Today's talk -- note room change -- "Net Energy Use, Urban Density and Solar Buildings"

[Elizabeth Patitsas]

Hi folks,

** note the room change for today: Bahen 5256 **

Today's talk is "Net Energy Use, Urban Density and Solar Buildings" by
Ted Kesik from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape
and Design.

Here's his abstract: "The Greater Golden Horseshoe is predicted to
experience a population increase of nearly 4 million people between
2006 and 2031, and it remains uncertain how this growth will impact
greenhouse gas emissions. A significant question about the future of
greenhouse gas emissions involves the relationship between net energy
use for buildings and transportation as a result of various urban and
suburban development models. Advocates of renewable energy predict
solar building technologies will enable buildings to harvest and/or
generate much, if not all, of their energy and possibly a surplus to
power electric vehicles. This presentation looks at the early stages
of research aimed at developing comprehensive, predictive models about
energy use that accounts for existing and forecast population
densities. The focus is on the challenges of dealing with the
computational complexities of predicting net energy use for buildings
and transportation under various scenarios, acknowledging that the
efficiency of both energy generating and consuming technologies is in
a state of constant evolution. Until robust and reliable models are
developed, it is argued the implementation of effective energy and
development policies aimed at sustainable growth and the
environmentally responsible management of greenhouse gas emissions is
severely limited."

As usual, the talk will be at 3PM, although this week we're moving up
four floors to Bahen 5256. See you there!

Cheers,
Elizabeth