Advocates for the sustainability workforce honored at B4
On Thursday, February 27, the Better Buildings: Better Business Conference (B4) honored two building industry veterans for their support of new and growing careers in sustainability.
The Workforce Development Champion award recognizes an educator or administrator who has made a lasting impact in the education of the next generation of workers in the field of building science, sustainability, and/or clean energy. This year's Workforce Development Champion is Samara Hamzé, Program Manager of KEEP - Wisconsin's K-12 Energy Education Program.
"I am proud to accept this award on behalf of the entire KEEP team. I have the rare privilege to work in the space between KEEP's utility funders, other organizations in the clean energy industry, and K-12 education partners," said Hamzé. "Our student-centered collaborations have put Wisconsin among the states leading clean energy education in K-12 spaces and will serve as a model for other states."
A program in the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, KEEP offers resources statewide to help educators and community members stay current on energy education in Wisconsin.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has made a lasting impact in the promoting the core purpose of B4 to gather building science industry leaders, experts, and practitioners from around Wisconsin and the Midwest to enhance the residential building industry. This year's Lifetime Achievement Award recognized Marge Anderson, a retired energy efficiency professional who served in volunteer roles throughout her 27-year-career at Slipstream, including the boards of the New Buildings Institute and the U.S. Green Building Council.
"Builders have learned from other builders for generations. You learn the craft by doing. You enrich your craft with new discoveries in energy, health, and our environment," said Anderson—who also has the distinct honor of founding the Better Buildings: Better Business Conference over 25 years ago. "The B4 Conference began in 1999 as a platform to scale and accelerate how builders share their knowledge with each other. It has been an honor to provide a place where the wisdom and curiosity of our practitioners can flourish, and where builders become empowered to create healthy homes that respect our natural world and will be cherished by families for decades."
The awards were presented by Ellen Barlas, Managing Director of Education and Training at Slipstream. The B4 Conference and the awards are part of Slipstream's broader workforce development initiatives that train, support, and prepare building professionals with the latest knowledge and trends in energy efficiency and building science.
In addition to the awards, Xcel Energy, WE Energies, and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPS) presented several attendees with $1,000 scholarships for Professional Development to continue building their careers in the sustainability workforce.