The Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will co-host the Sustainable Futures Conference with the University at Albany and the Future of Small Cities Institute from April 27 – April 30.

The four-day virtual event will bring together national experts, politicians, scholars, students, and community leaders to engage with multidimensional questions surrounding the expansion of sustainability in all sectors of civic and urban community development.

To register for the event, visit the conference registration page.

“This conference will help bring the forward-looking sustainability efforts from across Rensselaer and the Capital Region to the international stage,” said Dennis Shelden, the director of CASE and a professor in the Rensselaer School of Architecture. “CASE can support these ideals by bringing its broad array of students, scholars, and researchers together with government agencies, professionals, and companies to collectively develop a vision for the future of the planet and highlight our region as a center of innovation in sustainable building, technologies, and resilient communities.”

According to Shelden, the conference naturally aligns with the mission of CASE, which has been driving collaborative innovation in sustainable architecture and the built environment for more than a decade. With locations in Brooklyn and Troy, CASE works with researchers, students, and industry leaders across architecture, construction, technology, and product supply chains with the goal of advancing sustainable, resilient, and healthy environments.

Multiple speakers and experts from Rensselaer will be featured throughout the event, including President Shirley Ann Jackson, who will provide opening remarks. Rensselaer-affiliated research centers and initiatives, including The Jefferson Project at Lake George, the Lighting Enabled Systems and Applications (LESA) Center, the Center for Future Energy Systems (CFES), and the Water Justice Lab will also be featured in the conference’s Innovation Salon, an interactive exhibit hall.

The conference will also feature a parallel Youth Congress for Climate Justice, led by student and young activists from across the region, including a number of key leaders from the Rensselaer student body. The Youth Congress will present their work to the main conference on the final day.

“The role of higher education is critical to the future of sustainability,” said Reif Larsen, the founder of the Future of Small Cities Institute. “There is untapped potential here in Capital Region and this conference exemplifies the kind of collaboration and partnership that will be necessary to combat climate change and cultivate a culture of resilient communities. Our region can become a center for research and development that kickstarts a green, inclusive economy.”