Monthly Forum: The Green Catwalk

Join GreenHomeNYC at this month's Forums event for an in-person panel discussion + Q&A with professionals who work in building efficiency, street safety, and green development. 

GreenHomeNYC is kicking off 2025 with our annual Green Catwalk forum featuring an eclectic lineup of sustainability professionals. This is a great opportunity to learn about new technologies, innovations, and policies happening in the New York City environmental sustainability and green infrastructure sphere. Presentations will be slightly shorter than normal to allow for all of our speakers to have the spotlight on the catwalk.

Our panel speakers will talk about recent projects in range of industries and share their insights into the latest with topics such as tracking protected bike lanes, floating solar installations, financing climate action, sustainable coffee production, and more.

Join us January 15th for a presentation style panel discussion, networking, and Q&A!

Date: 1/15/2025

Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM (doors open at 6:15)

Location: Fujitsu AirStage - 1450 Broadway, New York, NY 10018

Presenters for this event include

Tim Ponciano - Project Leader at Delivery Associates. Topic: Leveraging blended and braided financing models to drive local climate action

Cecilia Cheng - fellow at the Climatebase Fellowship. Topic:  Sustainable coffee production

Gilberto Arribas - Real Estate and Renewable Energy Professional. Topic: Floating Solar installations

Brandon Chamberlin - Safe Streets Activist. Topic: Tracking the City's progress on their protected bike lane requirement of 50 miles per year

Hunter Armstrong - Executive Director, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative 

Martha Gutierrez - Program Manager for AEA. Topic: An Overview of Common and Cost-Effective Energy Efficiency Measures for Affordable Multifamily Buildings. And snapshot of the most recommended and impactful measures for improving energy efficiency in low-income multifamily buildings across New York.

____

Tim Ponciano - Project Leader at Delivery Associates

Tim is focused on delivering sustainable outcomes at the city and local levels. He brings deep expertise in strategic planning and policy implementation across sectors such as climate technology, infrastructure, and quantum innovation. Currently, Tim collaborates with communities to leverage blended and braided funding—integrating grants and philanthropy—to drive meaningful local action.

Gilberto R. Arribas – Real Estate and Renewable Energy Professional

With over 20 years of experience in real estate and a decade dedicated to renewable energy projects, Gilberto R. Arribas stands out as a seasoned expert in project development and sustainable solutions. He has played a pivotal role in originating community, utility-scale, floating solar, and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects across the Northeast United States, tackling complex challenges across the lifecycle of these initiatives. Gilberto's background includes leading diverse hotel and condominium projects on both national and international stages.

This foundation in real estate made his transition to renewable energy a natural evolution as he recognized the global demand for clean energy solutions. Passionate about creating a sustainable future, he emphasizes the importance of expanding our understanding of diverse energy production and storage methods to drive adoption and usage.

Committed to collaborative efforts and continuous innovation, Gilberto thrives on the shared goal of transforming energy usage for a cleaner, greener tomorrow.

Cecilia Cheng - fellow at the Climatebase Fellowship

The Climatebase Fellowship a program that helps mission-driven professionals deepen their knowledge around climate science, solutions, and organizations. Prior to the Climatebase Fellowship Program, Cecilia operated in a diverse range of finance and operations leadership roles, driving strategic initiatives for organizations of all sizes, from start-ups to global public companies. She is excited to focus the next chapter of her career on climate action and is currently exploring opportunities in sustainability consulting and clean energy.

Martha Gutierrez - Program Manager,  Certified Energy Manager (CEM)

Martha Gutierrez is an Energy Engineer and Program Manager for AEA. Since she joined in 2021, Martha has worked primarily on existing multifamily and residential buildings focusing on energy audit and engineering support for Weatherization Assistance Program and NYSERDA’s Programs. Martha has been involved in several projects during her career at AEA. As Program Manager, she actively participates in due diligence sessions, communications, and interaction with NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Martha also evaluates buildings to determine their compliance with the emission limits and other requirements specified in Local Law 97. Gathering energy consumption data from buildings, analyzing it, and developing energy reduction plans aiming to comply with Local Law 97.

If you have any questions, please contact the GreenHomeNYC Forums group at forums@greenhomenyc.org.

Since 2002, GreenHomeNYC has been promoting an energy efficient and sustainable built environment, and supporting green professional development in NYC.

Visit www.greenhomenyc.org to learn more!