Brian is responsible for the overall management of the City of Milwaukee’s municipal fleet and fleet operations, including a fleet dispatch section that schedules and deploys over 400 vehicles and operators daily. He has extensive experience administering asset management software, fuel management systems, and alternative fuels. Brian held positions as Fleet Repair Supervisor, Fleet Systems Manager, Fleet Repairs Manager, and Fleet Manager for the Milwaukee Police Department. He spearheaded the adoption of hybrid patrol vehicles, upfit standardization, and transitioning to synchronized emergency lighting systems. Future goals and projects include modernizing and integrating technology into all aspects of Fleet Services and Operations and establishing an apprenticeship program that will provide high school students with marketable job skills while creating a recruitment pipeline for skilled trades positions within the city. In his free time, Brian has built custom computer systems, enjoys cooking, and tackling various home renovation projects. He lives near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his wife and their two daughters

Loy E. Sneary

Steven Schrage

Making Power from Wasted Heat

Gulf Coast Green Energy, Bay City, Texas will make a presentation on their fuel and emissions free waste heat-to-power industry solutions.
Solutions discussed will be making power from anaerobic digesters, additional fuel efficiencies for large engines, process fluid cooling and using flare gas for a beneficial use (making power). All three applications use wasted heat to produce on-site power which can dramatically reduce emissions and power costs.
The presentation will highlight waste water treatment plant on-site power generation, the successful Dept. of Defense funded project to reduce emissions through reduced fuel consumption for large engines. Highlighted will be the successful flare reduction solution developed in partnership with Hess Corp, Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), Texas A&M and the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Also included will be an overview of power generation from produced water and processed fluids. The presentation will be made by Gulf Coast Green Energy’s CEO Loy Sneary and will include an overview of the projects from design to installation/commissioning, and through the successful sustained operations.

BIO

Loy E. Sneary, CEO of Gulf Coast Green Energy was so impressed with the commercial/environmental promise of the ElectraTherm Power+ GeneratorTM and the opportunity to help companies convert waste heat to electricity, that he left his successful business development consulting practice to lead GCGE. A life-long rancher and successful businessman, Loy has always been an early adopter of innovative technologies. He has spent much of his career at the nexus of industry and government, promoting economic development and improving dialogue between community groups, business organizations, and government. He’s had a distinguished history of public service serving as County Judge, running for Congress and a committee appointee for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. “What we are doing at GCGE is exciting because we are making it possible for our clients to reduce their Carbon Footprint, enhance their ESG and environmental stewardship objectives while generating low-cost fuel and emission free on-site power”

Steven Schrage is the Sustainability and Resiliency Manager for the City of Appleton, where he leads the city's conservation and climate initiatives. With over 25 years of experience in engineering, project management, energy management, and sustainability, Steven is a recognized expert in his field.

He holds multiple prestigious certifications, including Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Renewable Energy Professional (REP), and Certified Sustainable Development Professional (CSDP). Steven is also actively involved with the Wisconsin Association of Energy Engineers (WAEE) and serves as a board member for the Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition.

In his role with the City of Appleton, Steven drives efforts to enhance environmental sustainability and build community resilience against climate change. His extensive background and leadership in sustainability make him a sought-after speaker, dedicated to advancing best practices and innovative solutions for energy efficiency and climate action.

Kevin Standlee

Beneficial Electrification, Beyond the Buzz Words

The Electrification movement shifts buildings away from using fossil fuels (Natural Gas, Propane, Diesel, etc.) and other carbon forming energy sources in favor of using only electrical energy. Beneficial Electrification makes this shift in a thoughtful and favorable way that makes sense for the building owners, users and the environment. Our goal should be to get beyond the buzz words and recognize that there are many ways to achieve Electrification that are not beneficial to building owners, users or the environment and steer clear of these pitfalls.

BIO

Kevin Standlee has over 15 years of engineering experience and professional registration in 25 states, Kevin has a broad knowledge of the building construction industry, as well as overall engineering and design knowledge and experience. He has extensive experience with building/facility design, planning and electrical systems integration. Kevin specializes in complex projects that include central utility plants, renewable power, energy storage, and microgrid. He works closely with clients and stakeholders to select and install the most appropriate systems for long-term benefit.

Daniel Steinhardt

Demystifying Solar Integration: Understanding Benefits, Proposals, Battery Integration, and Regulatory Landscape

The integration of solar energy into the grid presents an invaluable opportunity for organizations to manage their energy costs both in the present and future. However, pervasive misconceptions and a lack of understanding often hinders adoption or leads to ineffective solutions. Our presentation will demystify solar offerings with 3 key objectives.
1.Explain in concrete terms how to start navigating through the intricate details of feasibility assessments, cost projections, and system designs.
2. More importantly, we will focus on the pivotal and changing role of battery technology within solar infrastructure and the current regulatory landscape.
3. Address emerging considerations such as the new interconnection process and the challenges posed by distribution congestion on the grid.
By simplifying these complexities, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency experts will be able to evaluate solar integration with the most effective and up to date information possible.

BIO

Dan Steinhardt began his career as a project developer with Arch in 2017. He is a Master Electrician in WI and IL and a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional. Dan enjoys working in project development because he enjoys seeing our customer’s commitment to renewable energy in Wisconsin. Dan is an active member of the Plymouth Community and is involved in coaching youth soccer, football, and baseball. He is also currently serving as the Vice President of the Plymouth School District Board. When Dan isn’t working, he enjoys camping, fishing, and attending sporting events with his wife and five sons.

Dan Streit

City Energy Planning: From Community Support to Implementation

Many of the largest U.S. cities have adopted ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions. However, not all communities have the resources to tackle the complexity of lowering energy use and to know how to prioritize actions to meet energy goals. Across Wisconsin, several communities, both large and small, are developing and implementing energy plans. This presentation will offer an overview of municipal energy plans currently underway, with a specific focus on experiences shared by speakers from Madison, Milwaukee, and Middleton.

BIO

Dan Streit, Senior Researcher, Slipstream, is an experienced researcher, with expertise in residential and commercial clean energy financing, as well as municipal energy planning and intersections between energy programs and community priorities. He advises on Slipstream’s development and administration of multifamily and commercial financing programs in four states and has experience developing high-impact financing programs. Dan’s research informs the development of Slipstream’s financing, agriculture, and community-based programs. His work poises the organization to provide community-driven solutions, financing programs, and consulting services that enable households, property owners, businesses, and local governments to operate more efficiently and reduce negative environmental impact.

Highlights of Dan’s tenure with Slipstream have included co-managing and leading a multi-stakeholder redevelopment of the PACE Wisconsin program and tripling Slipstream’s Energy Finance Solutions (EFS) volume of funded loans in a three-year period. He is energized by working with dedicated colleagues and partners to explore holistic climate solutions.

Kelly Hilyard, MLA

Sustainability Coordinator, City of Middleton

BIO

Kelly Hilyard is the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Middleton, WI. Before joining city staff two years ago, she worked with local governments around the state on climate, water, and agricultural issues with the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, & Letters. Her career background includes many years working in the green building sector as a LEED AP consultant and as a landscape architect. She studied and taught organic agriculture at UC Santa Cruz and farmed for 8 years in California and Texas before moving to Madison. Hilyard holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture from University of Texas-Austin and a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from University of Chicago. She defines sustainability as “well-being for all.” When she isn’t working indoors, you can find her gardening in her front yard and riding around town with her kids on a cargo bike.

Jessica Price, PhD

Sustainability and Resilience Manager, City of Madison

BIO

Dr. Jessica Price is the Sustainability and Resilience Manger in the City of Madison Mayor’s Office, where she leads a team to develop and implement strategies focused on climate, sustainability, and environmental justice. Top priorities include meeting Madison’s ambitious climate and energy goals; investments in equitable, no- and low-carbon transportation; and improving the energy efficiency of affordable housing and commercial buildings. Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, Jessica served as Renewable Energy Strategy Lead for the Nature Conservancy in New York. She has a PhD in Landscape Ecology and an MS in Conservation Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Pamela Ritger de la Rosa
Environmental Sustainability Program Manager, City of Milwaukee

BIO

Pamela Ritger de la Rosa, Environmental Sustainability Program Manager, City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO) Pam leads efforts to reduce energy use in City of Milwaukee-owned buildings and helps to administer the Commercial PACE program, among other efforts to advance building energy efficiency, sustainability and decarbonization in commercial and multifamily buildings. Pam was a member of the City-County Task Force on Climate and Economic Equity from 2019 to 2022, and helped develop many recommendations in Milwaukee’s Climate and Equity Plan. In her current role, she is working to implement many of those recommendations, particularly those related to building energy efficiency. She recently led the effort to establish a benchmarking ordinance in the City of Milwaukee requiring commercial buildings 50,000 square feet and larger, and government buildings 10,000 square feet and larger to annually track and report their energy use, which has been shown to reduce energy use over time and is a foundational first step to reducing energy use from large commercial buildings through future policy efforts. Pam joined the ECO after more than 8 years with Clean Wisconsin, the state’s oldest and largest environmental non-profit advocacy organization, where she held the title of Milwaukee Program Director and Staff Attorney. Pam is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and the La Follette School of Public Affairs, and completed a certificate in Energy Analysis and Policy from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW-Madison.

Todd Stuart

Wisconsin’s Political & Regulatory Energy Trends

This presentation provides an overview of Wisconsin’s rapidly changing generation mix and reliability. There is a tremendous amount of baseload generation retired recently and in the next several years. At the same time, we have expected huge new load growth from data centers and economic development. Wisconsin’s utilities all have record levels of capital expenditures from renewable generation, natural gas and transmission projects. Regulators are facing an increased workload with difficult decisions regarding the pace and rising cost of the energy transition.

BIO

Todd Stuart is executive director of the Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group, Inc. (WIEG). WIEG is a non-profit association of large energy consumers that advocates for policies that drive affordable and reliable energy. WIEG testifies before the Legislature, the Public Service Commission and the Department of Natural Resources in order to control costs for large ratepayers. Stuart has coordinated intervention testimony for utility rate cases, fuel cost plan applications, construction applications and policy dockets before the PSC on behalf of large customers since 2006. Stuart has been appointed by governors of both parties to state government task forces/work groups related to generation, CHP, renewables, low income, conservation and energy efficiency.

Robin Lisowski

Kathy Kuntz

Ben Austin

Inflation Reduction Act: What you need to know

The federal funding available for clean energy projects has tripled in recent years, which makes solar, geothermal and other clean energy installations more cost effective than ever before. Plus, there’s funding to expand clean energy manufacturing lines and for broad energy efficiency efforts. Is your company aware of the funds available? Are you maximizing dollars back into your bottom line? Hear examples of C&I businesses that are already leveraging these dollars. You'll also learn how to braid these funds with existing programs such as Focus on Energy and C-PACE financing. Don’t miss out on this historic opportunity for your business.

BIO

Robin Lisowski is Director of Service Solutions at Slipstream, where she leads new service development efforts. Robin has more than 20 years of experience conducting and managing technical and policy analysis projects, facilitating stakeholder engagement processes, and designing programs in public, for-profit, and nonprofit environments. She has worked directly with state and local governments and energy utilities for 18 years and in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industry since 2008 when she became the Assistant Director of the Business Programs Portfolio for Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program. Robin is an interdisciplinary thinker and doer with a passion for clean energy and environmental justice policy. In her work, she has a reputation for centering these passions alongside analytical rigor and the importance of understanding human experience with and attitudes toward energy efficiency, electrification, and other clean energy options in buildings and transportation.

Kathy Kuntz is the Director of the Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change in Madison, Wisconsin where she leads climate action efforts across Dane County. Kathy has 30 years of experience implementing programs focused on resource efficiency and climate action. Prior to joining Dane County Kathy led Cool Choices, a nonprofit that worked with businesses and local governments on sustainable practices and prior to that Kathy led Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program.

Ben Austin is the Sustainability Lead at J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc, a commercial general contractor headquartered in Madison, WI. In his role, Ben works across Findorff projects with owners, design teams, and construction partners to define and deliver on project sustainability goals. Internal to Findorff, he also leads an internal group named Findorff Footprint, to drive sustainability efforts within Findorff-owned buildings and within their culture. Ben has degrees in Civil Engineering and Sustainability Leadership, in addition to being a LEED and WELL Accredited Professional.

Michael Voigt

Path to Smarter Energy - Energy Road map

Organizations and businesses are increasingly finding themselves at a crossroads when it comes to their energy usage and becoming more sustainable. Many are finding themselves in the situation where they have sustainability goals and directives but no clear path to achieving those goals. Many jump right into solar since it is the most visible and discussed solution for sustainability. Solar may not always be the correct first step, there are many other solutions and analysis’ that can make an organizations energy journey more cost effective. In this session we will discuss how taking a step back, and looking at an organization’s energy usage wholistically, can save money and more efficiently meet sustainability goals. We will also discuss the correct steps to analyze and map out the future upgrades and energy installations. This process is what we call the Path to Smarter Energy™. This process, coupled with planning will help organizations understand what steps to take, when to take them, and how much this will cost over time to meet their sustainability goals.

BIO

Michael Voigt is a Business Development Manager, and works with customers to support various types of clean energy projects. This includes solutions that involve metering, efficiency improvements, energy generation, and energy storage, determining which mix of solutions will provide the most value to customers.
Michael graduated from St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin, with a bachelor’s degree in international business. He has a strong passion for renewable energy, electric vehicles, microgrids, and science.
Outside of work, Michael enjoys living an active lifestyle, boating, snowboarding, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

WISCONSIN ASSOCATION OF ENERGY ENGINEERS