Reshaping Our Future: The 2022 Intermountain Sustainability Summit

Over 400 sustainability professionals, engaged citizens, and emerging leaders will gather virtually on March 16-18 for the Intermountain Sustainability Summit. It’s Utah’s largest sustainability conference, and also one of our favorite yearly events! In the past, the event has occurred at Weber State University, but due to safety concerns, it will occur virtually again this year.

The Summit is hosted by Weber State University’s Sustainability Practices and Research Center (SPARC) and was created to increase sustainability practices by engaging students, sustainability professionals, and the general public in topics such as clean energy infrastructure, green buildings, urban water, and other sustainability topics.

The 2022 Intermountain Sustainability Summit features three days of events, including the pre-summit workshop on Wednesday, March 16, the main Summit day on Thursday, March 17, and workshops on Friday, March 18.

This year’s event includes over 50 local and national speakers on topics like Clean Energy, Buildings & Cities, Equity, Climate & Engagement, Zero Waste, and more.

SLCgreen’s own Christopher Thomas and Peter Nelson are presenting on the main summit day! Christopher will present Utah 100 Communities: How Local Communities Are Leading on The Renewable Energy Program. Peter will present Residential Electrification in Utah: An Economic Lens.

Our RDA team will also be presenting about the Sustainable Development Policy they passed last year that requires all new buildings funded by the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City (RDA) to meet energy efficiency requirements.

Perhaps the most exciting thing is this year’s keynote speakers: physicist and climate communicator, Rob Davies, and award-winning science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson.

Dr. Davies is a physicist whose work focuses on global change, human vibrancy, and the science of systems. He has delivered hundreds of public lectures ― to policymakers, business leaders, civic organizations and faith communities. He has also worked as a scientific liaison for NASA.

Kim Stanley Robinson is the author of more than twenty books, including the international bestselling Mars trilogy, and The Ministry for the Future. He has been called a “Hero of the environment” by Time magazine.

Check out the schedule of events that not only includes speakers, but also makes time for social networking, collaboration, and a student poster competition!

Day 1’s pre-summit workshop on Wednesday, March 16 will focus on “Securing Utah’s Balanced Water Future in a Climate Change World,” a workshop that will continue on the final day, Friday, March 18, as well.

Everyone is welcome at the Intermountain Sustainability Summit! If you are interested in attending, register here.

The Summit is open to professionals, students, and the general public! We hope to see you there!