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A Letter to Members (2022)

Happy new year! I hope that this note finds you healthy and enjoying a nice start to the year.  

The Columbia River Chapter (CRC) board was pleased to wrap up a successful 2021 and we look forward to a great 2022. We kicked off January with a half-day annual retreat to map out the year and here’s some news about upcoming initiatives and events that we have in store.  

We were happy to meet in person for our October board meeting

Here’s your first look at the new board for 2022 (you can find photos and bios of each board member on our website here):  

  • President: Elin Shepard 
  • Vice-President: Gertrude Villaverde 
  • Secretary: Candice Norton
  • Treasurer: Bill Kostich
  • Membership: Bill Henry
  • Marketing and Outreach: Tom Prevish
  • Website Committee: Bryndon Light & Tanner McCue
  • Social Media: Roxanna Magallanes
  • Wrench of the Year: Kristen Ige

These dedicated board members didn’t waste any time. They are revved up and ready to keep CRC the vibrant, informative, and fun organization that it is. Please save these dates:

  • Energy Engineering Forums: we have two EEFs this year – 
    • April 27 will be virtual (registration coming very soon) and 
    • Oct 12 will be in person. 
  • Holiday party – in person on Dec 7 at Level Beer. 

Tina Schnell, Candice Norton and Eric
Braddock at the 2021 Holiday Party

In addition to the events, here are a few exciting initiatives for this year: 

CWEEL: We plan to expand our connection with the AEE Committee on Women in Energy Efficiency Leadership (CWEEL). The CRC plans to hold CWEEL events and build a network in the local community. Our chapter VP, Gertrude Villaverde, is our CWEEL Lead and she’s working hard on upcoming events and programming.  

• Publications: AEE National publishes three quarterly journals that members may submit  for consideration to be published. If a chapter member is interested in writing a paper, we would like to offer authors a chance to have peer review before the submission. These  submissions can be made to our chapter Treasurer, Bill Kostich, or through our submission portal on the website. Authors also could have the opportunity to present these papers to a live or virtual audience. I was honored to have an article published in an AEE journal last spring and it was a great experience. We look forward to seeing many more papers published from our members.  

• Wrench of the Year: we plan to continue to recognize the amazing work of the “wrench turners” out there with our annual Wrench of the Year awards. We are accepting nominations from April to September. We’ll send out more information when they go live, but please feel free to visit our website here for more information.  


Ken Kelso, the 2021 Wrench of the Year award winner, with nominators and board members

Please connect with us on our website or LinkedIn. We’d love  to hear from you.  

Sincerely,  

Elin Shepard – CRC Board President – elin.shepard@clearesult.com

Summer Social – Come Join Us!


POSTPONED due to COVID-19 variants


Summer Social – Come Join Us!

Join the upcoming Summer Social event, hosted by Oregon APEM and AEE Columbia River Chapter

Event Details:

  • Cost (updated): Covered by Energy350 for the first 200 attendees! Sign up soon to have your addmission covered. After first 200 attendees, cost will be $10/person. Includes two drink tickets and food. Registration is required and room is limited.
  • Who: Oregon APEM and AEE Columbia River Chapter have joined forces for a Summer Social event!
  • When: Thursday, August 19, 2021 | 4-8 pm
    • POSTPONED due to COVID-19 variants
  • Where: Energy 350, 1033 SE Main St, Portland, OR 97214
  • Why: Please join us for an awesome evening of in-person networking – it’s a chance to re-connect with colleagues and friends.
  • Please note: The event space is located outside and current COVID protocols will be followed.


May 2021 EEF: Compressed Air Best Practices (and Pitfalls to Avoid)

SEE HERE FOR THE PRESENTATION MATERIALS + EVENT RECORDING

Industrial compressed air best practices, top project opportunities, and stories from the field.

About this Event

Join the AEE Columbia River Chapter on May 5th for our next Energy Engineering Forum, sponsored by Energy Trust of Oregon.

This quarter’s presentation will cover a topic that is relevant for almost any industrial facility (and even some commercial ones): Compressed Air.

We’ll be joined by compressed air expert Jimmy Sauter of Cascade Energy as he walks us through compressed air best practices, top project opportunities and stories from the field of what NOT to do. This session will be appropriate for audiences of all levels of compressed air experience with plenty of time for Q&A.

This event is free to attend. Members of the local AEE Columbia River Chapter will receive certificates of attendance and professional development hours. If you’re not already a member but would like to join, click here for more info and a 50% discount code.


Speaker:

Jimmy Sauter, P.E. Project Engineer, Cascade Energy

Jimmy has over 14 years experience evaluating compressed air systems and implementing industrial energy efficiency projects at hundreds of facilities across the United States. Prior to joining Cascade in 2012, Jimmy spent 6 years at Compression Engineering specializing in energy efficiency studies of compressed air, pump, and fan systems. He’s a U.S. Department of Energy qualified AIRMaster+ specialist and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University.


Agenda:

45 minute presentation followed by Q&A


Webinar Info:

May 2021 AEE Energy Engineering Forum

Wed, May 5, 2021 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (PDT)

https://www.gotomeet.me/MikeChristianson/may-2021-aee-energy-engineering-forum

You can also dial in using your phone.

(for supported devices, tap the one-touch number below to join instantly)

United States: +1 (312) 757-3121

– One-touch: tel:+13127573121,,566427461#

Access Code: 566-427-461

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 May 2021 EEF: Compressed Air Best Practices (and Pitfalls to Avoid) image

Renewable Natural Gas Presentation Materials

Energy Engineering Forums (EEF), such as the Renewable Natural Gas forum that occurred in March, are organized by the board of your Columbia River Chapter Association of Energy Engineers.

These forums are an enjoyable, engaging and educational way to keep updated on topics relevant to engineers working in energy-oriented industries.

The Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) EEF that occurred in March was presented by Anna Chittum of Northwest Natural Gas and was a notable crowd favorite. As a result, we have reached out to Anna for permission to share her presentation materials.

You can view the slides from her presentation here: Presentation Slides – Renewable Natural Gas

You can watch the recorded presentation here: Recorded Presentation – Renewable Natural Gas

Remote Learning Resources from National

Member Webinars – We have more than 30 pre-recorded webinars on a YouTube Playlist.  After clicking this link, look on the right side of the screen for more webinars. We are offering at least 2 member webinars a month, with more rolling out in the next few weeks/months ahead.

Free Webinar Series on Leadership – A free webinar series coming in June – be on the lookout for more information!

“Straight Talk on COVID-19’s Impact on the Energy Industry, Now and in the Future” webinar series – Starting Tuesday, April 7thWe’re giving you the chance to offer ideas, ask questions and help each other navigate this time in your business and the industry.

Also, as a reminder, here are a few links to resources for chapters:

AEE Career Hub – As a service to our chapters and the energy industry, AEE is offering free use of the Career Hub. Employers may now post job openings and job seekers may now post resumes for free through May 30, 2020.

New Members – 50% Off Registration

The Columbia River Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers hosts networking, training and certification events.

There are many benefits to becoming a member of AEE, especially when you join our local Columbia River Chapter.

Visit our membership page to learn more about why you should become a member!


Important Note – Don’t Forget!

Columbia River Chapter membership is a secondary step in the registration process and can be easy to overlook. When registering for AEE National you will have the option to join our local Columbia River Chapter for only $25.

Don’t forget to select the additional option for becoming a “Columbia River Chapter” member during the registration process. This will ensure that you qualify for the many additional benefits of our local chapter! 


The Association of Energy Engineers national dues are $195/year and can be paid through the AEE website: www.aeecenter.org/membership

New members only – For a limited time new members can get a 50% discount on the AEE annual membership fee!

To receive a 50% discount, simply apply the coupon code: “Chapter50” during registration.

Sign Up Now *

*During registration, don’t forget to select the option to become a “Columbia River Chapter” member.

Celebrating 2019 & New 2020 Board Members

Recap of 2019

It’s been a wonderful year full of exciting, challenging, and educational events here at AEE CRC. With the turn of the new year, we would like to take the time to recognize a few individuals who have been particularly crucial in making this year a success:

  • Lonny Peet – Lonny has served as president of our AEE CRC board for over three years. He has been instrumental in maintaining the success of our chapter during these years and has done an exceptional job leading the organization. Loni has stepped down as president this year. We are now lucky to have Elin Shepard leading our chapter into 2020.
  • Tina Schnell – Tina organized the CEM training this year. This was a big challenge to undertake, and Tina worked hard to make it a success. If you were lucky to have attended this event, you have Tina to thank for the accommodations, venue, and instructor’s attendance. As a member of the 2019 board, Tina kindly stepped down in order to allow the additional vacancy required for new candidates who’ve expressed interest in joining our board for 2020.
  • AEE CRC Members – Thank you to the many AEE CRC members who helped out with and attended the many Energy Engineering Forums, Building Tours, CEM training, and celebrations we held in 2019.

New Board Members of 2020

There has been a lot of interest in participating as a member of our local chapter’s board. We are happy to announce the addition of several new members of our AEE CRC board.

We’d like to introduce the following four new members of our chapter’s board, all of which are excited to bring unique contributions to the successful operation of our chapter in the coming year!


Gertrude Villaverde, Energy Engineer, Energy 350 and past Student Chapter President at OSU Cascades

My name is Gertrude Villaverde and I am an energy engineer at Energy 350. I graduated with an Honors Baccalaureate in Energy Systems Engineering from Oregon State University – Cascades this last March and started working for Energy 350 in April.

I have been an active AEE member since 2015 and for three of the past four years, I have served on the board of the AEE Cascades Student Chapter, a recognized student organization at the Oregon State University – Cascades campus in Bend, OR. In my time as treasurer, 2016-2017, I worked to increase the chapter’s budget and successfully doubled it for the following year. This was with the intention of maintaining a position on the board and with the goal of expanding services to our members. I served my first term as president in 2017-2018, during which our chapter activities doubled to include not just quarterly guest speakers, but site visits each quarter as well. In my second term as president, 2018-2019, our chapter activities grew to incorporate workshops and collaboration with other student groups, while still hosting quarterly guest speakers and site visits.

Although the number of our chapter activities continued to grow, it was important to the board to reserve enough budget to support up to ten students to go to the AEE West, formerly EMC, conference, which we deemed the most important chapter activity of the year. There is no substitute for in-person networking and this trip served as a relief for the isolation the student members felt, being so far away from everyone else in the energy industry. I hope to share my experience as a former Cascades Student Chapter board member to work with the Columbia River Chapter and not only contribute to its current agenda, but to continue my mission to bridge the gap of isolation for members not in the immediate Portland area.


Gerard O’Sullivan, Sr Engineer, AESC

I am honored to be considered for a board seat!  Honestly, my reasoning for wanting to join is because this group you have assembled are some of my favorite people in our industry.

Personally, I am looking to strengthen my outreach to our local community and the energy landscape we find ourselves in here in the pacific NW.  AEE is core to what I do on a daily basis as a Senior Engineer at AESC, where I help lead up our SEM delivery and technical analysis studies.  I also just took on a role with GridFWD, a non-profit helping to advance grid modernization in the PNW where I will be the strategic initiative & content lead, helping guide development of content for GridFWD activities, specifically the Utility Roundtable ‘Forward Focus’ workshop initiative.   Other basic background info, I am a CEM and CBCP through AEE.

My interests with the group are not yet defined. If I was going to pick from the options you outlined, I would think I would have the most interest in events & training as this aligns with the work I already perform.

Thanks again for your consideration and happy holidays!


Candice Norton, Energy Engineer II, Wildan 

My name is Candice Norton, I work for the WilldanPerformance Engineering office located in Beaverton. I’ve been in the energy efficiency field for over six years now. Istarted at Willdan Energy Solutions as an intern during my senior year of college. Once I graduated from Cal Poly in Mechanical Engineering Technology, I supported Willdan with energy audits and utility incentive applications. Over the last two and a half years I’ve moved within the company to support the Willdan Performance Engineering office in Beaverton Oregon with performance contracting/turn-key projects.

I’d like to be a board member for AEE CRC because over the last two years this chapter has been the group I’ve enjoyedbeing involved with the most, and I’d like to support the Chapter further. I’d also enjoy having an opportunity to voteon what subjects that are selected for AEE trainings and forums that support the local energy community. I especially enjoyed attending this year’s Certified Energy Manager (CEM) training.

If you select me for this board position, I will eagerly support the Columbia River Chapter in any way I can. I am especially fond of organizing and think that I would really enjoy organizing an event. Thank you for your time and consideration!


Tom Prevish, President, NWESI 

My name is Tom Prevish, and I have been a member of AEE since obtaining my CEM in 2018.  There are a lot of organizations vying for people’s time these days, but it was clear to me, early on, that the Columbia River Chapter of AEE has a good mixture of professional continuing education and camaraderie, with a well-established backbone necessary to ensure members are challenged to participate, without fear of being overwhelmed by more than they can handle as volunteers.  AEE’s mission is one to take pride in, as everyone agrees on the importance of energy in our daily lives.  I believe my experiences in leadership, and commitment to follow-up on what I say I will do, will help the Board accomplish events or activities that they’d like to add, providing even more value to attendees and therefore increasing membership.  Specifically, I would like to get involved in marketing (is an engineer allowed to admit that?!), as well helping plan new events (perhaps regional ones, with other chapters?) and trainings.

I am a mechanical engineer, with a background in thermal fluids and combustion, have worked on distributed energy generation products for 17 years, and for the last several years, have worked in the building industry, for a company that does Commissioning, Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing, Building Envelope Testing, and other services.

Thank you for your consideration.

Holiday Party 2019

Holiday Party • December 4th, 2019, 5:30-8:30pm

Register for this event

Join us for our 2019 holiday party!

All are welcome, regardless of membership status. This will be a fun event, so make sure not to miss it!

Admission is free and drinks and appetizers will be provided.

Please join us in the Pendleton Room (upstairs) for our annual holiday celebration and annual meeting. We’ll hold a brief meeting to conduct officer elections, announce the recipients of the Wrench of the Year Award, and then it’s on to celebrating the End-of-the-Year season!

This is a free event open to members and non-members. All are welcome to attend – feel free to share the invite with coworkers and friends.

There will be:

  • Drinks!
  • Appetizers!
  • Networking!
  • Opportunities to inform our 2020 initiatives!
  • Award Winners!

Please confirm your spot by registering here!

The Wrench of the Year Awards, given by AEE CRC, are two $500 cash awards given to the individuals that best exemplify the spirit of hard work, hands-on responsibility, and determination that resulted in the successful implementation of an energy efficiency project over the last two years. Specifically the award targets on-site facility personnel that often go overlooked in major efficiency projects but whose hard work and attention are key to the successful implementation. To nominate a candidate visit: https://aeecrc.org/awards/

October 2019 – Building Tour & Networking Event

Building Tour & Networking Event • October 15, 2019 • 2pm – 4pm

Registration

Building Tour Details

As part of Sustainable Building Week, the Association of Energy Engineers Columbia River Chapter (AEE CRC) and Energy Trust of Oregon are pleased to announce an upcoming building tour of the Multnomah County Central Courthouse.

This is a rare mid-construction tour to see behind the walls of the impressive new facility just west of the Hawthorne Bridge. The new courthouse is 463,000 sq ft, 17 stories, and will house 44 courtrooms, district attorney’s offices, judges’ chambers, and secure holding of detainees. The facility is enrolled in the Energy Trust of Oregon Path to Net Zero program and features innovation throughout the envelope and mechanical design, including high efficiency chillers & boilers, active chilled beams, and radiant floors. The project also incorporated advanced seismic bracing and resilient strategies to increase safety.

Please note: due to the fact the project is still an active construction site, we need to keep tours to a maximum of 20 people. Therefore, we will offer two tour times. Please register for the tour you would like to attend.

Please bring your own PPE (hard hat, safety vest, safety glasses, close-toed shoes) to the tour.

Link to building webpage, including construction videos and renderings: https://multco.us/central-courthouse-project

To register for the building tour and optional networking event, click here

Networking Event Details

In addition to the tour, there will be an optional networking event after the tour at Paddy’s Bar & Grill, 65 SW Yamhill St, in Portland to continue the conversation. We’ll start at 3pm for the folks ending the first tour and continue until 6pm. There will be some tasty appetizers and one drink included. Come join us!


Building Tour Information

  • Date: October 15, 2019
  • Time: 2:00-4:00 pm (see agenda below)
  • Location: meet up location TBD
  • Cost: $15/CRC members+1.5 PDH; $25/non-CRC members
  • Reminder: Please bring your own PPE (hard hat, safety vest, safety glasses, close-toed shoes) to the tour.

Networking Event Information

  • Date: October 15, 2019
  • Time: 3:00-6:00 pm (see agenda below)
  • Location: Paddy’s Bar & Grill, 65 SW Yamhill St, Portland
  • Cost: Free with Building Tour Registration

Agenda Summary

For any questions on the day of the event, please contact:

  • Elin Shepard, LEED AP BD+C, CEM
  • Vice President of the Association of Energy Engineers, Columbia River Chapter
  • (503) 314-9021

 

September 2019 AEE Energy Engineering Forum

AEE Energy Engineering Forum • September 19, 2019 • 12pm – 1pm

Leveraging Commercial Benchmarking Data: A Discussion with AEE CRC Members

To achieve energy and carbon reduction goals, Cities like Seattle and Portland have been requiring commercial and residential building owners to measure and report their energy performance. Now, there is a set of longitudinal information on these buildings. What’s being done with all this data? What insights can we as energy engineers, utility program administrators, and energy managers glean from these initiatives?

Join the Columbia River Chapter of AEE on September 19th for our next Energy Engineering Forum, sponsored by Energy Trust of Oregon, as we dive into this topic with two experts in the field.

Registration

Guest Speaker: Alex Novie

Alex is a Senior Project Manager at Energy Trust of Oregon, where he manages new initiatives and analytics strategy for the commercial energy efficiency portfolio. Before joining Energy Trust, he worked as a technical consultant developing analytics and tools for energy and sustainability program administers, evaluators and policymakers with an equity lens. He holds a Master of Urban Studies in applied sustainability research with a graduate certificate in Energy Policy & Management from Portland State University. In his spare time, he enjoys playing music and exploring the Pacific Northwest.

Guest Speaker: Lisa Timmerman

Lisa Timmerman manages two mandatory energy efficiency scoring and disclosure programs on behalf of the City of Portland. She has been assisting commercial building owners to fulfill the City’s mandatory energy performance reporting requirements since 2017 and also manages the Home Energy Score requirements, which went into effect in 2018. She came to the City from 3Degrees, where she developed program marketing strategy for PacifiCorp’s Blue Sky voluntary renewable energy program. Prior to that, Lisa spent seven years designing and implementing public engagement strategies for environmental, sustainability and infrastructure projects while employed at the Port of Portland and consulting firm, EnviroIssues. Lisa holds a degree in Environmental Policy and Planning from Western Washington University and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Louisiana State University-Shreveport.

This event is free to attend and a complimentary lunch will be provided. Members of the local AEE Columbia River Chapter will receive certificates of attendance and professional development hours.

Agenda:

  • Overview of benchmarking ordinance and data analysis (10-15 minutes)
    • How we’ve used the data
    • Energy Trust participation overview
  • Discussion:
    • How often do you ask customers about building EUI and/or Portfolio Manager score?
    • What resources would be helpful from energy managers and facility managers to act on this information?
    • What trends in benchmarking do you think are important?

Location:

FAQs:

  • Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
    • No – we’ll have a sign in sheet at the door!
  • Do you accommodate dietary restrictions?
    • Yes – you’ll be prompted during the registration process.

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Webinar Info:

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. 
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/679926293

You can also dial in using your phone. 
United States: +1 (872) 240-3412 

Access Code: 679-926-293 

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