Pay it Forward: Financial Pathways to Project Success & Smart Building Opportunities Summit

​Unlocking Project Success: Finance, Technology, and the Future of Smart Buildings

​Keynote will be delivered by Katherine Antos
MA Undersecretary of Decarbonization & Resilience

​Rising energy costs, tenant demands, and decarbonization targets are reshaping the real estate landscape. Owners and operators are under pressure to cut costs, improve efficiency, and future-proof assets — while technology providers, utilities, and financiers are racing to deliver solutions that can scale.

​The Smart Building Opportunities Summit will convene leaders in a dual-sided format:

• ​Owners & Developers share real-world challenges (operating costs, retrofit economics, energy transition goals).

• ​Solution Providers respond with practical, market-ready strategies.

• ​Financiers & Advisors weigh in on how to structure deals and unlock investment.

​This is not a typical panel — it’s a high-energy exchange designed to surface actionable pathways, partnerships, and financing models for smart building upgrades, energy transition, and decarbonization.

​Why Attend

• ​For Owners & Developers: Discover solutions and financing options to reduce costs, improve performance, and meet decarbonization goals.

• ​For Innovators & Providers: Hear directly from owners on what they need to make adoption viable.

• ​For Policymakers & Utilities: Understand market barriers and opportunities to align programs with real-world needs.

• ​For Financiers & Advisors: Identify scalable projects and partnerships for investment.

​Event Schedule

• ​9:00 – 9:30 AM
  Arrival, coffee, and networking

• ​9:30 – 10:00 AM
  Welcome & Opening Remarks

• ​10:00 – 11:15 AM
  Session 1: Money Matters & The Capital RE-Stack

  • ​Audience Q&A

• ​11:15– 12:30 PM
  Session 2: New Tools to Reduce Costs and Enhance Value

  • ​Audience Q&A

• ​12:30 – 1:30 PM
  Networking Lunch

​Panel Discussion Topics

​Session 1: Money Matters & the Capital RE-Stack
How do incentives, financing tools, and policy drivers shape project economics? Panelists will explore:

• ​IRA incentives, C-PACE financing, and emerging capital stacks

• ​The role of LBER/BERDO mandates in project planning

• ​How developers and owners can engage earlier with financing partners to improve viability

​Panelists-

1. ​Alexander Gard-Murray, Passive House MA (Moderator)

2. ​Noel Chambers, Energy New England

3. ​Russell Preston, SomerNova

4. ​Vidhee Garg of HR&A (Financial) Advisors

5. ​Julie Klump of Preservation of Affordable Housing

6. ​Kim Cullinane / Amit Kulkarni of Eversource (Mass Save Coord)

7. ​Paul Ormond of MADOER (CPACE-PH)

8. ​Wendy O'Malley of Mass Development

​Session 2: Technologies to Reduce Cost and Enhance Value
What technologies and approaches are proving their worth in real-world projects? Discussion will focus on:

• ​Prefabrication and modular systems

• ​AI-driven audits, sensors, and automation tools

• ​Virtual power plants (VPPs), DER integration, and building intelligence platforms

• ​How these innovations accelerate cost savings, asset value, and compliance readiness

​ Panelists-

1. ​Moneer Azzam of Beacon Climate Innovations  (Moderator)

2. ​Robert Cooper  of Embue (BMS)

3. ​Evan Smith of Highland Park Technologies (Pre-Fab/Modular Envelope)

4. ​Mark Vasu of QEA Tech (Envelope Assessment)

5. ​Tamer Bou Matar of Ice-Air (PTAC/Thru Wall HVAC)

6. ​Timothy Martin of JLL (BMS, Decarb)

7. ​Michael Anderson of Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships

​Attendance is free, and everyone is welcome to join.

​This event is brought to you by Beacon Climate Innovations, Stephen Winter Associates, Passive House Massachusetts, and Greentown Labs. This event is also supported by the Sponsors of Mass Save: