On May 28, 2026, Big Shine Energy hosted the SAAZ Strategic Energy Forum at the W Hotel in Hoboken, New Jersey. The day included keynotes, breakout sessions, the Discovery Lab, and an awards ceremony recognizing organizations for their results in energy reduction. Since the Approaching Zero campaign launched in 2015, participating organizations have reduced annual energy consumption by more than 12 million kilowatt-hours collectively.
Keynotes & Sessions
Big Shine Energy put together a speaker lineup that covered the full scope of energy performance today — policy, finance, technology, and community.
Emily Bowers of Fordwell Strategies knows how policy gets made, and more importantly, how companies get caught off guard by it. She spoke about what it looks like to stay ahead of legislation rather than react to it, and why the relationships you build before you need them are the ones that matter most. As she put it, “There is nothing worse than being reactive — you cannot be proactive without strategy.” She also addressed data centers, where she argued that misinformation is usually a bigger obstacle than opposition, and that showing up and telling the full story is what changes minds in a community.
Dr. Eric Woodroof, founder of Profitable Green Solutions, has spent his career helping organizations understand that energy efficiency is one of the smartest financial decisions they can make. He came with numbers: a five-year payback project equals a 20 percent annual return, and energy efficiency investments have outperformed the stock market in 17 of the last 20 years. His point was simple: “The more expensive energy is, the more valuable your work is,” and his session gave attendees the tools to make that case to anyone holding a budget.
Scott Charter of Oracle brought an AI strategist’s perspective to the day, speaking to where artificial intelligence is headed and what it means for the people managing buildings and facilities today — less time on routine work, more time on the decisions that require a human.
Breakout Sessions
Four breakout sessions gave attendees a closer look at where the industry is heading. Sean White of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council covered solar and storage deployment and what it takes to build systems that hold up over time. BJ Riché Jones of Cushman & Wakefield addressed driving energy results across large, complex portfolios. Farhana Choudhury of Hubbell walked through how AI-enabled energy management compares to traditional approaches and what continuous monitoring looks like in practice. A fourth session focused on federal, state, and utility incentive programs that are available now and go unclaimed more often than they should.
Discovery Lab
The Discovery Lab ran throughout the day across eight booths, offering a hands-on look at what Big Shine Energy brings to a project. Topics spanned LED lighting, solar infrastructure, smart building monitoring, energy financing, sustainable construction, and drone-assisted site assessments. A mobile energy trailer with a live LED display showed portable power and lighting systems in action, and the OT/IT Cybersecurity booth addressed network vulnerabilities that come with connected building systems and how a Zero Trust approach keeps them protected.
Award Recipients
SAAZ 2026 recognized nine organizations and one individual across five categories. Link-Belt Cranes received the Approaching Zero Achievement Award for a 1,302-panel rooftop solar installation at its Lexington, Kentucky, headquarters, expected to generate up to 915,800 kilowatt-hours annually and deliver more than $1.5 million in lifecycle savings. Automann USA earned the same recognition for integrating solar, storage, EV charging, lighting, and controls as one connected system across its facilities.
The Energy Performance Excellence Award went to Cushman & Wakefield, Alcon, Saia Inc., and the New York Public Library for upgrades spanning window film, LED lighting and controls, and Local Law 88 compliance across their portfolios. Holman received the Intelligent Buildings & Infrastructure Award for its EV charger rollout with smart load management across its facilities, the latest in a five-year partnership with Big Shine Energy covering more than 20 projects. As Jim McFalls of Holman put it, “It’s like working with a family — no matter what the project is, it’s going to get done on time and on budget, and the best minds are there to help you through the whole process.” The forum also recognized Martina Hepp as the SAAZ 2026 Energy Champion for her leadership in coordinating energy programs across multiple organizations and initiatives.
Together Toward Zero
Big Shine Energy thanks everyone who attended SAAZ 2026 and the organizations recognized this year. Daniel Lee, Founder and CEO, said: “Sustainability is not simply our business — it is our shared purpose. When you entrust us with your project, you make a decision based on trust. And trust is the foundation of every lasting relationship.”
