Focus on Mexico: Promoting ENERGY STAR and LEED Certification

In this webinar-based training—jointly sponsored with CONUEE and presented in Spanish—we discuss how the Solutions Center can be of most value to Mexico with design, promotion, and implementation of certification programs, such as ENERGY STAR and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). In particular, we consider incentives and education and outreach activities that the Mexican government can use to promote certification programs and engage consumers and the manufacturing sector in the process. We also look at successful certification programs from around the globe.

Panelists

Julio Rovi, Cadmus Group

Julio Rovi, a Principal at Cadmus, has more than 26 years of professional experience in energy, engineering, and the social sciences. He advises owners of large portfolios of buildings on the business of sustainability, building performance, and energy efficiency. With 14 years at Cadmus, Mr. Rovi focuses on the company’s large-scale program support contracts such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR® program, the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) green building certification program, and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Financial Technical Assistance. Fully bilingual (Spanish-English) and bicultural, Mr. Rovi is a subject-matter expert on international support to EPA’s ENERGY STAR program. Due to this singular expertise, he was selected as the lead consultant to assist the government of Mexico with its adoption of ENERGY STAR. Since joining Cadmus in 1997, he has worked on energy efficiency and climate programs in North America, including most of the United States. Prior to Cadmus, he served as a Climate Change Expert for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assisting with the initial implementation stages of thirteen countries in Central America and the Caribbean.

Adolfo Chavez, CONUEE

Adolfo Chávez is Deputy Director General for Promotion and Innovation at the National Commission for Energy Efficiency in Mexico (CONUEE) and possesses wide experience in the energy sector within the federal government and civil society. Prior to his current position, he served as Director of Finance and Environment at CONUEE; Director of Institutional Liaison to Congress at the Ministry of Energy; Technical Secretary of the House of Representatives Energy Commission; Chief of Staff of the President of the Energy Commission at the House of Representatives LIX Legislature; Deputy Director of Energy Policy Integration in the Ministry of Energy. In addition, he served as adviser of the Minister of Energy. In civil society, he served as Director General of Ciudadanos por México A.C, a civil organization aiming to promote the adoption and deployment of best practices, as well as technological change towards energy efficiency in the agricultural sector. Chávez earned his BA in Economics from Mexico’s Autonomous Technological Institute (ITAM) in Mexico City, and he holds a MSc. in Comparative Politics in Latin America from the London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE.

César Ulises Treviño, Mexico Green Building Council

In 1993, Trevino obtained a Master’s Degree in Construction Management and Structural Engineering from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the United Kingdom. He developed corporate experience within Grupo Vitro in Monterrey, Mexico, from 1991 to 1993 as Technical Adviser and Trade Manager for the regions of South America, The Caribbean, and The Middle East. From 1994 to 1997, he was a guest researcher and consultant at the Norwegian Building Research Institute in Oslo. There he specialized in areas such as applied IT systems, and quality and environmental management systems related to the building and construction industry. From 1997 to 2001, Trevino was the Technical General Director for the Subway Construction Agency in Mexico City. In 2001, he founded “Green Building and Alternative Energy” (Bioconstrucción y Energía Alternativa, S.A. de C.V.), which is based in Monterrey, Mexico and offers consulting services in green building planning and design, energy and environmental assessments (LEED™ certification), sustainable project management, as well as renewable energy systems. He has been a guest speaker at numerous conferences in the USA, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. He has led the arrangements of the prime international congresses and commercial exhibitions in Mexico (2003 and 2006), promoting best practices for greener buildings. He is the first LEED™ Accredited Professional in Latin America, now working on the foremost sustainable developments and green projects in Mexico. In November 2007, Trevino and his project team achieved the first LEED-Gold certification in Latin America (HSBC Corporate Tower, in Mexico City). Since 2003, he has been the Leader for the Mexican Green Building Challenge Team and a Committee Member of the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment. He has lectured on sustainable construction and domotics, as post-graduate professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey. He has been appointed as expert jury and advisor in diverse international sustainable building competitions and awards. In 2005, Trevino founded the Mexico Green Building Council, and he is now President of this national NGO. He has also served as Secretary General (2006) and Treasurer (2007) for the World Green Building Council.