Decarb NY Higher Education
🌟 Presented in partnership with: Trane, Brightcore, Ainsworth, Mitrex, and SOM
Join us on October 8, 2025, for Decarb NY Higher Ed, where industry leaders, educators, and policymakers will unite to explore the pivotal theme of Decarbonizing Higher Education. From 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
This summit will focus on the unique challenges and opportunities in transforming educational institutions toward a more sustainable future. We will delve into the essential role of updated building codes in facilitating energy-efficient retrofits, discuss innovative battery storage solutions, and explore advancements in HVAC systems that contribute to campus decarbonization. This summit will also provide insights into how higher education can lead the way in sustainability initiatives, creating models for other sectors to follow.
Be part of this important conversation as we collaborate to shape the future of sustainable practices in education and drive meaningful change across campuses in New York and beyond.
Summit Agenda & Speaker Lineup
8:00 - 8:50 AM – Registration & Networking
8:50 - 9:00 AM – Opening Remarks
Scott Donachie, CEO at Decarb Summits
– Connecting decision-makers across real estate, finance, and technology to drive sustainable impact, leading over 170+ organizations in transforming the built environment. LinkedIn
9:00 - 9:40 AM – Best Practices for Decarbonizing Campuses
Shaun Hoyte (moderator), Head of Clean Energy Networks at Con Edison - Develops cross-sector partnerships and strategies to accelerate clean energy financing, decarbonization technologies, and workforce development, driving market transformation and resilience. LinkedIn
Hany Ayoub, at Columbia University
– Oversees all design, engineering, and construction across the 6.8 million sq ft Manhattanville campus. Since 2017 he’s delivered landmark, award-winning facilities — Jerome L. Greene Science Center; Lenfest School of the Arts; Lee C. Bollinger Forum; David Geffen and Henry Kravis Halls; The Square; and Central Energy Plant expansion, all achieving LEED Gold and the campus’s first Stage 1 LEED Platinum ND award. He’s now leading the new 600 W 125th St residence and master planning future phases. LinkedInAngela Oberg, at Rutgers University - leads institutional strategy for carbon neutrality, climate resilience, and sustainability integration. Previously Associate Director for Rutgers’ Office of Climate Action, she served as Administrative Director of the President’s Task Force on Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience, and teaches sustainable design and policy as an Assistant Teaching Professor. LinkedIn
Randy Topp, Senior Vice President at Ainsworth - Directs the PMO, Energy Services Group, and Service Management Office across Canada. A Schulich mini-MBA graduate, he specializes in mechanical and electrical contracting, energy performance contracting, and integrated design-build delivery. LinkedIn
9:40 - 10:00 AM – Tech Talk: Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)
Cory Fry, Sales Director at Mitrex - Leads the commercial rollout of building-integrated photovoltaics, guiding clients in the commercial and institutional sectors to adopt sustainable envelope solutions. Skilled at building strategic relationships, driving sales growth, and delivering tailored renewable-energy cladding systems. LinkedIn
10:00 – 10:30 AM - Coffee Break & Networking
10:10 – 10:20 AM - Spotlight: MIT Case Study
Centralized and Decentralized Approaches to Decarbonizing the MIT Campus
Susan Murcott, Senior Lecturer at MIT's D-Lab - An environmental engineer at MIT for 12 years, she teaches courses on water, sanitation, hygiene, and climate-health, leads student projects in 25+ countries, and co-founded Pure Home Water and the Kanchan Arsenic Filter to bring safe drinking water to communities worldwide. LinkedIn
10:20 – 10:40 AM - Technology Showcase: Brightcore Energy
Cameron Best, Senior Director of BD at Brightcore Energy
– Drives growth and partnerships for large-scale geothermal and clean-energy projects, bridging public and private sectors to deploy scalable ground-source heat pump systems that decarbonize buildings, lower operating costs, and deliver sustainable heating and cooling solutions across multifamily and institutional portfolios. LinkedIn
10:40 – 11:00 AM - Technology Showcase – To be announced
11:00 – 11:10 AM - Case Study: HLW & Higher Education
Jonce Walker, Global Director of Sustainability and Wellness, Principal at HLW - Leads HLW’s BEYOND consultancy and coordinates integrated design to embed resilience, decarbonization, and occupant health across projects worldwide. With nearly 20 years in both public and private sectors, he drives carbon-neutral goals under the AIA 2030 Commitment, expands wellness strategies firm-wide, and maximizes client value through ecological repair and high-performance building solutions. LinkedIn
11:10 – 11:20 AM - Technology Showcase – To be announced
11:20 – 11:40 AM – Best Practices for Procurement in Higher Education – To be announced
11:40 – 12:00 PM – Deep Retrofit Case Studies – To be announced