June – Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS)

Dr. James White to Keynote at Next Generation Water Summit

Dr. James White, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder will address the Next Generation Water Summit on June 12^th in Santa Fe, NM. Dr. White’s keynote address, “Climate Change – The Tipping Point and the Economic Impact”, will begin at 8:15am in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

Dr. White started the INSTAAR Stable Isotope Lab in 1989. In recent years, his ice core research has helped to show that large climate changes tend to occur in the natural system as abrupt and rapid shifts in mode probably driven by internal adjustments in the Earth climate system, rather than slow and gradual adjustments to changing external conditions, such as the amount of energy received from the sun. He has been described as a generous mentor, gifted teacher and a serious man of science who leavens his lectures with humor, promotes discussion and listens as well as enlightens.

Climate change is going to impact our water supply, both the demand side and the supply side of the equation. “A changing climate presents a host of problems for us as we seek to create a sustainable society for the future. We need to not only know what lies ahead, but how fast that new reality will come at us, and continually ask ourselves if we are adequately prepared to face the challenges”, stated Dr. White.

Other keynote speakers include: Paula Kehoe, Director of Water Resources, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) will give the address on June 13^th and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), a long-time advocate for New Mexico’s acequias and traditional lands, will give the keynote address on June 14^th.

Over the 3 days of the Summit, 50+ sessions will be held. A few of these include: “Forest Restoration—How to Pay for It” by Dr. Jonathan Overpeck, Dean of the School of Sustainability, University of Michigan; “WaterSense 2.0 and Water Rating Systems” by Jonah Schein of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); “Permitting Sustainability” by Art Ludwig, founder of Oasis Designs; “Colorado River Basin States Water Efficiency Scorecard” by Mary Ann Dickinson of the Alliance of Water Efficiency; “Latest in Irrigation Technology” by Brent Mecham of the Irrigation Association; and “Irrigation Water Budgets: A Comparative Review” by Dr. Rolston St. Hilaire, department head, New Mexico State University.

Next Generation Water Summit logo

Additionally, there will be 7 water certification courses held pre- and post-Summit and 4 technical workshops during the Summit. To see the full lineup of speakers, workshops and to register visit: www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com.

Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit will be the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce; Green Builder^® Coalition; City of Santa Fe; the Alliance for Water Efficiency, KUELWater, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Major sponsors include the Turner Foundation and Phyn. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder^® Media is the national media partner.

About the Next Generation Water Summit
The Next Generation Water Summit brings together the building and development community, water reuse professionals and water policymakers in a collaborative setting to share best practices and learn about innovative water conservation and water reuse techniques that can be used to comply with water conservation restrictions spreading across the southwest.

U.S. Rep. Luján to Keynote at Next Generation Water Summit

April 9, 2019April 9, 2019 Mike Collignon 2019 Next Generation Water Summit Alliance for Water Efficiency, Ben Ray Lujan, City of Santa Fe, Green Builder Coalition, Green Builder Media, Green Chamber of Commerce, House of Representatives, June, KUELWater, Next Generation Water Summit, Phyn, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Santa Fe Convention Center, Turner Foundation, US Congress

U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) will address the Next Generation Water Summit on Friday, June 14^th in Santa Fe, NM. Congressman Luján’s keynote address will begin at 8:15 am in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

Congressman Luján began serving in the U.S. Congress as a Representative from New Mexico in 2008. Congressman Luján has worked to create good-paying jobs in New Mexico, increase access to affordable, quality health care, protect New Mexico’s natural resources, build a clean energy economy, and restore checks and balances in our government. He is a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, sitting on the Health Subcommittee, Consumer Protection & Commerce Subcommittee, and the Communications & Technology Subcommittee.

Luján is a long-time advocate for New Mexico’s acequias and traditional lands. He continually works to ensure adequate funding for these cultural assets through both the legislation he has authored and through the Farm Bill. He also supports rural farming and ranching by securing grants to help food-producing communities advance entrepreneurship. “One of my earliest memories is helping tend the acequia on my family’s small farm in Nambé, and I know that water is one of our most precious resources in both New Mexico and in the West. I introduced the Acequia Conservation Program Eligibility Act to help ensure that water conservation is a chief goal as we live, work, and plan for our communities’ futures. I am encouraged that we are holding the Next Generation Water Summit in Santa Fe to work on the solutions that are necessary for our survival,” Rep. Luján recently stated.

Congressman Luján’s Friday keynote address will be free to attend. Registration is requested, however, and can be done at www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com. Attendees who are only interested in hearing his address are encouraged to choose the Friday-only (No CEUs) option.

Experts scheduled to present June 12^th – 13^th during the Summit include: Dr. Rolston St. Hilaire, Professor & Department Head at New Mexico State University; Dr. Nirit Bernstein of the Israeli Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences; Kyle Pickett, Co-Founder & COO, Urban Fabrick, Inc.; and Bill Hoffman of H.W. Hoffman & Associates. June 14^th will be New Mexico Day, and includes a raffle of a 200 gallon rainbarrel, kids’ fun events, a tour of Santa Fe Community College’s new greenhouse facility, a “Careers in Water” track, and many how-to workshops. For more information on the rest of the Summit, please visit www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com.

The Next Generation Water Summit brings together the building and development community, water reuse professionals and water policymakers in a collaborative setting to share best practices and learn about innovative water conservation and water reuse techniques that can be used to comply with water conservation restrictions spreading across the southwest.

Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit will be the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce; Green Builder® Coalition; City of Santa Fe; KUELWater; the Alliance for Water Efficiency, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Major sponsors include Turner Foundation and Phyn. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder® Media is the national media partner.

3rd Annual Next Generation Water Summit Workshops Announced

March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 Mike Collignon 2019 Next Generation Water Summit 2019, Alliance for Water Efficiency, Bill Hoffman, Christine Chavez, City of Santa Fe, Doug Pushard, efficiency, Green Builder Coalition, Green Builder Media, Green Chamber of Commerce, June, New Mexico, Next Generation Water Summit, QWEL, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Convention Center, SFCC, training, water, WERS

The Next Generation Water Summit is pleased to announce a very broad range of pre-and post-Summit water workshops. Several of the workshops will start prior to the Summit on June 5^th and continue after the Summit through June 25^th.

The workshops include: Greywater Basics, Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS)® Verifier and Consultant training, Commercial Water Auditor Training, Hotel Water Audits, QWEL Landscape training, and several others. This is the first time several of these courses will be presented in New Mexico and are open to professionals and students.

The Commercial Restaurant Water Auditor class, held June 7^th and June 10^th, is the first of its kind anywhere in the country. This class is being taught by Bill Hoffman, and those who attend and successfully pass the test will become a Commercial Restaurant Water Auditor. The City of Santa Fe Water Conservation Office will assist in the recruitment of restaurants to be audited and will use the auditors that successfully complete this workshop. A test and a sample audit will be performed as part of the class.

“The Summit always represents an educational opportunity for those interested in a water career,” stated Christine Chavez, Manager of the Water Conservation Office for the City of Santa Fe. “This year we are especially excited to see the rollout of our Commercial Restaurant Audit Program. Saving water is always important in Santa Fe, and this class expands our conservation programs into the commercial restaurant sector. We will support this program with rebates and promotions to hopefully audit over 200 restaurants during the next 12-18 months,” she concluded.

The Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS)® Verifier course, occurring June 5^th through the 7^th, provides in-depth and practical experience in performing residential water assessments for new and existing residential properties. This class is required to become a WERS Verifier. The WERS Consultant course, held concurrently on June 5^th and 6^th, is also being offered and plumbers, builders, irrigation professionals and water reuse professionals are eligible to attend this professional designation course.

Greywater Basics, scheduled for June 24^th and 25^th, will cover how to build and maintain a Greywater system and includes a field trip to view a working system. This course is intended for both plumbers and homeowners.

The Hotel Audit class will also be instructed by Bill Hoffman and will follow the Restaurant Audit class. It will focus on appliances and water-features not included in the restaurant workshop (e.g. cooling towers, laundry facilities, swimming pools and spas, etc.). This class will be held June 11^th.

The Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) professional certification provides landscape professionals and others education on local water supply, sustainable landscaping, soils, landscape water budgets, irrigation system components and maintenance, irrigation system audits, and scheduling and controller programming. An audit and an exam is included in this class. This class is scheduled for June 17^th – 21^st.

“Water workshops and water certification courses are part of the Next Generation Water Summit every year, and this year we have the broadest array of workshops we have ever had,” stated Doug Pushard, co-chair of this year’s Summit. The ability to earn valuable Continuing Education Credits or new water certifications is an important part of the mission of the NGWS.

Detailed information about these workshops can be found at: www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com.

Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit are the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce, Green Builder® Coalition, City of Santa Fe, the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder® Media is the national media partner.

“Careers in Water” Track to Debut at 2019 Next Generation Water Summit

March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 Mike Collignon 2019 Next Generation Water Summit $249, 2019, Alliance for Water Efficiency, City of Santa Fe, Green Builder Coalition, Green Builder Media, Green Chamber of Commerce, June, Mary Ann Dickinson, New Mexico, Next Generation Water Summit, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Convention Center, saving, water

The Next Generation Water Summit always looks to provide innovative content, and 2019 is no exception. The final day of the Summit will feature a “Careers in Water” track aimed at students preparing to embark on their careers, as well as others who might be seeking a career change. The Summit will take place June 12-14 in Santa Fe, NM.

Mary Ann Dickinson will help kick off the day by participating in a panel discussing leadership roles in the water industry. “I’m thrilled to present once again at the Next Generation Water Summit,” exclaimed Dickinson. “This intimate event on sustainable water provides a great balance between deep-dive sessions and networking.”

Friday’s career track will also feature sessions on various facets of the water industry that are applicable to projects big and small, including water certifications, alternative water, irrigation and landscape. “We’re really excited to offer content that is relevant to today’s students, but we also hope they take the opportunity to network with some of the most prominent leaders in the industry,” said Doug Pushard, co-Chair, 2019 NGWS and co-founder of KUELWater.

Back by popular demand, the Summit will host one charrette for a limited number of attendees. It will take an in-depth look into the most effective and innovative water efficiency programs in the West. The Summit’s agenda also features renowned presenters, such as:

Dr. Jonathan Overpeck, Nobel Prize-winning author
Paula Kehoe, Director of Water Resources at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Dr. Nirit Bernstein, Institute of Soil Water and Environmental Sciences from the Israeli Volcani Center

They are scheduled to present on a diverse range of topics, from forest restoration to commercial water sharing to water reuse in Israel.

The Summit is a unique water and water reuse event that will feature builders presenting on Net Zero Water Houses and Near Net Zero Water houses. These Southwestern builders will host a design workshop for builders, contractors, home owners or architects that need assistance in designing net zero water dwellings.

Prospective attendees will not want to delay registering for this outstanding event, as capacity is limited. Early bird registration is available now through March 22 at the special rate of $249, so people are encouraged to register now.

For more information on the Summit, please visit www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com.

Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit will be the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce; Green Builder^® Coalition; City of Santa Fe; the Alliance for Water Efficiency, KUELWater, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder^® Media is the national media partner.

3rd Annual Next Generation Water Summit Early Registration is Open

December 13, 2018March 7, 2019 Mike Collignon 2019 Next Generation Water Summit 2019, City of Santa Fe, Green Builder Coalition, Green Chamber of Commerce, June, New Mexico, NGBS, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Convention Center, saving, training, water, WERS

Early bird registration is open for the 3^rd Annual Next Generation Water Summit (NGWS) to be held on June 12^th – 14^th, 2019 in Santa Fe, NM.

Next Generation Water Summit logo

A few of the exciting topics that are scheduled include:

“Utilization of Marginal Water” by Dr. Bernstein of the Israeli Institute of Soil Water and Environmental Sciences
“Emerging Viruses and Bacteria due to Rising Temperatures” by Dr. Nichols, formerly of the CDC
“How Building Codes Save Water” by Hope Medina
“Irrigation Water Budgets – A Comparative Review” by Dr. St Hilaire
“Water Reuse Trends” by Kyle Pickett, Co-founder & COO of Urban Fabrick, Inc.

As in prior years, the Summit will be preceded by several technical training courses that offer advanced water certifications for attendees. Workshops that will be held before and during the Summit include:

Commercial Water Audit Verifier Training
Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS)® Verifier and Consultant Training
Greywater System Design

Prospective attendees will not want to delay registering for this rare opportunity, as seats are limited. Early bird registration is available now through January 15 at the special rate of $200.

For more information on the Summit, please visit www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com.

Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit will be the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce; Green Builder® Coalition; City of Santa Fe; the Alliance for Water Efficiency, KUELwater, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association.

WERS Educational Sessions at Industry Conferences

March 1, 2018March 1, 2018 Mike Collignon Uncategorized 2018, April, AWWA, Home Performance Conference, June, Las Vegas, Nevada, New Mexico, Next Generation Water Summit, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Santa Fe, WERS

Here is the list of upcoming WERS educational sessions:

Getting to Zero National Forum – 4:00pm on April 18, 2018 in Pittsburgh, PA
2018 Home Performance Coalition National Conference
- Energy Codes from 2009 to 2018: A Multi-State Look at Compliance Verification Service Opportunities – 10:30am on April 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, PA
- Water Ratings in Santa Fe: A Look Back at Year 1 – 1:30pm on April 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, PA
Next Generation Water Summit
- WERS: Train the Trainer – 9:00am on April 29, 2018 in Santa Fe, NM
- WERS Workshop for Builders, Developers and Designers – 3:00pm on April 29, 2018 in Santa Fe, NM
American Water Works Association Annual Conference & Expo (ACE) – 8:30am on June 13, 2018 in Las Vegas, NV

2017 Next Generation Water Summit Recap

July 13, 2017November 8, 2018 Mike Collignon 2017 Next Generation Water Summit City of Santa Fe, Ed Mazria, Evolve Technologies, Green Builder Coalition, Green Builder Media, Green Chamber of Commerce, Green Expo, June, Mary Ann Dickinson, New Mexico, Next Generation Water Summit, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Convention Center, WERS

Katherine Mortimer and Kim Shanahan present a panel session on Sunday, June 4, 2017

For a first-time event, the inaugural Next Generation Water Summit was considered by many to be a huge success. A total of 138 people registered for the event, which took place over the course of 3 days in early June at the Santa Fe Convention Center in Santa Fe, NM.

Ed Mazria pulls no punches as he delivers the Monday keynote address

Attendees could choose from 39 sessions, many of which were grouped into one of three tracks: Builders, Developers & Architects; Water Professionals; and Policy. Topics ranged from rainwater, greywater, blackwater, stormwater, water rights, irrigation, water efficiency, building codes, land use and leak detection. The first day of the event was a Sunday, and was free for anyone to attend. 12 sessions were offered, in addition to the myriad of exhibitor booths one could visit in the Green Expo, hosted by the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce. On Monday, Ed Mazria delivered a rousing keynote that had attendee Michelle Maddaus saying, “That was the best keynote I have ever seen, and I have seen a ton of keynotes over the years! Everyone kept talking about it, too.” Not to be outdone, Mary Ann Dickinson gave an excellent keynote on Tuesday morning, getting everyone focused on solutions for the challenges ahead.

Justin Lyon shares his knowledge on commercial water budgeting on Monday, June 5, 2017

The attendees represented 8 states plus the District of Columbia, and all 4 mainland United States time zones. “We’ve set a good foundation for next year’s Summit,” said Mike Collignon, Co-Chair of the Next Generation Water Summit. “While we’ll look to increase attendance, we’re proud of our first-year numbers. Many attendees enjoyed the intimate nature of the Summit, pointing out that it helped foster in-depth conversations.”

Christine Chavez, Neal Shapiro and Regina Hirsch head up a panel session on Monday, June 5, 2017.

Hosts of the event were the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce (lead host), Green Builder^® Coalition, City of Santa Fe, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Santa Fe Community College was the official education sponsor, and Green Builder^® Media was the national media partner.

Sandra Ely spoke about the Aamodt Settlement on Sunday, June 4, 2017

Vulcan, Inc. was a Sustaining Sponsor; Uponor, Evolve Technologies and Aquamate were the Educational Track Sponsors; Horizons Sustainable Financial Services was the Mayor’s Reception sponsor; Niagara Conservation was the Keynote Sponsor; Santa Fe County was the Networking Tables Sponsor and Environmental Services was the Bag Sponsor.

Next Generation Water Summit Schedule Released

May 4, 2017November 8, 2018 Mike Collignon 2017 Next Generation Water Summit $299, City of Santa Fe, Ed Mazria, Green Builder Coalition, Green Builder Media, Green Chamber of Commerce, June, Mary Ann Dickinson, Next Generation Water Summit, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Convention Center, SFCC, Vulcan

The session schedule for the Next Generation Water Summit is now available, and it covers a broad range of subjects. Attendees can choose from three educational tracks: Builders, Developers & Architects; Water Professionals; and Policy. Topics will include rainwater, greywater, blackwater, stormwater, water rights, irrigation, water efficiency, building codes, land use and leak detection. The presenters herald from 6 states, and CEUs are available for all sessions. In addition, Ed Mazria will deliver the keynote on Monday morning, with Mary Ann Dickinson starting the discussion of solutions on Tuesday morning.

To view the entire schedule, please click here. To learn more about the presenters, please visit the presenter page. Finally, if you’re looking for even more learning opportunities, Santa Fe Community College will be hosting 3 Pre-Summit courses.

The Next Generation Water Summit will take place June 4-6, 2017 at the Santa Fe Convention Center in Santa Fe, NM. Attendees can register today to attend the Summit for just $299. This will allow admittance to both keynote speakers, any educational session, and breakfast & lunch on Monday and Tuesday. Just as important, attendees will be able to network with a broad spectrum of stakeholders while working towards solutions for their respective challenges.

Hosts of the event are the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce (lead host), Green Builder® Coalition, City of Santa Fe, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder® Media is the national media partner. Vulcan, Inc. is a Sustaining Sponsor.

Mary Ann Dickinson to Keynote Final Day of Next Generation Water Summit

February 27, 2017November 8, 2018 Mike Collignon 2017 Next Generation Water Summit $249, Alliance for Water Efficiency, City of Santa Fe, Green Builder Coalition, Green Builder Media, Green Chamber of Commerce, June, Mary Ann Dickinson, Mike Collignon, Net Blue, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Convention Center

The Next Generation Water Summit is excited to have Mary Ann Dickinson of the Alliance for Water Efficiency as the keynote speaker for Tuesday, June 6^th. She’ll be sharing information on their Net Blue Ordinance initiative. Net Blue is a collaborative initiative that developed a model ordinance that communities can tailor and customize to create a water demand offset approach meeting local needs.

Dickinson said, “I am delighted to be invited to address the Next Generation Water Summit, a gathering of green building professionals who make demonstrated progress in sustainable development practices. This is the ideal audience for us to present our work on our new Net Blue initiative, which promotes water-neutral development in water-scarce regions that otherwise might not be able to grow.”

“Having Mary Ann speak about the Net Blue Ordinance is an ideal way to kick off Solutions Day at the Summit,” said Mike Collignon, Executive Director of the Green Builder® Coalition. “Then, our attendees’ ability to draw on her 40 years of experience in this field will be such a great benefit.”

The Summit will take place June 4-6, 2017 at the Santa Fe Convention Center in Santa Fe, NM. Through March 31^st, attendees can register to attend the Summit for just $249. This will allow admittance to the keynote speakers, any educational session, and all meals. Just as important, attendees will be able to network with a broad spectrum of stakeholders while working towards solutions for their respective challenges.

Registration Now Open for Next Generation Water Summit

February 24, 2017November 8, 2018 Mike Collignon 2017 Next Generation Water Summit $249, ARCSA, booth, City of Santa Fe, early bird, exhibit, Green Builder Coalition, Green Builder Media, Green Chamber of Commerce, Green Expo, June, Next Generation Water Summit, QWEL, rainwater, registration, Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Convention Center, sponsorship, stormwater, WaterSense

Early bird registration has officially opened for the Next Generation Water Summit. Through March 31^st, attendees can register to attend the Summit for $249. This will allow admittance to any Sunday, Monday and Tuesday session, regardless of track. Just as important, attendees will be able to network with a broad spectrum of stakeholders while working towards solutions for their respective challenges.

The Summit will occur June 4-6, 2017 at the Santa Fe Convention Center in Santa Fe, NM. Confirmed educational sessions include:

WaterSense at 10: The Past, Present & Future

WERS^®: Today & Tomorrow

Panel Session: Making Regional Water Groups Work

Rainwater: Inside & Out

Case Study: Santa Fe’s Adoption of WERS^®

WaterSense for New Homes: Why Certify?

Stormwater Analysis with WERS^®

10’ x 10’ exhibit booths are available starting at just $499! Sponsorships start as low as $500. Full event information is available on the Summit website.

The overarching theme of the event will be how to sustain the building/development industry in western states with declining water resources, even as the next decade experiences surging growth from retiring Baby Boomers. The first day (Sunday) will have a Green Expo at the Convention Center, with local experts presenting seminars in the break-out rooms. Three educational tracks, targeting Builders & Designers, Policymakers, and Water Conservation Experts, will span three days. There will be 12 sessions on Sunday afternoon, followed by a full slate on Monday & Tuesday. Keynote speakers will open Monday & Tuesday’s proceedings. Pre-conference courses, including QWEL training, ARCSA AP training and WERS^® Verifier training, are scheduled.

Hosts of the event will be the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce (lead host), Green Builder^® Coalition, City of Santa Fe, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder^® Media is the national media sponsor.

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