'DR-Expo 2007' Moves Demand Response to Forefront of America's Energy Sustainability Agenda, Jim Lee

Two-Day Conference Reflects Convergence of Building Automation Industry and
Competitive Energy Suppliers and Launches NewEnergy Alliance

CHICAGO, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Questions about how to fast-track innovations in demand response technology were answered when competitive energy suppliers and members of the building automation industry came together at "DR-Expo 2007" last week in Chicago.
By all measurements, the two-day conference, held in Rosemont, Illinois on October 16th and 17th, was a success. More than 200 participants representing energy suppliers, ISOs (independent (energy) system
operators), building automation, and business and environmental leaders gathered to discuss best practices and the significant contribution that demand response - the monitoring, management and directed use of energy - stands to make toward a more sustainable energy future.
The conference opened with a keynote presented by Clem Palevich who heads Constellation Energy's Sustainable Energy Solutions Group. Mr. Palevich emphasized the role of demand response in driving sustainable energy and new carbon impact initiatives.
Highlights from DR Expo 2007 (http://www.dr-expo.com) program include:

-- A second opening keynote delivered by Jack McGowan, President and CEO of Energy Control, Inc., which highlighted the pending economic and environmental challenges presented by meeting the anticipated future energy needs via traditional generation sources served to set the context for the significant contribution that Demand Response can make toward meeting the energy needs of the built environment.
-- Anto Budiardjo of Clasma Events, Inc. facilitated a discussion among panelists Carter Williams, President of Gridlogix, Inc., Bob Zak, President of Powerit Solutions, LLC, and Peter Kelly-Detwiler, Senior Director of Energy Technology Services for Constellation NewEnergy, which focused on the opportunities, objectives and significant benefits of implementing a well designed demand response system.
-- Representatives from four of the nation's leading ISO's participated in a series of panels focusing on the necessary steps and requirements of participating in a Demand Response program as well as the opportunities and benefits presented by the regional and state run Demand Response programs.
-- Jim Lee, President and CEO of Cimetrics, Inc. joined Steve Schaefer, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing for EnergyConnect and David Katz, President of Sustainable Environmental Solutions, Inc. in a panel discussion on key technologies that support the successful integration of Demand Response solutions on existing IT platforms.
-- A closing mega-panel comprised of building automation specialists, energy suppliers and systems designers, along with Francis Rubinstein of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, summarized their take on the discussions and how Demand Response fits into the broader corporate sustainability landscape.
-- Leighton Wolffe, principal of Wolffe Technology Consultants, announced the creation of the NewEnergy Alliance which has been formed in response to a growing commitment to sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint of the established building environment. Founding members of the NewEnergy Alliance, Constellation NewEnergy and EnergyConnect, were also leading sponsors of DR Expo.
"As American business, especially building and manufacturing owners, comes under increasing pressure to harness new, efficient and sustainable energy-use practices; we can anticipate that the convergence of the building automation industry, energy suppliers, utilities, ISO's and IT sector that began at DR Expo will start to drive innovations in demand response that will help identify and leverage the energy that exists in our built environment in ways that have not previously been considered," said Anto Budiardjo, President and CEO of Clasma Events, Inc.
A final highlight of the conference was a luncheon presentation by business writer and consultant, Andrew Winston, author of Green to Gold. Mr. Winston bridges the business and environmental communities with his book by exploring what works - and doesn't work - for companies striving to
build green strategies into their core business values and strategies.
DR-Expo was organized by Clasma Events, Inc., the leading events planner for the energy, building automation and network connectivity industries, and sponsored by Constellation NewEnergy, EnergyConnect Inc.,
BIQ, Cimetrics, Cisco Systems, Delta Controls, Energy Curtailment Specialists Inc., EnerNOC, and Richards Zeta Building Intelligence.
For more information about the panels and presentations, visit DR-Expo 2007 Conference visit: http://www.dr-expo.com.