Plenaries | Better Buildings Initiative

Thursday, May 1, 9:30 AM - 11:15 AM

Executive leaders will share lessons learned from achieving portfolio-wide success and offer insights into what’s next.


MARDI DITZE IKEA US RETAIL LLC Head of Sustainability	STACY MAHLER Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) U.S. Head of Sustainability	JACLYN MISPAGEL Centersquare Chief Product and Marketing Officer	AMBER WELLMAN Chemours Chief Sustainability Officer

	MODERATED BY MICHAEL FURZE U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Director of the Buildings Technology Office (BTO)

Learn more about the speakers and moderator below.

MARDI DITZE, IKEA US RETAIL LLC
Head of Sustainability

Mardi Ditze is the Head of Sustainability at IKEA US RETAIL LLC. She guides nearly 17,000 co-workers toward the goal of transitioning toward a circular business. Together with co-workers, customers, and global partners, Mardi’s strategic direction is a vital resource in the quest to impact climate change, unsustainable consumption, and inequality. Prior to starting with IKEA in 2022, Mardi developed her expertise in retail, customer service, and sustainability initiatives as the Project Developer for Community Energy. Her trajectory led her to the City of Philadelphia where she examined energy use and conservation goals as the Senior Energy Analyst and Procurement and Program Manager.

STACY MAHLER, Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI)
U.S. Head of Sustainability

Stacy Mahler is the US Head of Sustainability for Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) and is responsible for supporting customers on their sustainability journey through infrastructure and operational enhancements that improve energy efficiency, integrate renewable energy, and enable electrification of fleets and facilities. She also supports the carbon reduction roadmap for Siemens' SI footprint in the US in alignment with their global sustainability goals and commitments. Based in Atlanta, she holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida, an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and has over 15 years of experience in the industrial and energy sectors.

JACLYN MISPAGEL, Centersquare
Chief Product and Marketing Officer

Jaclyn Mispagel is the Chief Product and Marketing Officer of Centersquare where she has led product, marketing, and digital transformation initiatives since 2021. She brings over 20 years of industry experience in both data centers and networking from roles at Cyxtera, CenturyLink, Windstream and Verizon. She serves as the executive sponsor for Centersquare's Women Empowerment and Green Team employee resource groups. Jaclyn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Math and Business Administration from Austin College.

AMBER WELLMAN, Chemours
Chief Sustainability Officer

Amber Wellman is the Chief Sustainability Officer for Chemours, where she leads the company’s continued effort to integrate sustainability into delivering the corporate strategy and achieve its Corporate Responsibility Commitment goals. An analytical chemist by training, she plays a central role in forging strategic collaborations and partnerships with external experts, companies, industries, and organizations to advance Chemours’ sustainability efforts and advocate for sustainable, science-based policy and regulation.

MICHAEL FURZE, Department of Energy
Director of the Building Technologies Office

Michael Furze is the director of the Building Technologies Office (BTO). He joined BTO from the Washington State Department of Commerce, where he spent nearly a decade leading the Energy Office as an assistant director. Previously, he served as managing director of the Housing Improvement and Preservation Unit, which included the state’s weatherization assistance program. Furze also sat on the board of the U.S. Green Building Council-New Mexico Chapter and was the technical lead for the New Mexico Energy$mart Program, a weatherization assistance program funded by the Department of Energy.

See Less

Friday Plenary: Hearing from the Experts: Emerging Technologies and Things to Watch

Friday, May 2, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Join us for a conversation with leadership from DOE’s National Labs about trends, emerging technologies, and new ideas that could benefit your organization. This exciting plenary session is designed to be interactive so come with your questions for these leaders!


MARY ANN PIETTE Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Associate Lab Director of the Energy Technologies Area	JUD VIRDEN Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Associate Laboratory Director for the Energy and Environment Directorate	ROBERT WAGNER Oak Ridge National Laboratory Associate Lab Director of the Energy Science and Technology Directorate

	MODERATED BY CAROLYN SYNDER U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Buildings and Industry

Learn more about the speakers and moderator below.

MARY ANN PIETTE, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Associate Lab Director of the Energy Technologies Area
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Mary Ann Piette is the Associate Lab Director (ALD) of the Energy Technologies Area (ETA) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. ETA conducts research to accelerate innovation to provide affordable, reliable, secure, and abundant energy systems for American prosperity. This work ranges from advancing building technologies to novel manufacturing systems, advanced materials for energy storage and hydrogen systems, cybersecure grid technologies, and efficient data centers. ETA’s R&D is built on strong engagement with industrial partners. Mary Ann also serves as a Senior Scientist with experience developing grid-edge technologies that have global adoption. Piette has an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley and a Licentiate in Building Services Engineering from the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.

JUD VIRDEN, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Associate Laboratory Director for the Energy and Environment Directorate
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Dr. Jud Virden is the Associate Laboratory Director for the Energy and Environment Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He leads approximately 1,700 scientists, engineers, and staff supporting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) applied energy priorities. Key DOE mission areas include i) modernizing the nation’s power grid to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient electricity delivery infrastructure, ii) research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system, and iii) resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy and environmental management.

ROBERT WAGNER, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Associate Lab Director of the Energy Science and Technology Directorate
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Robert Wagner is the Associate Laboratory Director of the Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). In this role, he leads more than 550 researchers and operations staff focused on developing and deploying advanced technology solutions in manufacturing, buildings, transportation, and electrical grid infrastructure. He and his team steward four Department of Energy national user facilities, including the Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC), Carbon Fiber Technology Facility (CFTF), Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), and the National Transportation Research Center (NTRC). The directorate also stewards the Grid Research Integration and Deployment Center (GRID-C). These facilities enable strong collaborations that drive fundamental scientific research toward practical solutions to the nation’s energy challenges, ensuring a more resilient, secure, and affordable energy future.

CAROLYN SYNDER, U.S. DOE
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Buildings and Industry

Carolyn Snyder is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Buildings and Industry at the U.S. Department of Energy. In this role, she leads funding that saves energy costs, increases U.S. economic competitiveness, and strengthens the national security and safety of American homes, buildings, industrial base, and supply chains. She oversees over $800 million annually for R&D across U.S. national laboratories, private companies, and universities. Carolyn oversees three offices: the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, the Building Technologies Office, and the Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office.

See Less