BGBG Commercial Brown Bag Series: FortZED - A Template for Inspiration and Action, Growing to be the World’s Largest Active Zero Energy District

FortZED - A Template for Inspiration and Action

FortZED is growing to be the world’s largest active zero energy district.  FortZED is a set of active projects and initiatives, created by public-private partnerships, which uses Smart Grid and renewable energy technologies to achieve local power generation and energy demand management.  Located in downtown Fort Collins, Colorado, FortZED is a collaborative effort, sharing best practices at the state, regional, national, and global levels.  A 3-way partnership between the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, Fort Collins Utilities, and UniverCity Connections, FortZED is bringing together diverse partners to update energy distribution channels while addressing local environmental goals and growing primary jobs.

Speaker:

JUDY DORSEY, PE, CEM, LEED-AP

Brendle Group, President and Principal Engineer

Judy is the founding President and Principal Engineer at Brendle Group, an environmentally focused engineering consulting firm. Her 16-year career has included developing a unique expertise in engineering centered on demonstrating the business case benefits of sustainability.  Since 1996, she has led Brendle Group on its quest for sustainability and climate protection.
 
As an example of Judy’s expertise and determination, she rallied a decade of business relationships in 2006 to help form the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, a mass-collaboration that is growing the regional economy around clean energy technologies. Judy now serves as the Executive Director of the Cluster and is one of the thought leaders behind Fort ZED, an initiative to transform an area covering downtown Fort Collins, Colorado and the campus of Colorado State University (CSU) into a zero energy district, the largest of its kind in the world.

Judy is a also recognized leader in climate protection efforts throughout Colorado and the Western U.S.  In 2006 she received the Climate Change Hero recognition at the Aspen Climate Action Conference, and she served on the Colorado Climate Action Panel to provide her expertise and input to the state’s Climate Action Plan.

In 2008, Judy was selected from over 200 nominees for the Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business award in the consultant category. In 2006, she received the distinguished alumna award from the Colorado State University Department of Mechanical Engineering. Finally, in 2004 Judy received the ’40 Under 40’ award, which recognized the top 40 entrepreneurs in Northern Colorado under age 40. 

Judy holds an MS in Mechanical Engineering from CSU and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University. She is a registered professional engineer in the State of Colorado, a Certified Energy Manager, and LEED Accredited Professional.

Judy resides with her family in Fort Collins in Colorado’s first LEED-certified home.