Robert Wilkins, vice president, public affairs, will join the conference’s panel of speakers, addressing one of the breakout sessions.

During the breakout session, “The Promise of Demand Response,” Wilkins will examine readily-available high-efficiency technologies, such as variable-speed air conditioning systems and the role they can play in improving building energy efficiency. He will also discuss obstacles to broad U.S. market adoption of these technologies and suggest steps to overcome them.

According to Wilkins, the United States faces a major challenge in controlling energy use, as consumption is predicted to increase 31 percent by 2035.

“In recent years, the broadly deployed efforts of industry, utilities, and government and advocacy groups have greatly improved energy efficiency and, therefore, energy consumption; however, we’ve been less effective at reducing peak load on the power grid,” said Wilkins. “Some technologies, like variable speed, are already experiencing rapid deployment in other countries throughout the world. That’s why platforms like the Verge conference can be so important — a place to engage with businesses and experts from a variety of industries with a set of similar goals and perspectives.”

Verge will be held as a precursor to the U.S. Green Building Council’s annual Greenbuild Conference and Expo, at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.

Publication date: 10/8/2012