Local Energy in the Context of Community Design

On Saturday, November 13, Guilford Energy Resources will be offering the last presentation in its “Local Energy” series. The title: “Energy Efficiency in Urban Living and Working.” The presenter: Michiel VanderSommen.

Cities and their residents are looking for ways to cut energy costs while at the same time improving livability. Michiel will talk about ways to achieve this double objective. He will “connect the dots” across multiple sub-topics such as overall city layout, non-auto transportation orientations, mixed-use building, and self-sufficient sub-communities. The concept of “district energy” will be featured, showing how this approach to local energy makes sense (and cents) in a well-planned city. And because proper city planning involves the development of self-sufficient sub-communities, the very concept of community is emphasized and the development of a sense of community is promoted. Finally, it will become clear how all of this promotes job-creation, an important by-product for a struggling economy. In short, we can at the same time lower costs, save energy, improve livability, build a sense of community, and increase employment. Be aware that this requires a willingness to think differently about cities and their neighborhoods. But, as Albert Einstein once said; “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to create them”.

Michiel VanderSommen brings to his analysis a broad educational and practical background. He is a mechanical engineer, has studied architecture, was educated in Europe, and has lived and worked and studied in several modern cities. This broad background has prepared him for this long overdue presentation, one which promises to fill the gaps within and across many of the presentations we have offered in the past.

What: Energy Efficiency in Urban Living and Working
When: Saturday, November 13, 2010, 10:00 AM
Where: Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch Library, 1420 Price Park Rd., Greensboro
Cost: Free