As the global, national and Albertan energy landscape shifts and changes, it raises questions, concerns, along with opportunities for communities, particularly to community well-being, economic health, and jobs. To help communities wrestling with these challenges, the Energy Futures Lab (EFL), is hosting an invitation-only EFL Accelerator on Community Resilience that will focus on the following question:

How can communities enhance long-term resilience

in light of the shifting energy landscape?

Given the leadership role of our communities, the content of the workshop will build upon two main premises that guide the work of the EFL:

  • New energy realities presents opportunities to build the long-term resilience of Alberta and its communities, but it will take new approaches to economic development, community planning, and mobility.
  • Alberta’s human capital can be a major strength we can build upon if we support the transfer and development of new skills in Alberta’s labour force to help workers thrive in a low-carbon economy.

EFL Accelerators are not your typical conference. Participants are not expected to sit passively while people talk at them, rather participants are invited with the expectation to “roll up their sleeves” contribute to the development of ideas and initiatives.

This Accelerator will feature:

  • A dynamic and interactive forum focused on facilitating dialogue and experience sharing between community leaders from across Alberta working on this challenge, including participating communities of the Energy Futures Roadshow.
  • Interactive sessions to develop and scale initiatives that can help communities enhance resilience in light of the shifting energy landscape.
  • Insightful speakers to plant ideas and inspire action.

Date & Location

Tuesday, April 9, 2019, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Red Deer, Alberta

About EFL Accelerators

EFL Accelerators are a new form of engagement for the EFL as it moves into the next phase of its work. EFL Accelerators will bring together a select group of innovators from government, industry, civil society, and academia to work together on unique opportunities, including initiatives from the EFL portfolio and beyond, that can address challenges and prepare Alberta to thrive in the future.

EFL Accelerators include:

  • Insights from leading-edge and future-oriented thinkers and practitioners
  • Whole system solutions to systemic challenges
  • Cross-sectoral collaboration and focus on real-world actions and initiatives

Agenda (subject to change):

 

8:00
Light Breakfast and Networking
8:30
Welcome
9:00
Perspectives on Energy and Community Resilience

An exploration of new developments to our energy landscape and what they mean for community resilience. This session will be divided between hearing from rural community leaders and dialogue between participants.

10:00
Break
10:15
Energy Futures Lab Initiatives – Clarifying the Challenge

Break out sessions on innovative initiatives that the EFL community is actively working on to help communities build resilience in light of energy transition. Participants will be asked to select one of the four to contribute to.

  • Blockchain to Transact Carbon Offsets from Aggregated Micro-Solar Pilot (Prageet Nibber, CEO, ReWatt Power)
    Download Brief
  • Energy Efficiency Program for Small Rural Businesses Pilot (Justin Smith, Director, Financing Programs, Energy Efficiency Alberta)
    Download Brief
  • SouthWest Alberta Experiential Learning Lab (SWELL) Concept (James Van Leeuwen, Innovation Architect, Ventus Development Services)
    Download Brief
  • Louis Bull Renewable Schools Pilot (Lliam Hildebrand, Executive Director, Iron and Earth)
    Download Brief
11:45
Lunch
12:30
Energy Futures Lab Initiatives – Playing in the Solution Space

In-depth workshops that will apply design thinking to surface and develop solutions to the initiative’s challenge.

2:15
Break
2:30
Debrief Working Sessions

A whole plenary session to report back on key ideas and actions from the working sessions.

2:45
Pro-Action Cafe

An interactive session that allows participants to get insights and feedback from other participants on ideas that they are work for their communities.

4:15
Evaluation and Close
4:30
End

This is an invitation-only workshop. If you would like to receive an invitation, please contact Kelley Thompson at kthompson@naturalstep.ca.

STAY
TUNED

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