HMC Architects’ Vice President of Sustainability Eera Babtiwale, LEED AP BD+C, will be speaking at the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference (CHESC) on July 9 and 10. Babtiwale will speak at two sessions, “Use of Collaborative Planning to Create Climate Action Plan” and “Strategic Plans for Implementing Sustainability”.

Babtiwale will be joined by Chisato Uyeki, President of the Academic Senate and Collection Development Librarian at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) to discuss the collaborative development of Mt. SAC’s award-winning Climate Action Plan (CAP) and Mt. SAC’s approach to sustainability.

In 2014, Mt. SAC signed the American College and University Presidents’ Commitment on Climate and enlisted HMC to direct the development of a CAP. A collaborative planning process included CAP conferences, an eco-charrette, and several focus groups. Upon completion, the CAP was honored with the California Community Colleges Board of Governors Excellence in Energy and Sustainability Award for Faculty and Student Initiatives.

The conference will be held at University of California, Santa Barbara from July 8-11. CHESC highlights cutting-edge research, as well as case studies with proven successes in curriculum development, operational programs, and community partnerships. For more information, or to register for the conference, visit CHESC’s website.

Tuesday, July 9th

“Use of Collaborative Planning to Create Climate Action Plan”

Chisato Uyeki, President, Academic Senate; Collection Development Librarian, Mt. San Antonio College

Eera Babtiwale, LEED AP BD + C, Vice President of Sustainability, United States Green Building Council IE Branch Board Member, HMC Architects

Wednesday, July 10th

“Strategic Plans for Implementing Sustainability”

This strategy-based session details three campuses approach to truly institutionalizing sustainability.

Lindsey Kalkbrenner, MBA, Director, Center for Sustainability, Santa Clara University

Cara K. Uy, Sustainability Manager, Center for Sustainability, Santa Clara University

Tom Abram, PE, CEM, LEED AP, Energy and Sustainability Officer, Facilities Services, San Diego State University

Zohir Chowdhury, Associate Professor, School of Public Health – Division of Environmental Health, San Diego State University

Chisato Uyeki, Collection Development Librarian and President of the Academic Senate, Library and Learning Resources Division, Mt. San Antonio College

Eera Babtiwale, LEED AP BD + C, Vice President of Sustainability, United States Green Building Council IE Branch Board Member, HMC Architects

Moderator: Nikhil Schneider,Energy and Sustainability Coordinator, CSU Northridge