GreenBiz welcomes everyone to VERGE 17 and sets the stage for this year's global flagship conference.

Corporate buyers, state regulators and large utilities are increasingly taking a leadership role across the U.S. with significant renewable energy projects. In New York, ConEdison is leading a set of initiatives called Reforming the Energy Vision, or REV, to redefine the way customers participate in the electric power system. In California, Governor Jerry Brown, state legislators and the California Public Utilities Commission are pushing increases in renewable energy procurement. Alongside those state efforts, four leading NGOs have joined with the corporate world to create the Renewable Energy Buyer's Alliance (REBA), with the aim of expanding the renewable energy purchasing power of larger and midsize businesses. This session will explore the direction of the clean energy system from those various perspectives.

Digital efficiency is a critical differentiator enabling competitiveness and growth in companies and countries. The industrial internet enables efficiency improvements that yield economic gains and environmental benefits beyond the traditional development and introduction of new technology. Leaders from GE, Intel and MWH will share insights and global examples of how embracing digital efficiency has returned costs savings, reduced emissions, and created greater productivity within their own operations and for their customers.

The visionary team behind The Ray tells the story behind their revolutionary stretch of IT-embedded roadway in Georgia, "the world's first sustainable highway," and the many innovations and possibilities created on the journey to transform our transportation infrastructure.

The CNN political commentator and founder of Dream Corps discusses how to communicate with people with different political and personal world views.

Interviews:

• Carol Sanford - Regenerative Business Summit Executive Producer
• Rob Davis - Fresh Energy Director, Media & Innovation Lab
• Harriet Langford - The Ray President
• Libby Wayman - General Electric Global Director of Innovation, Ecomagination

Senior executives from three very different U.S. utilities discuss their respective visions for the future of utilities — specifically, the energy transition issues they are dealing with locally and nationally, and what it will take for corporations and local governments to work collaboratively with utilities to advance a clean energy economy. The conversation will also include a focus on how innovations within the power sector — including technologies and business models — are spurring significant opportunities for all industry stakeholders.

Introduced at VERGE 2015, and highlighted recently in training by the International Society of Sustainability Professionals, the practice of using the land under and around U.S. solar arrays to benefit pollinators is on the cusp of becoming a standard practice — as it is in Europe. Benefitting pollinators at scale, and producing "Solar Honey," are new ways to increase support for large-scale solar.

A pitch competition that provides entrepreneurs in energy, buildings, transportation, supply chains, water, food, and cities the opportunity to present to the diverse VERGE community: executives from the world's largest companies, public officials from progressive cities, venture capitalists, and others.

For more information, please refer to our VERGE Accelerate page.

Art and science intrinsically intersect as DJ Spooky discusses his journeys to Antartica, climate change and demonstrates his "remix" of data and sound taken from the continent.

Interviews:

• Peter Kosak - General Motors

A quick recap of yesterday's highlights, and a welcome to our second day's plenaries.

The renowned earth systems scientist and executive director of the California Academy of Sciences presents an eye-opening talk on his vision for transforming behavior to accelerate sustainability at scale.

Cities are the engines of modern economic activity — generating 85 percent of today’s GDP. But this comes at a cost: urban communities consume 75 percent of the world’s natural resources, generate half of all global waste, and create two-thirds of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Under today’s linear economic model, there will continue to be an enormous amount of economic value destroyed or lost in cities. The concept of the circular economy offers a framework through which city governments and policymakers, urban planners and designers, businesses and individuals can rethink urban systems — and begin to close the loop on the flow of materials. As cities embark on the transition towards a circular economy, information and digital technology will play a crucial role in helping them address these challenges. Data forms part of the “connective tissue” linking urban systems together — from the movement of traffic, to the health of buildings, to how citizens can produce and consume energy.

The co-author of the Living Building Challenge and one of the world's most admired thinkers in green building shows how the future of the built environment is manifesting today. 

Bridging the gap between a deep green architect and futurist seeking to drive "regenerative buildings" and the Chief Sustainability Officer at Skanska USA, one of the biggest construction companies in the country — What will it take to "future proof" our buildings and businesses in the age of pressing climate challenges?

As rapid urbanization collides with on-demand consumerism, the world faces unprecedented sustainability challenges. Across sectors businesses are being tasked with developing solutions to meet consumer expectations, while simultaneously minimizing their environmental impact. Join Mark Wallace, Senior Vice President of Global Engineering and Sustainability, UPS and Matthias Winkenbach, Director MIT Megacities Logistics Lab as they discuss the logistics challenges of large urban city centers and how collaboration, innovation and research are driving new solutions towards a future of sustainable cities.

History’s dustbin is littered with products that began as great concepts yet failed or merely achieved niche status in the market. However, a "complete" product delivers an experience that transcends the product itself, potentially rewriting a category.  Smart-glass entrepreneur Rao Mulpuri of View maps his journey to disrupt the largest industry in the world — real estate — by creating "delightful human environments."

Two very different perspectives — an energy commissioner in Georgia (red state) and the head of the energy commission in California (blue state) discuss their lessons learned as their respective states (and local communities) transition to a cleaner energy future.

A pitch competition that provides entrepreneurs in energy, buildings, transportation, supply chains, water, food, and cities the opportunity to present to the diverse VERGE community: executives from the world's largest companies, public officials from progressive cities, venture capitalists, and others.

For more information, please refer to our VERGE Accelerate page.

Interviews:

• Joe Barger - Siemens General Manager, Building Performance & Sustainability
• Tom Madrecki - UPS Director of Urban Innovation and Mobility
• Beth Heider - Skanska Chief Sustainability Officer
• Clay Nesler - JCI Vice President, Global Sustainability and Industry Initiatives

Community leaders from around the U.S. share solutions that are promoting balanced growth and shared prosperity for low-wealth people and communities of color in their respective work across energy, transportation, land-use and economic inclusion.

Rapid urbanization and population growth in China could increase building energy use by as much as 40 percent over the next 15 years. While public-private collaboration shows promise in helping accelerate global policy and technology deployment, significant challenges remain in effectively organizing and managing these partnerships. This presentation will review the current state of very low energy building design and retrofits in China and the lessons learned from six years of collaboration within the US-China Clean Energy Research Center consortium.

Hip Hop Architecture explores the intersection of Hip Hop culture and the built environment through three interconnected realms; media, professional practice, and academia. The goal of Hip Hop Architecture is to increase the number of underrepresented populations in the practice of architecture while simultaneously creating a new approach to architecture and design, one based on the Hip Hop's founding elements (DJ, Emcee, Graffiti and B-Boy/ B-Girl).

Interviews:

• Jeff Senne - PwC Corporate Responsibility Strategy&Implementation Leader

GreenBiz welcomes everyone to the last day's plenaries — with some special announcements.

Traditionally entrenched electricity stakeholders are undergoing massive transitions. How are they working to transform the way our power grids function and collaborate with a market that is increasingly invested in distributed energy resources like onsite solar and storage? And how are utilities seeking to collaborate with technology innovators to accelerate a cleaner energy system for all? 

Economic growth and the expansion of e-commerce means there is a growing number of commercial vehicles on city streets contributing to congestion and air pollution. Several new technologies and business models have the potential to mitigate these negative effects while also making urban deliveries more affordable. The attractiveness of these technologies will vary by city and be heavily influenced by population density and economic conditions. We explore the potential of some of these technologies, how to accelerate their adoption, and the implications for businesses, cities and citizens.

The path forward for net-zero buildings will come from the road in the form of electric vehicles. Yet EVs still comprise less than one percent of the global market. This is about to change as automakers boost volume in the next few years. Daimler, for one, is unveiling the EQ brand and committing to ten all-EV models by 2025. For context, Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that one in four vehicles sold globally will be EVs by 2030. So providing an entire EV ecosystem is critical, with solutions that bring together vehicles alongside charging, storage, solar, and energy management technology, opening the market beyond early adopters. This will transform the design and operation of future buildings, which will accommodate personal EVs and entire electric fleets. Learn how automakers are uniquely positioned to provide a full suite of energy solutions and make net-zero buildings a widespread reality.

How is technology helping societies like China address environmental challenges produced by rapid economic development and urbanization? Energy and water are core ingredients for economic development and urbanization yet their nexus, supply and use must be managed carefully to produce sustainable environmental outcomes. The ability to understand these interactions and associated impacts though trusted information, monitoring, analytical insights and shared knowledge can aid in supporting sustainable environmental outcomes.

How does public policy determine clean economy business outcomes?  Why is it imperative for business leaders to leverage their market power to truly accelerate clean energy, climate and sustainability innovations at the policymaking level — especially under this challenging federal administration? A Congressman, Google’s head of energy policy and market development, and a former White House Chief Sustainability Officer turned renewable energy finance entrepreneur share their stories and insights on the way forward.

Co-founder and executive editor Joel Makower provides some closing thoughts before his interview with Apple's Lisa Jackson.

A conversation with Apple's visionary sustainability executive on the company's commitments on renewable energy, circular materials and other topics.