On August 17, from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET, the monthly webinar of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Network on Smart and Sustainable Cities (ANSSC) will feature a report on the Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER) certification program of ANSI member and accredited standards developer the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The featured speaker will be Ryan Franks, power systems and infrastructure specialist, USGBC.
Events like Hurricane Sandy and the Northeast blackout of 2003 in the United States and Canada have underscored the need for increased resiliency of the electrical grid. Modeled after the USGBC's successful Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, PEER outlines a comprehensive approach to reliability and resiliency that includes risk and threat identification, prevention, mitigation, and recovery. PEER assesses electricity system performance and verifies that significant and measurable outcomes have been achieved. In so doing, the PEER rating system helps to fill a major gap in the advancement of the smart grid.
Ryan Franks leads development of technical and business solutions for the PEER rating system. Prior to joining USGBC, he was the leader of international and domestic strategic standardization projects in energy storage, microgrids, smart cities, and other emerging electrotechnical concepts at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). In this role, he served as secretary or chair of numerous ANSI, International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Department of Energy (DOE) committees. Mr. Franks graduated with a BS in engineering mechanics from the University of Illinois, has authored several conference and journal proceedings, and is the inventor on two patents and other patents pending.
The ANSSC is a forum for information sharing on standardization developments for smart and sustainable cities in the U.S. and abroad. Participation in the network's monthly webinars and valuable information sharing between webinars is a benefit of membership for ANSI full members. Others are invited to join the network and pay a nominal fee. Sponsorship opportunities are also available which include network participation, recognition at the start of monthly webinars, and other benefits. To register for the ANSSC, please visit www.ansi.org/cities.
To pursue ANSSC sponsorship, please contact Jim McCabe, ANSI senior director, standards facilitation ([email protected]; 212-642-8921).