2020 Next Generation Water Summit Canceled

Next Generation Water Summit logo

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on nearly all facets of society, and in-person events are no exception. Therefore, it is with much sadness that the Next Generation Water Summit’s organizing committee has decided to cancel the 2020 Summit, originally scheduled for June 12-13, 2020.

“As we all are making adjustments and working our way through new rules for conducting business and our lives, we realized that a gathering of the size of the Summit was not going to be possible,” stated Glenn Schiffbauer of the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce. “Disappointed as we are, we also are excited about the prospects of what innovations will come out of this pause in life. This extra time will also give our group of water professionals the space to create more of the next generation technologies and policy.”

The committee continues to weigh its options on the next iteration of the Summit. One option is to postpone for 1 year, while another is to hold a fully virtual event. “There are very few easy decisions these days,” said Summit Co-Chair Mike Collignon. “We would really like to spend time with our Summit family again, but we know that’s not the safest course of action right now.”

Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit continue to be the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce; Green Builder® Coalition; City of Santa Fe; and KUELWater. Promotional partners include the Alliance for Water Efficiency. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder® Media is the national media partner.

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 12th 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. James White
Dr. James White

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 13th 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 14th.

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
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.

3rd Annual Next Generation Water Summit Workshops Announced

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 5th and continue after the Summit through June 25th.

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 7th and June 10th, 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 5th through the 7th, 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 5th and 6th, 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 24th and 25th, 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 11th.

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 17th – 21st.

“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.

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 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

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.

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.

3rd Annual Next Generation Water Summit Early Registration is Open

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

Next Generation Water Summit logo
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

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 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.

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.

Sen. Udall to Keynote “Solutions Day” at Next Generation Water Summit

U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) will address the Next Generation Water Summit on May 1st in Santa Fe, NM.  His keynote address will begin at 8:15 am at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

Senator UdallSenator Udall began serving as U.S. Senator from New Mexico in 2009, after two decades of public service as U.S. Representative and State Attorney General. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he wrote and passed legislation to establish a national renewable electricity standard, which spurred the creation of good jobs, reinvigorated the economy, and reduced global warming emissions.

Energy has been a priority of Udall’s career in Washington, with water becoming more and more important due to population growth and changing climate patterns in the Southwest. “In New Mexico, we know that water is life – and we know that we don’t have water to waste. I’m grateful for the essential work being done across our state to encourage conservation and innovation, and Santa Fe is the perfect place to bring together stakeholders to chart a more sustainable path forward at the Next Generation Water Summit. Together, we can find solutions to secure New Mexico’s water future, as well as the rest of the West,” Senator Udall recently stated.

The Summit is being held April 29 – May 1, 2018. This unique water and water reuse event will feature builders presenting on Net Zero Water Houses and Near Net Zero Water houses. These Southwestern builders will also address both how and why reducing water consumption is the right thing to do to sustain the homebuilding industry in the Southwest. Finally, water professionals from Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and Utah will discuss and collaborate on distinctive conservation and reuse initiatives within their states.

A limited number of attendees will also be able to register for one of two charrettes. The charrettes are a new feature at this year’s Summit, with only 80 total slots available. The professionally moderated, half-day charrettes will take place on Tuesday, May 1. White papers will be produced and distributed to all Summit attendees, not just those who participate in the charrettes. Prospective attendees will not want to delay registering for this rare opportunity. Early bird registration expires on March 22. For more information on the rest of the Summit, please visit www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com.

Hosts of the Next Generation Water Summit include the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce, Green Builder® Coalition, City of Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, and The Alliance for Water Efficiency. Major sponsors include Vulcan, a Paul G. Allen Company; and Uponor. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor, and Green Builder® Media is the national media partner.

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.

Next Generation Water Summit Workshops Offered at Santa Fe Community College

Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) announced its partnership with the 2018 Next Generation Water Summit. As the education partner for the Summit, SFCC will host several water education workshops before and after the Summit, scheduled April 29 through May 1 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

The workshops include: Greywater Basics, Rainwater Accredited Professional (ARCSA AP) Class, Water Efficiency Rating Score and Commercial Water Auditing, among others. This is the first time several of these courses will be presented in New Mexico and are open to professionals and students. All courses will be held at Santa Fe Community College, 6401 Richards Ave. For detailed information about the courses and to register, visit: https://www.energysmartacademy.com/water.html or call 505-428-1866. Information about the 2018 Next Generation Water Summit can be found at: www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com.

“It’s a privilege to partner with the Alliance for Water Efficiency, the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce, Green Builder® Coalition, the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association and the City of Santa Fe by serving as the education partner for the Summit,” said Interim President Cecilia Y.M. Cervantes, Ph.D.  “We are excited to offer these valuable and innovative water workshops, which complement the college’s already strong technology and building science offerings.”

  • The Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS)® Verifier course, April 25 through 27, provides in-depth and practical experience in performing residential water assessments for new and existing homes. This class is required to become a WERS Verifier. The WERS Consultant course, April 25 and 26, is also being offered and plumbers, builders, irrigation professionals and water reuse professionals are eligible to attend this professional designation course.
  • Greywater Basics, April 26 and 27, will cover how to build and maintain a Greywater system and includes a field trip to view working systems.
  • The Rainwater Accredited Professional (ARCSA AP) Class, May 2 and 3, is an in-depth rainwater harvesting workshop required for those seeking a better understanding of rainwater catchment systems. The course tuition includes an ARCSA Rain Harvesting Planning Manual.
  • Commercial Water Auditing, May 2 and 3, will cover the basics of performing a commercial water audit for many type of facilities. A sample audit will be performed as part of the class.

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 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.

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.

About Santa Fe Community College

For more than 30 years, Santa Fe Community College has been the gateway to success for individuals and the community by providing affordable, high quality educational programs that serve the social, cultural, technological and economic needs of a diverse community. SFCC is designated a ”Best for Vets” and a “2015 Military Friendly” school. The college serves more than 15,000 students per year in its credit, noncredit and adult programs. For further information, visit sfcc.edu or call 505-428-1000. Follow us:  SFCC on Facebook, SFCC on Twitter, SFCC on LinkedIn.

Next Generation Water Summit 2018 Announces Nobel Prize-Winning Keynote Speaker

The Next Generation Water Summit (NGWS) 2018 will host the 2nd annual regional forum, featuring globally recognized climate researcher and Nobel Prize winner, Jonathan Overpeck.

The NGWS 2018 takes place on April 29th – May 1st at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Next Generation Water Summit brings together developers, builders, architects, and water professionals to share best practices and learn on the best water conservation and water reuse practices from around the southwest.

Jonathan T. OverpeckOverpeck’s visionary work has been at the forefront of the heated climate change public debates and identifying the risks to managing water resources, providing valuable insights into past climate variability and change in the Southwest. He will present on the Climate Change forecasted impact to the Colorado River flows.

The Colorado River Basin covers nearly 246,000 square miles, including parts of the seven “basin States” of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming and flows into Mexico. The river is the life blood of the Southwest and supplies water to more than 30 million people and irrigates nearly 4 million acres.

“The Next Generation Water Summit is the only event that brings together water, building and land use professionals from the Southwest to collaborate on water reuse and sustainability strategies that are vital to protecting the west’s most vulnerable resource – water,” said Mike Collignon, executive director of the Green Builder Coalition.

“Peck”, as he prefers to be called, is currently the inaugural dean of the University of Michigan (U-M) School for Environment and Sustainability. He previously served as the director of the Institute of the Environment at the University of Arizona. He has published more than 200 works in climate change and the environmental sciences and was one of the lead authors on the report on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which shared the 2007 Nobel Prize with former Vice President Al Gore.

Next Generation Water Summit logoAttendees can register and learn more about other announced speakers at www.NextGenerationWaterSummit.com. Registration includes admittance to the keynote speakers, any educational session and breakfast and lunch on April 30 and May 1. Leisure activities include a white-water rafting trip on the Rio Grande (additional fee) and a treasure hunt along the Margarita Trail.

NGWS sponsors and partners include the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce, Green Builder® Coalition, City of Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, and The Alliance for Water Efficiency. Santa Fe Community College is the official education sponsor.

2017 Next Generation Water Summit Recap

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

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.