Agrion bringing businesses together to discuss net-zero building potential

Agrion hosts meeting for net-zero building discussionAbout two dozen business leaders in the international clean technology, renewable energy, utility, real estate, and energy efficiency fields will gather in San Francisco next week to discuss the potential for the proliferation of net-zero buildings around the world.

Agrion, which describes itself as a global network for energy, cleantech, and corporate sustainability, has been quietly working to bring international business leaders together to launch sustainable projects for the last two years and has only recently started sharing its successes with the public.

Sponsoring more than 400 meetings a year all over the world, Agrion has facilitated innovation and project development, said managing director Nick Davis.

“What we’re doing is really assembling a marketplace for renewable energy developers, real estate professionals, green building and efficiency professionals...” Davis said. “We try to create goal-driven forums that promote business transactions.”

The San Francisco meeting on zero-net buildings will be the third in a series of meetings where thought leaders in the industry can discuss possibilities, ideas and options.

“If we don’t come up with a project, we’ll probably cut it off at eight or nine meetings,” Davis said.

The goal of the program is to develop a demonstration project. That could happen if one of the Agrion members who owns buildings decides to move forward with some of the net-zero building ideas born from the meetings.

If a project emerges from the meetings, it will mean business opportunities for member companies that might provide anything from solar energy or wind to efficienct lighting, windows or microgrid technology, Davis said.

Agrion will stay involved and continue to facilitate the project, but it will likely take on a life of its own and be self-directed at that point, Davis explained.

Agrion members, including representatives from PG&E, Panasonic, California Energy Commission, sever architects, project managers and energy efficiency experts will gather at the San Francisco meeting to discuss the impact of human behavior on net-zero buildings and how to manage for the human element in a green building.

“If you drive a Prius like a Maserati, you’re not going to get the great gas mileage,” said Beth Heider, senior vice president of project development company Skanska, at the last net-zero building meeting in New York. “This holds true for the building environment.”