As this year's annual conference of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, BuildingEnergy09, approaches, change is engulfing many parts of our lives. In response to the country's uncertain economic future a new presidential administration has passed the largest stimulus plan in the nation's history, which, among other things, looks as though it will usher in a new national focus on the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency resources. The stimulus package contains $36 billion targeted toward energy; with $6 billion in loan guarantees for energy infrastructure, $5 billion of funding for weatherization, $3.2 billion for state-level energy efficiency block grants, $3.1 billion for State Energy Programs, $2 billion for R&D in energy efficiency and renewables, and much more. There's never been a better time to be involved in America's clean energy economy.
That's one of the reasons why right now, in its 34th year, the BuildingEnergy conference is more important than ever. The northeast's longest-running sustainable energy conference has always been a place where the best minds in the field come together to share the most relevant technical and policy-oriented solutions to the economic drag and environmental devastation wrought by our dependence on fossil-fuels. One thing that hasn't changed is this: the smartest people working in clean energy and efficiency will be at the conference again this year to share their successful business models, innovative ideas, and policy solutions so that we can help turn these problems into economic opportunities.
From March 10th - 12th at the World Trade Center and Seaport Hotel in Boston, the conference will play host to over 14 technical workshops and 63 education sessions covering a myriad of topics ranging from deep energy retrofits of existing homes and buildings to investment opportunities in renewable energy systems to the development of a trained workforce that can bring all the promise of these ideas into being.

So whether you're a home-builder, developer, or real estate professional looking for an edge in a stressed economy, or a designer seeking to expand your practice into the clean energy arena, or seasoned energy professional who needs to know the details of specific technical systems, or a policy expert working in any part of the northeast today, BuildingEnergy09 offers the professional development you need to help lead the way toward a clean, profitable future.
I can't wait to see you all in Boston.
Luke Falk is conference chair for BuildingEnergy09, Boston, Mass.