News

John Straube was invited as a presenter to the Learning About Building Science (LAB) event, titled: Not So Elementary: Towards Net-Zero Schools held at the RDH Building Science Laboratories on August 8, 2017.

Can net-zero energy schools be achieved at a reasonable cost? Yes, with the right approach. Designing or retrofitting a school building is a complex process with many stakeholders and budgetary constraints. But as with any net-zero project, understanding the science behind low-energy buildings can help guide the design process and ensure that project requirements are met. This session focused on balancing requirements for the building enclosure, HVAC, and renewable energy systems, as taking a whole-building perspective is critical.

Assistant Professor Bissan Ghaddar, Management Sciences, presented a talk on energy transmission and distribution at the Conference on Mathematical Optimization in the Decision Support Systems for Efficient and Robust Energy Networks held 29-31 March 17 in Modena, Italy with travel support from WISE. Prof. Ghaddar also provided promotional materials about WISE to participants.

Dr. Jeffrey Sachs and his wife Dr. Sonia Ehrlich Sachs served as discussants on a public panel talk moderated by Associate Vice President, International, Ian Rowlands on the challenges associated with implementing the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. Professor Nathwani was amongst the panelists.

The NSERC Nest Winter School provides an opportunity for smaller groups of Network researchers to come together to share results, to explore potential joint projects, and to build further the collaborative nature of the Network. For the 2017 Winter School, the theme was Economics and Policy.

The Canadian Nuclear Association hosted its annual conference and trade show. The theme for 2017's conference was “Mission Possible: Innovation for a Cleantech Future.” The event featured a variety of speakers and experts from industry, academia and government, addressing the indispensable role of nuclear energy in fostering innovation and maximizing Canada’s contribution to clean tech infrastructure.

Prof. Roydon Fraser, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, was invited to present his research relating to low-carbon energy development and the applications in the area of transportation. Prof. Fraser also presented the role and vision of WISE to help transform our energy future through partnership.