April 16: Energy : Consumption, production, and reduction at the residential level. What can we do? What should we do?

The 45th anniversary of Earth Day is April 22. Will it matter? Can we help it matter? 

Thursday, April 16, 7:30 pm  |  Dialogue Leader: Jared Campbell

Mark & Elizabeth England's home at 1194 South 500 East in Salt Lake City.
Late-comers, please use the back door. 

Discussion:
This discussion will begin with an overview of Jared's home project and a look at the results and costs after 4 years of operation.  The goal is to equip the audience with what is possible and what is not, at the residential level on a reasonable budget.  The discussion will then broaden to the net impact of this project and the future of energy in our lives.  

About Jared:

Jared is a father, husband, trail runner, and lifetime resident of Utah.  He attended the University of Utah’s engineering program where he studied fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and robotics. Jared is currently the Chief Technologist at a local engineering company where he has worked for 13 years.  In his spare time, he is passionate about applying science and engineering principles towards solutions related to energy self-sufficiency and in 2011 he and his wife completed their goal of building a net-positive home in Sugarhouse, which has exceeded their expectations, producing all of the energy required for home heating, hot water, electricity, and “fuel” for their electric vehicles using basic passive solar design principles, thermally efficient building practices, and a PhotoVoltaic solar array for energy harvesting. Jared has given numerous public presentations about his home project and finds great joy in motivating others to think about change. Jared is also a board member of Breathe Utah

To explore:

• http://cityhomecollective.com/campbells-net-home/
• http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/smaller-faster-lighter-denser-cheaper
• http://www.johnsavesenergy.com/

To consider:

• How do you feel about the what energy costs today?  Too little, just right, too much?
• What will the future look like in terms of how you get energy and/or produce it?
• What should be done, if anything, about energy consumption and production at the citizen or residential level?
• What role should regulations play, if any, in the production and consumption of energy?