“Countries that embrace a long-term policy towards clean technology will be the winner in the future market,” said Swiss President Doris Leuthard during a briefing with U.S. officials. This sentiment was echoed by Matt Rogers, a Senior Advisor in the U.S. Department of Energy and Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-Missouri).

Highlights:

Interview Matt Rogers, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

Rogers and Carnahan agreed with Leuthard that the economic potential for clean technology was very large: “It is the next industrial revolution,” said Rogers, who oversees the DOE’s $36.7 billion in Recovery Act appropriations. Rogers also stated that he had “great respect for Swiss technology in this field” and agreed that incentives and standards are key: “Markets need clear expectations with clear rules so that they can adjust.” Congressman Carnahan cited the example of the building and construction sector, which accounts for 15% of GDP per year. “High performance buildings,” he said “can meet 85% of the future demand for energy in the U.S.”

Political insights: Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-Missouri)

International Collaboration to Create Green Jobs: Interview with Carol Werner, Executive Director, Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Swiss Perspective: Urs Ziswiler, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States

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Watch an exclusive Interview with Swiss President, Doris Leuthard

What motivates Switerland's committment to environment-friendly policies? And how did Switzerland's recent economic stimulus package impact Clean Tech and Green Job Growth?

The briefing was co-sponsored by the Embassy of Switzerland as part of it’s ThinkSwiss program, which is designed to engage U.S. policy and research leaders in dialogue on topics of global importance, with an eye towards creating global solutions. Other partners in this event were The World Resources Institute, The U.S. Green Building Council and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.

For more information, please contact:
Lukas Sieber, Events Manager, Embassy of Switzerland, Washington D.C.
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Tuesday, April 13 - Swiss Embassy Cleantech Day

Embassy of Switzerland, 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington D.C., USA 

Sustainable building facts, U.S. and Switzerland. Job creation through innovation, standards, education, and investment.

Cleantech collaboration U.S. – Switzerland
- Guillaume Scheurer, Deputy Chief of Mission, Swiss Embassy: Welcome, opening remarks
- Video-message Swiss President Doris Leuthard
- Nick Beglinger, President swisscleantech: Swiss cleantech strengths to the U.S
- Claudine Haeni, Swiss Trade and Investment Promotion: US view, opportunities and challenges for Swiss companies
- Greg Kats, Goodenenergies: Costs, Benefits, Trends in US Green Buildings
- Scott Hennessey, SEIA: Job effects, trends in the solar market
- Anil Sethi, Flisom: startup view, international business experiences 
 
Case study “Green Embassy”, Washington, D.C.
- Stephan Tanner, Christoph Ebell: Realizing a Swiss green building technology reference case

Networking lunch, B2B-market
B2B match-making session and workshops, U.S.–Switzerland
Focus: green buildings, energy efficiency

Presentation session 1: Financing, green buildings systems

- Corinne Figueredo, International Finance Corporation, World Bank: Financing of green building projects
- Alain Schilli, myclimate: Carbon Offset and Green Buildings
- Bob Noble, Envision Solar, architect and visionair; Lifevillage, project India
- Maura McCarthy, Bluhomes: Green Prefab buildings, scalability through IT tools
- Alec von Graffenried, Losinger AG: Construction trends
- Chris Constantine, Oerlikon Solar: new technologies

Presentation session 2: Components, materials

- Michelle Proehl, Serious Materials: walls and windows
- Barry Stephens, Zehnder: HVAC
- Harald Verling, Hoval: HVAC
- Carolina Claivjo, Bioapply: Packaging
- Remo Estermann, TEXX AG
- Tom Meyer, Green Mechanical Council

Conclusion, Insights
Launch of International Working Group “Green Buildings Dialogue”

Networking opportunities and social program

Thank you to our partners: