EBI Webinar Series
Upcoming Webinar:
Friday, September 18, 2026
12 pm PST / 3 pm EST
Welcome to EBI’s Webinar Series!
EBI Webinars are monthly strategic market segment presentations and interactive discussion panels with 90-120 minutes of audio or video content, and one combined presentation file.
EBI Webinars feature the latest EBI research or industry trend analysis from EBJ and CCBJ that is discussed and analyzed by experts and senior executives representing leading companies and innovators across the environmental industry.
New editions of Environmental Business Journal® (EBJ) and Climate Change Business Journal® (CCBJ), in addition to recent EBI research are summarized in webinars hosted by Editor-in-Chief Grant Ferrier.
Webinars feature the proprietary data models and survey results published in each edition, as well as expert opinions and key contributors in an interactive Q&A panel format.
EBI webinars provide deeper perspective to augment the material presented in our EBJ and CCBJ. They also serve as a standalone audio or video and presentation file summarizing the key issues emerging from EBI’s most recent research.
The regular schedule includes monthly broadcasts scheduled for the 3rd Friday of each month, with additional dates for special events like regional Environmental Industry Summits or the annual EBJ and CCBJ Business Achievement Awards.
Customer reviews:
“Thank you for putting forth such high value content. It was really amazing to hear from industry thought leaders how they are able to pivot during these historic times. I thought you did a fabulous job!”
“It was great to be a part of such an important conversation with such learned industry colleagues.”
Annual Webinar Subscriptions
EBI now offers subscriptions to our monthly 3rd Friday webinar series! Monthly open format discussions with industry leaders and innovators>
With a subscription purchase you and the registrants from your company will have access to all upcoming webinars, as well as slide decks, data sets and the archive of webinar recordings.
Upcoming Webinars
Data Centers
Friday, September 18, 2026
12 PM PST / 3 PM EST
Past Webinars
Assessing Climate Risk: Practice Leaders and Funding in Adaptation & Resilience Markets
Friday, August 21, 2026
Assessing Climate Risk: Practice Leaders and Funding in Adaptation & Resilience Markets Webinar
Climate adaptation & resilience as a practice area, and assessing climate risk across all projects has become one of the fastest moving segments in the environmental industry. EBJ’s next webcast convenes a panel of practice leaders sharing perspectives on how client demand is evolving, project funding sources and how IT and AI are being applied.
As governments, utilities, state DOTs, ports, communities and property owners confront increasingly complex climate risks, investment is accelerating across risk assessment, resilience planning, infrastructure modernization, nature-based solutions, water management, emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction.
Experts will discuss:
The evolution of the A&R market and project roles for consulting & engineering firms, and how adaptation and resilience projects are being funded, including federal, state, and local programs
Infrastructure and disaster-mitigation grants
Utility and transportation capital budgets
Insurance and risk-transfer mechanisms
Financing tied to broader infrastructure, energy, water, and community-development programs
Panelists:
Molly Hellmuth, PhD – Director, Climate Financial Risk and Resilience – TRC
Sarah Dobie, PhD – Associate Director, Climate Resilience – CIS
Robert Walker, P.E. – Principal, Coastal Engineering – Integral Consulting Inc.
Lauren M. Miller, CC-P, Vice President, Climate Resilience Practice Leader, CDM Smith
Smart Cities and the Transportation Transition
Friday, July 17, 2026
Smart Cities and the Transportation Transition Webinar
Resilience and sustainability are of increasing importance as communities plan and design for the future.
Energy, water and resource management are usually the largest infrastructure concerns, but transportation is perhaps the largest transitional challenge.
Electrification and automation progresses across all fields, with technology and artificial intelligence each playing big roles in the pace of progress.
These topics and more are the subject of the July 17th webcast featuring panelists from two leading authorities in Colorado and California, and consultants serving clients across the country.
Panelists:
Jennifer Martin – Director of Planning & Senior Environmental Planner – Straughan Environmental
Erin Cooke – Sustainability & Resilience Director – San Francisco International Airport
Will Toor – Executive Director – Colorado Energy Office
Avinash Srivastava – VP & Global Director – AECOM
AI in the Environmental Industry: 2026 Survey Results and Company Case Studies
Friday, May 15, 2026
AI in the Environmental Industry: 2026 Survey Results and Company Case Studies Webinar
Join us Friday, May 15, at 12:00 PM Pacific for an Environmental Business Journal® webcast on AI adoption, acceleration, and integration across environmental consulting and services firms.
Drawing on new findings from the recent EBJ 2026 AI Survey, we’ll unpack what’s happening inside firms today—and what it means for strategy and operations. EBJ survey results show that while over 90% of firms are using general-purpose AI tools, 40-45% of employees are still not using AI tools at all. Early adopters are reporting 10-20% average productivity gains—with leading use cases in research, proposals, and internal knowledge workflows.
On this webcast, EBJ will summarize the full survey results, and firms at different points of their AI adoption will summarize their progress and initiatives in 2026:
- Where AI is delivering real productivity and what metrics are being used
- How firms are governing risk, quality, and client-facing use
- What workflows are scaling fastest—from proposals to QA/QC
- Barriers slowing adoption, from data security to integration challenges
- What’s next: moving from pilots to enterprise-wide deployment
Panelists:
Sujan Turlapaty – Chief Digital Information Officer – Verdantas
Ronald Sattan – Chief Technology Officer – Rincon Consultants
Suzanne Bates – Senior Vice President Applied Professional and Technology Solutions – Versar
Energy Scenarios in Crisis: Navigating the Iran War Shock and the New Energy Order
Friday, April 17, 2026
Energy Scenarios in Crisis: Navigating the Iran Shock and the New Energy Order
Join us on April 17th for EBJ’s monthly open-format discussion on geopolitical conflict, the recent volatility in global energy supply & prices, and impacts on domestic energy and environmental markets.
Following the outbreak of the war in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices have surged sending reverberations across all energy and infrastructure planning markets.
The panel will analyze just-released energy market forecasts from think tanks, and debate the most likely and alternate scenarios.
Discussion will address diverging paths of the energy transition, energy security, and domestic markets of energy investment in the short- and long-term:
- Is the crisis accelerating the shift to renewables and electrification of transportation, or is it creating a “new energy order” of fossil fuel windfalls and infrastructure development around the grid, LNG and transportation?
- How does it all impact the market for planning & permitting?
- And what about data center development?
Experts from leading environmental companies will share their perspective with webcast hosts Grant Ferrier and Andy Paterson.
Panelists:
James Frolich, Vice President – Environment & Sustainability, The Worley Group
Ross Pilotte, Policy Director, SWCA Environmental Consultants
James Frolich, Vice President – Environment & Sustainability, The Worley Group
Ross Pilotte, Policy Director, SWCA Environmental Consultants
Summit Preview: Trump Impact & Energy Transition
Friday, March 20, 2026
Summit Preview: Trump Impact & Energy Transition
EBJ’s March 20 webcast features a preview of the upcoming Environmental Industry Summit. It will feature first-time panelists sharing perspective on their companies and the market in 2025, and their outlook for 2026 on:
- Trump 2.0 & Federal markets in 2026-2027: Energy dominance; Data center power demands; Deregulatory impact and NEPA reform
- Energy Transition Scenarios from 2026: Impact on Infrastructure Planning & Permitting
Panelists:
DC Report
Andy Paterson – EBJ Political Analyst
Ross Pilotte – Strategic Growth Director, Energy Policy – SWCA
Energy Transition
Bob Kloepfer – GISI Consulting
Melinda Truskowski – Global Energy Transition Market Development Director – Ramboll
Sustainability Consulting & Engineering
Friday, February 20, 2026
Sustainability Consulting & Engineering Webinar
With the pendulum swinging against GHG accounting, climate-risk disclosure, and ESG in 2025, the sustainability consulting market is once again at an inflection point in its long evolution.
From early Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to ISO 14000, the Global Reporting Initiative, and the Carbon Disclosure Project, regulatory and voluntary drivers have repeatedly risen and receded since the 1990s.
More recently, financial markets pushed climate-risk stress testing and standardized disclosures under frameworks such as TCFD, ISSB/IFRS, and CSRD—just as sustainability shifted from compliance and reporting toward implementation, value creation, and enterprise-wide integration.
Navigating this complex and rapidly changing landscape are advisory, consulting, engineering, AI, and IT leaders featured in this open-format, interactive webcast that share perspective on North American and global markets.
Panelists
Gregory Carli – Americas Sustainably Leader – GHD
Laura Zizzo – Founder & Chief Strategy Officer – Manifest Climate
Nick McCreary – Senior Vice President, Sustainability – Keramida
Federal Remediation Contracting & PFAS 2025-2026
Friday, January 23, 2026
Federal Remediation Contracting & PFAS 2025-2026 Webinar
EBJ’s January 23rd webcast features executives of three leading environmental consulting firms notable for their recent collaboration on a joint venture recently awarded an 8-year, $240 million contract with the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command for remediation at Navy and Marine Corps facilities across the western region.
Business and technical leaders from Stantec, APTIM and Tetra Tech discuss the Triquetra JV, recent trends in federal PFAS markets, as well as broader perspective on how federal contracting evolved in 2025 with an outlook for 2026.
Panelists:
Kathy Vandenheuvel – Vice President – TetraTech
Rusty Benkosky – Senior Vice President, Regional Business Leader, US West – Stantec
Ulrika Messer – Senior Vice President – APTIM
Environmental Business Journal’s Annual Review
Friday, December 19, 2025
Environmental Business Journal’s Annual Review Webinar
The December 19 webcast features a review of EBJ and CCBJ research published throughout the year 2025 with a forecast for 2026.
EBJ editor Grant Ferrier will summarize:
- Environmental consulting & engineering segment market size, recent growth, market shares and breakdowns;
- Modifications to EBJs PFAS market model for remediation, water and wastewater markets for services and technology;
- Global market perspective on both the environmental and the climate change industries, and how global economic policy will impact energy transition and climate resilience markets;
- Panelist perspective on how domestic policy has impacted short-term environmental markets and the outlook for 2026.
Panelists
Al Spiers – Founder & CEO – 2020 Environmental Group
Dan Spiers – C0-Founder & Managing Partner – 2020 Environmental Group
Note: This special end-of-year webcast is available to EBI’s community at no charge
Environmental Industry Outlook 2026
Friday, November 21, 2025
Environmental Industry Outlook 2026 Webinar
EBJ’s November 21st monthly webcast features
- A political review of the November 4 election results, and early indications for the midterms and the Congressional map in 2026.
- A panel discussion of key industry indicators reflecting 2025 business and a forecast for 2026
Environmental Industry Outlook 2026
- How much is BIL still fueling business, and in which sectors: Power, Energy, Water, the Grid, or urban upgrades?
- Any impact from capital spending fueled by the OBBBA, combined with regulatory relief by new EPA Administration?
- Estimates for AI / Data Center new power buildout are above 80 GWs by 2030… how is this business hitting you?
- Any downtick from the protracted government shutdown?
November 4 Election
Does the off-cycle elections in “Purple NJ and VA” offer clues on the outlook for the midterms in November 2026? Will gerrymandering shenanigans impact Congress?
Panelists:
Brianna Pilkinton – Senior Principal, Business Center Operations Leader – Stantec
Ted Lee – Vice President, Environmental Planning & Permitting, West Region Practice Lead – AECOM
Michael McKibben – Senior Vice President – WSP
Climate Resiliency Planning & AI
Friday, October 17, 2025
Climate Resiliency Planning & AI Applications
A big picture discussion of climate resilience planning markets in terms of client demand and trends, as well as how data access and technology is facilitating the environmental industry’s ability to structure more accurate scenarios and risk profiles on behalf of public and private clients, as well as the insurance industry.
A panel of experts, practice leaders at consulting firms and technology developers.
Panelists
Josh Hacker – Chief Science Officer – Jupiter
Fatima Ahmad – Founder & CEO – AI For Energy LLC
Gregory Carli- Global Leader – Sustainability, Resilience & ESG – GHD
Andy Hellenthal – Sustainability and Resilience Services – Terracon
Gina Tonn – Principal, Sustainability Advisory Practice Lead – Verdantas
Digital Water Market Briefing Webinar
Friday, September 19, 2025
Digital Water Market Briefing Webinar
With tens of thousands of water utility entities in the United States and rapidly aging infrastructure and operations equipment, the opportunity to invest in efficiency and modernization through digitization is enormous.
Loss reduction, energy savings and smart metering each produce short-term measurable results, and long-term investment in monitoring, predictive maintenance and resilience are producing clearer benefits.
But where is the US water industry in the evolution from conventional to digital technology? What are the early movers doing, and what convinces municipal and industrial clients to increase their commitment to digital water?
EBJ’s monthly webcast convenes leading experts from consulting and AI systems integration firms that share their perspective on one of the environmental industry’s growing and most resilient markets.
Panelists
Tyler Koschnick – President & CEO – SePRO
Tim Howard – Chief Digital Officer – SePRO & Co-Founder of Arietta.ai
Aaron Szalaj, PE, PMP, CSE – Digital Practice Leader – Stanley Consultants
Luke Stephenson PE, PMP – President – EA, a Tetra Tech Company
Tim Howard – Chief Digital Officer – SePRO & Co-Founder of Arietta.ai
Aaron Szalaj, PE, PMP, CSE – Digital Practice Leader – Stanley Consultants
Luke Stephenson PE, PMP – President – EA, a Tetra Tech Company
Impacts of the BBB on Energy and Environmental Infrastructure Webinar
Friday, August 15, 2025
12 PM PST / 3 PM EST
Impacts of the BBB on Energy and Environmental Infrastructure Webinar
EBJ’s August 15 webcast features market and policy experts unpacking the 1,000-page ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ and what it means for our Energy Future. The BBB is unfolding just as energy demand in power and cooling is ramping up sharply for Data Centers and AI.
- Positive impacts include: Streamlined permitting to promote more projects sooner, needed especially for generation, transmission & storage on the strained electric grid and in water resources.
- Negative impacts include rollback of much of the IRA Green New Deal subsidies, and stop work orders on permits for wind and some solar projects
The USA currently leads a global buildout wave with more than 5,000 data centers of 11,000 built worldwide. Most Hyper-scalers have their HQs in the USA and the new administration is keen to dramatically accelerate permitting for Federal Lands, and for energy projects on military bases.
Our panelists and the Virtual Roundtable discussion will focus on positive and negative effects we are seeing from the enactment of OBBBAct, across several EBJ sectors, especially clean energy, infrastructure (transmission, pipelines, urban hubs), and resources.
Panelists
Robert Sweeney – Co-Founder & Head of Energy and Infrastructure – nXSolutions
Jeffrey C. Genzer – Shareholder -Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer & Pembroke
Electricity Reliability and the Grid: Spending Priorities for 2025-2026
Friday, July 18, 2025
Electricity Reliability and the Grid: Spending Priorities for 2025-2026
Domestic energy production was the market driver rated the most significant in 2025 in EBJ’s recent survey, and oil & gas upstream jumped 21 spots in EBJ’s 36 client categories.
But what about renewable energy, electricity generation and stabilizing the grid?
Nuclear, geothermal and even hydro have seen renewed interest and investment, but energy reliability is a crucial component of any utility, manufacturer, ISO and others planning and permitting their future in the new era of growing electricity demand.
Panelists include:
Eric Myers – Vice President, Strategic Growth – SWCA
Dan Sullivan – Sr. Director, Management Consultancy, Energy Advisory Services – POWER Engineers, a division of WSP Global
John Solan – Principal Mechanical Engineer – Stanley Consultants, Energy Market
NEPA Reform: Recent Decisions and Market Implications
Friday, June 20, 2025
NEPA Reform: Recent Decisions and Market Implications
2025’s ‘unleashing’ executive orders, the rescission of CEQ regulations, and the May 2025 Supreme Court ruling on NEPA scope deferring NEPA implementation to agencies aims to accelerate federal permitting and project approvals, particularly for energy and infrastructure projects.
Which ‘MAGA markets’ will be most impacted, and what framework will govern the short-term future of NEPA and other reviews?
EBJ’s monthly webcast features interactive Q&A with experts from environmental consulting and environmental law firms.
EBJ Moderators: Grant Ferrier & Andy Paterson
Panelists
Peter Masson – Director, Planning, Permitting and Licensing – TRC
Ross Pilotte – Strategic Growth Director – Client Services – SWCA
Marc Levitt – Director, Environmental Regulatory Reform – Breakthrough Institute
Varu Chilakamarri – Partner, Environment, Land, and Natural Resources – K&L Gates
AI Applications in the Environmental Industry: Business Development and Project Execution in Infrastructure
Friday, May 23, 2025
AI Applications in the Environmental Industry: Business Development and Project Execution in Infrastructure
Efficiency and productivity of AI applications to business units or project development are often a function of the quality and depth of data to draw upon. In this EBJ webinar a case study looks at database development and new frontiers in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP) to infrastructure projects.
Panelists include Infraclear, a venture backed firm with a mission to democratize infrastructure data, making it more accessible and actionable to reduce the time and cost of developing infrastructure projects, and a strategic partner. Infraclear has assembled a large database of infrastructure project agreements and financial models that use NLP and ML to extract granular data on project terms, risks, and performance.
Panelists
Giridhar Srinivasan, CEO, Infraclear
EBJ Summit Recap: The First 90 Days Webinar
Friday, April 18, 2025
EBJ Summit Recap: The First 90 Days Webinar
On April 18th, we return to our recurring theme of the impact of the Trump Administration on the environmental industry and the changing outlook for 2025-2026.
Benefiting from the collective wisdom of the 160 attendees at the recent Environmental Industry Summit hosted by EBJ, we will summarize conference highlights, and panelists will share their perspective on key takeaways.
Panelists:
Dennis Corbitt – Senior VP, Strategic Sales & National Accounts – Eurofins Environment Testing
Adam Sussman – AI Advisor, CEO – FlipType
John Cowdery – Partner – Callard & Cowdery
MAGA Markets in the Environmental Industry
Friday, March 21, 2025
MAGA Markets in the Environmental Industry
Not that the disruption of the ‘dismantling of the administrative state’ has ceased, but environmental companies have gotten the message to evaluate their strategic options for growth and future business:
Oil & gas, industrial reshoring, real estate development, state & local markets, power & water security, mineral mining, colonization of Greenland all seem viable options as MAGA markets, but what are environmental companies actually doing?
EBJ convenes a panel of executives to share their perspective, outlook and approach to the new market dynamics.
Moderator: Grant Ferrier
Panelists:
Jack Maserejian – Senior Vice President – Envirocon
Philip Brilliant – Owner/Principal Environmental Scientist – Brilliant Environmental Services
Trump 2.0: The first 30 days
Friday, February 21, 2025
Trump 2.0: The first 30 days
EBJ’s February 21st webinar addresses the subject of the immediate actions of the Trump II Administration and implications for the environmental and energy industries including:
- Perspective on the Executive Orders and to what extent they will be challenged and implemented;
- Agency appointments, confirmations, and stated or most likely priority objectives of new leadership at EPA, DOD, DOE, H&HS, Interior, Transportation, and others;
- Expected fate of remaining allocated funding and tax Provisions around the infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act;
- Major initiatives around technology including fallout from Deepseek and impact on the trajectory of the Data Center Market.
Panelists
Eric Wooten – Sustainability, Environmental Compliance, & Regulatory Affairs leader – Terracon
Casey Street – Head of U.S. Government Relations – AECOM
Robert Sweeney – Co-Founder & Head of Energy and Infrastructure – nXSolutions
Data Centers: Permitting and Powering One of the Top Growth Sectors
Friday, January 17, 2025
Data Centers: Permitting and Powering One of the Top Growth Sectors Webinar
Estimates put data centers growing from less than 1% of electricity demand to over 5% in the next 10 years.
Who are the clients, what are their needs, who are potential partners, and where is the financing coming from are key questions that will be addressed by an expert panel already steeped in this emerging market.
Panelists:
William Fork – Partner – Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Michael McKibben – Senior Vice President – WSP
Election 2024 & Preview of the Trump 2.0 Administration
EBJ political analysts unpack the results of the 2024 election and what it means for the economy and the environmental industry. Whether viewed as a mandate or a reversal repudiation, the dust has settled on the November 2024 election but is still stirring on the makeup of the incoming administration.
Cabinet members, agency heads and budget and policy priorities will impact spending, cutbacks and markets. Listen in to this open format discussion on party politics, infrastructure, IRA revisited, energy, EPA, PFAS and climate resilience that is free to the environmental industry brought to you by EBI’s 2025 Environmental Industry Summit series sponsors.
Moderators: Grant Ferrier & Andy Paterson
Hydrogen and Its Role in the Energy Transition Webinar
Friday, November 15, 2024
Hydrogen and Its Role in the Energy Transition Webinar
Scenarios have been forecasted for hydrogen as an energy carrier to represent anywhere from 5% to 50% of annual global energy demand by 2050. Recent analysis by CCBJ sees a realistic pathway to 20% by 2040 supplying mostly industry, but also buildings and transport.
In this webcast discussion of hydrogen’s long-term potential will be balanced by short-term opportunities being pursued by service firms and their recently developed practice areas. Federal programs, hydrogen hubs and the trajectory of oil & gas, power utility and technology companies will also be discussed.
Panelists include
Brian McCarthy – Senior Vice President, National Hydrogen Market Leader – WSP USA
Analy Castillo – Associate, Zero Emissions Technical Lead – Stantec
Market Evolution Scenarios in Remediation and PFAS
Friday, September 20, 2024
Market Evolution Scenarios in Remediation and PFAS
EBJ’s September 20 webinar is a deep dive into recent EBJ analysis of the Remediation Consulting and Contracting Market, with a focus on PFAS.
The recently released 66 page edition of Environmental Business Journal® features profiles of 15 firms. The webinar’s focus is remediation market quantification and the new 2024 update of EBJ’s working model of the U.S. PFAS market.
Scenarios in remediation, water and wastewater treatment over 20 and 40 year periods will be presented, with a Q&A available for registered attendees.
EBJ estimates over 40,000 sites likely to need assessment and over 20,000 water or wastewater facilities that will need additional treatment, amounting to potential markets in the hundreds of billions.
Many factors will impact market evolution scenarios and each will be given due consideration in this 90-minute interactive presentation.
Panelists include
Scott Levine – Senior Analyst, Energy and Industrial Services – Bloomberg Intelligence
Rosa Gwinn – Global PFAS Initiative Technical Leader – AECOM
Taryn McKnight – VP of Product and PFAS Practice Leader – Eurofins
Leveraging IT, AI & Technology in Environmental Services
Friday, August 16, 2024
Leveraging IT, AI & Technology in Environmental Services
Information technology, artificial intelligence, software applications and other digital tools promise to enhance productivity, automation and data management across the environmental industry.
Turning these tools into an integrated platform to enhance profitability and customer relationships, and how to prioritize and sequence investment and deployment, are the larger questions we seek to answer in this open-ended discussion with subject matter experts.
Moderator: Grant Ferrier
Panelists
Lee Lance – CEO – Ecobot
Adam Sussman – Digital Advisor – FlipType
Marcus Quigley – Partner, Technology and Innovation – EFCG
Perspectives on Industrial & Infrastructure Construction Markets
Friday, July 19, 2024
Perspectives on Industrial & Infrastructure Construction Markets Webinar
EBJ partners with FMI to present a strategic outlook on the North American engineering and construction market with a focus on industrial & infrastructure.
FMI’s Q2 Outlook forecasts 5% growth in 2024 with continued strong growth across all nonresidential segments, led by nonbuilding structures.
An open discussion with EBI and FMI experts will debate drivers and dynamics in transportation, manufacturing, power and water, and what role the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has played and will play in 2025-2026.
Panelists
Brooke Navarro – Managing Director – FMI
Jay Bowman – Partner – FMI
Grant Ferrier – Editor Chief – EBI
Andy Paterson – Politics & Policy Analyst – EBI
New Approaches to Remediation
Friday, June 21, 2024
New Approaches to Remediation Webinar
The next Environmental Business Journal® webinar on June 21st features a broad ranging discussion on the US remediation market and new processes, procedures and technologies taking hold in dynamic markets around PFAS and other emerging contaminants.
Panelists will discuss active projects, client approaches to long-term risk mitigation, and scenarios of regulatory roll out and market evolution.
Panelists
Rula A. Deeb, Ph.D., BCEEM – Senior Principal, PFAS Program Leader – Geosyntec
Adam Hackenberg – Senior Project Manager – Langan
Anna Willett, PE – Senior Project Manager – Langan
Eliot Cooper – Vice President, Technology and Business Development – Cascade
PFAS Market Update
Friday, May 17, 2024
12 PM PST / 3 PM EST
PFAS Market Update Webinar
Environmental Business Journal® continues its series of assessments of the PFAS market with the perspective of leading practitioners in the market.
The Q2 2024 edition will feature:
– A roundup of the most active states driving water and wastewater testing and treatment;
– Remediation project activity in industry, DOD facilities, airports, landfills and formerly closed sites;
– A summary of the recent PFAS Environmental Professionals meeting and current consensus on federal standards and regulatory rollout.
Panelists joining EBJ moderator Grant Ferrier include:
Sharon Minchak, P.G. – VP, Environmental Market Remediation & Regeneration Solution Director – Jacobs
Jeff Gamlin, PG, CHG – Principal Hydrogeologist – GSI Environmental Inc.
Jeff Gamlin, PG, CHG – Principal Hydrogeologist – GSI Environmental Inc.
Human Resources, Recruitment & Retention and the Diversity Challenge
Friday, April 19, 2024
Human Resources, Recruitment & Retention and the Diversity Challange Webinar
Talent acquisition, training, compensation, retention, and advancement are increasingly challenging in a tight labor market with continued high growth demand across the environmental industry. At the same time, cultural, societal, and contractual requirements for diversity & inclusion raise the bar for the senior executives and Human Resources professionals that strategize the future assets of their companies.
Environmental Business Journal®’s April 19th webcast brings an open discussion on how to recruit and build a collaborative and inclusive team that is more than just competitive in the market.
Panelists:
Sarah Gilliland – HR Leader – Terracon
Linda Singfield – HR Director – Arcadis
Sarah Gilliland – HR Leader – Terracon
Linda Singfield – HR Director – Arcadis
SEC Climate Disclosures & Environmental Industry Summit Preview Webinar
Friday, March 22, 2024
The SEC Climate Disclosures & Environmental Industry Summit Preview Webinar
In March 2024 the US Securities and Exchange Commission enhanced and standardized final rules for climate-related disclosures for public companies. Implications for all companies and ESG strategies will be discussed in an interactive Q&A with:
Katie Eisenbrown, Global Technical Director of Sustainability Measurement – Arcadis
Environmental Industry Summit XXII preview will include the current outlook on the 2024 election, and a snapshot summary of how goes the energy transition. EBJ political analyst and long time summit presenter Andy Paterson brings his schtick to the Summit again on April 2-4 in San Diego and also to this Zoom preview. EBJ and CCBJ editor Grant Ferrier previews his opening Summit presentation on environmental markets and energy transition in 2023 and scenarios for the rest of the 2020s.
Andrew Paterson talks through his Four Scenarios for the 2024 Election:
Business Outlook for New Leadership in 2024
Friday, February 16, 2024
Business Outlook for New Leadership in 2024
The new year brings new perspective and new leadership across the environmental industry. The February 16th webcast hosted by Environmental Business Journal® features a panel of newly appointed senior executives representing a next generation of leadership in their respective firms.
Challenges to be discussed beyond the rapidly changing market conditions of 2024 include:
- Recruitment & Retention of a new generation of project managers and potential leaders;
- Strategic planning and ownership transitions;
- Operations, technology, management, and accountability in the changing workplace that is the 2020s.
Panelists:
Sarah Ridgway, P.E. – Executive Vice President – EA est
Michael E. Hagemeister, P.E. (NE) – National Director, Senior Principal – Terracon
Rio Franzman – CEO – KC Harvey
US Environmental Market Outlook & Focus on Southeast and Florida
Friday, January 19, 2024
US Environmental Market Outlook & Focus on Southeast and Florida
Environmental Business Journal® Q1 2024 Market Outlook webcast features a focus on the Southeast and growing markets in the region, with a focus on Florida.
Market size and growth estimates are followed by an open format panel discussion with executives from leading environmental consulting firms focused on environmental natural resource, and resilience and adaptation related markets.
Panelists:
Stephanie Hudgins – VP of Client Services, Power & Energy – SWCA
Julie Sullivan – Southeast Regional Director – ESA
Technology & AI in the Environmental Industry
Friday, October 20, 2023
Technology & AI in the Environmental Industry
Environmental Business Journal® October 20 webcast features perspective and analysis on the growing influence of information technology on the environmental industry.
Companies investing in digitalization for internal efficiencies and external service innovation share their experiences, and how they view the potential of generative AI.
EBJ presents a summary of the results of its 2023 survey of disruptive technologies in the environmental industry, as well as intriguing results and perspective from other analysts.
Panelists:
Nick Lange – Innovation Strategy and Services Lead – ICF
Mark Meyers – Principal Scientist – Anchor QEA
Jill Oliver – Geospatial Science Team Leader and Senior Managing Analyst for Shared Technical Services – Anchor QEA
Marcus Quigley – Partner, Technology Practice – EFCG
2024 Election Outlook and Point-Counterpoint Politics
Friday, September 15, 2023
2024 Election Outlook and Point-Counterpoint Politics
With the 2024 election in sight, and a nation weary of geriatric leadership, EBI principals present scenarios for a new generation of leadership, and debate the progressive and conservative sides of today’s hot button political issues.
With over 35 years of environmental industry analysis behind them, Environmental Business Journal’s Grant Ferrier and Andy Paterson stir the pot and assess any relevance to the future of the environmental and climate change industries.
EBI’s monthly webcast usually requires a fee for registration or subscription, but this month’s version is free to all interested parties.
Forest Carbon: Market potential and pathways to atmospheric equilibrium
Friday, August 18, 2023
Forest Carbon: Market potential and pathways to atmospheric equilibrium
Can forests and other ecosystems be more effectively monetized to stimulate more ‘forest carbon’ and other markets so ecosystem protection, restoration and monitoring becomes a much larger service for consultants and technology providers in the era of climate policy?
Terrestrial flora has long maintained the balance of earth’s atmosphere but in the 21st century has been overwhelmed by centuries of deforestation and decades of greenhouse gas emissions. The potential of ecosystem and forest restoration as more significant contributors to limiting the impacts of climate change have created a forest carbon market, but it is still in relative adolescence.
Academics and consultants who study and help support policy development and carbon markets discuss the science, business and future market drivers in EBI’s monthly open format webcast.
Panelists:
Michael Ackerman, CEO of EcoForests, Canadian-based asset management firm focused on sustainable forestry
Joshua Fisher, a climate scientist and associate professor of environmental science and policy at Chapman University’s Schmid College of Science and Technology
ESG Revisited
Friday, July 21, 2023
ESG Revisited Webinar
Since the introduction of ESG or Environment Social Governance as a recognized term, companies of different industries and ownership statuses have taken different approaches to how they internally manage and externally communicate their status.
A panel of leading consulting firms will participate in an open discussion of how they see various client approaches to long-term strategic environmental and climate compliance and voluntary action related to ESG and their own drivers of sustainability, liability and climate resilience.
Panelists:
Michelle Bachir – Managing Director, Sustainability Advisory North America – Arcadis
Eric Wooten – Environmental Department Manager – Terracon
Dean Slocum – President – Acorn
Market Evolution Scenarios for PFAS in Water, Wastewater and Remediation
Friday, June 16, 2023
Market Evolution Scenarios for PFAS in Water, Wastewater and Remediation Webinar
Environmental Business Journal®’s June 16th webinar features a strategic assessment of market evolution scenarios in PFAS.
EPA’s March 2023 long-awaited announcement of four parts per trillion maximum contaminant load proposed rule was unexpectedly low and less than any promulgated state standard to date. The news set off speculation as how the PFAS market will evolve, how the rulemaking process will go in 2023, and the compliance horizons for the thousands of parties that will be affected.
EBJ draws off of its years of market analysis in water and remediation markets, it’s panel of experts that have contributed to EBJs PFAS Market Model since 2018, and participation in the third PFAS expert symposium to present an updated market forecast in:
- Drinking water systems from the largest cities to the smallest of the 50,000 entities delivering potable water in the United States;
- Wastewater treatment systems from the largest cities to the smallest of the 15,000 entities;
- Industrial dischargers increasingly under pressure from downstream wastewater treatment facilities;
- Tens of thousands of remediation sites that will require assessment and clean up; and
- The analytical work and instrumentation opportunities resulting from the acceleration of the PFAS era.
EBJ editor Grant Ferrier will present a summary of the market model and discuss most likely scenarios with a panel drawn from the PFAS expert symposium.
Panelists:
John Simon – Principal – Gnarus Advisors (PFAS Expert Symposium)
Frederic Andes – Partner – Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Stewart Abrams – Principal & Director of Remediation Technology – Langan Engineering
AI and Human Resources In The Era of Digitalization
Friday, May 19, 2023
AI and Human Resources In The Era of Digitalization
Will the broader onset of digitalization, artificial intelligence, and platforms like chat GPT change the formula for human resource management in the environmental industry?
The next Environmental Business Journal® webcast will feature perspective on personnel and human resources from the continued tactical challenges of recruitment and retention, and building the next generation of leadership within companies, to the long-term implications of technology and digitalization on companies and individual careers.
Panelists:
Cara Corsetti – Senior Principal, Environmental Services – Stantec
Paul Goudreault – Business & Career Coach – Enorine Partners
Growth and Strategy in the Era of Changing Ownership Models
Friday, April 21, 2023
Growth and Strategy in the Era of Changing Ownership Models
On April 21st Environmental Business Journal® presents part 2 of a strategic discussion about business strategy, operations, and financial management in the environmental industry in an era of changing ownership models.
Discussion panel participants from one of the more active private equity investors in the environmental consulting & engineering industry RTC Partners and the chief operating officer of portfolio company Verdantas offer perspectives on key issues of market strategy, M&A approaches, integration, and preparing companies for future stages of growth and ownership transition.
RTC Partners recently sold its stake in Ardurra to a larger investment company, after financing the platform company Verdantas in 2021. Both firms have been active in the midsize and smaller acquisition business across engineering sectors
Panelists:
Tony Brindisi – Managing Partner – RTC Partners
Jesse Kropelnicki – Chief Operating Officer – Verdantas
Strategic Options for 2023: Capital, Acquisition & Growth
Friday, March 17, 2023
Strategic Options for 2023: Capital, Acquisition & Growth Webinar
The March 17th Environmental Business Journal® webinar features a strategic discussion of business strategy, planning, finance, M&A and growth options in an economy that seems to be pointing in multiple directions.
Tailwinds behind the strategic growth options in the environmental industry and for the design, and consulting in engineering sectors have almost never been stronger, yet economic indicators continue to cloud the horizon.
In an open-format discussion panel, Environmental Business Journal® editor Grant Ferrier interviews two key executives for their perspectives on the business today.
Panelists:
Tom Secker, Senior Vice President of corporate development with Trilon Group, presents the recent history of his company. The private equity-backed firm has completed 11 acquisitions in the last 2 years.
Steve Gido, Principal, ROG Partners, shares his perspective as one of the most experienced advisors in the architect engineering consulting sector.
2023 Business Outlook and Regional Market Snapshot
Friday, February 17, 2023
2023 Business Outlook and Regional Market Snapshot
The February 2023 Environmental Business Journal® monthly webcast features executive leaders from three regional small to mid-sized companies sharing their perspectives on their planning process and the market outlook for 2023.
Panelists will discuss key client sectors, developing service and practice areas, recruitment strategies, and recent strategic planning processes for the short and long term.
Panelists:
Mike Schwerin – CEO – Helix Environmental Planning – La Mesa, CA
Curt Thalken – CEO – Normandeau Associates – Bedford, NH
Perspectives On Strategic Planning In The Environmental Industry 2023
Friday, January 20, 2023
Perspectives On Strategic Planning In The Environmental Industry 2023
EBJ’s first 2023 webinar on January 20 will be an open discussion between executives sharing perspectives on how they are approaching business planning in today’s dynamic markets.
Firms in the environmental industry have to balance long-term objectives of new markets and new services with short-term performance objectives and resource needs. Find out how industry leaders approach the planning process, and their take on the challenges that new markets pose to their firm and the industry.
Joining host Grant Ferrier, editor of Environmental Business Journal, will be a panel of senior executives from environmental service companies responsible for the strategic plan for their company or business unit.
Panelists:
Beth Myers Graham – Chief Growth Officer, Environmental – TRC
Frank Sweet – Chief Executive of the Environment & Energy Global Business Line – AECOM
Live from Washington DC Environmental Industry Summit
Friday, November 18, 2022
Live from Washington DC Environmental Industry Summit
EBJ’s November 18 webinar features a live broadcast from Washington DC at the conclusion of EBJ’s two-day conference: Washington DC Environmental Industry Summit VIII.
Hosted by EBJ Editor Grant Ferrier, the broadcast features co-chairs of the summit Andy Paterson of EBI and Fred Eames of Hunton Andrews Kurth. The midterm election aftermath and its implications for policy and environmental & energy markets will be top of mind, but other key takeaways from the two-day conference will be summarized.
Election Preview and Q&A with WSP Earth & Environment
Friday, October 21, 2022
Election Preview and Q&A with WSP Earth & Environment
Environmental Business Journal’s October 21 webinar presents three segments of strategic interest to environmental industry executives:
- A midterm election preview, and how the Congressional makeup scenarios may impact policy in 2023-2024.
- Highlights of sessions in the upcoming Environmental Industry Summit in Washington DC on November 17-18, including PFAS, implementation of IIJA & IRA, climate and energy policy.
- An executive interview with Joe Sczurko, recently elevated to President of Earth & Environment at WSP USA during WSP’s integration of Wood plc. Sczurko was formerly at Wood, Amec, MACTEC and ABB and offers perspective on WSP’s global environmental strategy.
Panelists:
Hosted by EBJ Editor Grant Ferrier
Election preview by Andy Paterson, EBJ’s DC Editor
Joseph Sczurko, President of Earth & Environment at WSP USA
PFAS Markets and Developments in Water and Wastewater Treatment
Friday, September 16, 2022
PFAS Markets and Developments in Water and Wastewater Treatment
Environmental Business Journal®’s September 16th webinar features an open discussion with industry leaders on PFAS and evolving water and wastewater treatment markets around the United States.
PFAS has been heralded as a major contaminant of concern and market driver for remediation and water treatment for some time, but regulatory certainty has been elusive. Federal standards remain undetermined and while certain states have established criteria for maximum levels, testing protocols, and treatment requirements, the market for services and technology remains highly variable.
Several companies have traction in PFAS markets, and executives in EBJ’s webinar will share the drivers, characteristics, and desired outcomes of their recent project work, as well as their strategy for growing their business platforms around PFAS and emerging contaminants in the 2020s.
Moderator and webinar host Grant Ferrier, editor of Environmental Business Journal®, will be joined by the following panelists.
Panelists:
Jim Claffey – National Technology Innovation Leader – Brown & Caldwell
Matt Burns – Vice President and Technical Fellow – WSP USA
Steve Woodard – Chief Innovation Officer – ECT2, a Montrose Environmental Group company
Angus McGrath – Senior Principal – Stantec
IIJA: What’s the hold up? Plus IRA review
Friday, August 19, 2022
IIJA: What’s the hold up? – First take on the Inflation Reduction Act
Two major pieces of legislation authorizing hundreds of billions for climate and clean energy have now passed: IIJA & IRA.
The consensus amongst environmental service providers is that not as much as expected has come from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The potential flow of project funding is still regarded as a substantial opportunity in transportation, water/wastewater, electricity grid modernization, electric vehicle infrastructure, remediation, and other project areas.
So what is the holdup? And what are some examples of programs or agencies that are in project mode? These questions and how the new IRA shapes up will be the topics for this month’s panel.
Panelists:
Andy Paterson, EBI Politics & Policy Analyst
Jeremy Harrell – Chief Strategy Officer – ClearPath
Richard Harmon – Strategic Funding & Advisory Lead – Woodard & Curran
Discussion of SEC Climate Disclosures
Friday, July 15, 2022
SEC Climate Disclosures & Climate Advisory Services
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission recently raised the bar on how public companies report their exposure to climate change.
The new SEC rules have reinvigorated the demand for climate advisory services, and related sustainability and emissions mitigation practice areas in the environmental industry.
Environmental Business Journal’s® next webcast on July 15th features leaders from climate advisory and sustainability advisory practices.
Panelists share their perception of the new rules and their implementation, and how they have developed client demand and built out their practice areas in 2022.
The new SEC rules require companies to
- Disclose climate risks to all of their assets, including regulatory technology market and reputational risks;
- Report audited scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, and scope 3 depending on the company;
- Disclose existing GHG emissions targets and NetZero plans.
Panelists:
Josh Nothwang – Global Managing Director, Sustainability Advisory – Arcadis
Elizabeth Logan – ESG & Climate Governance, Strategy and Reporting | Net-Zero Target Setting & Planning – AECOM
Leslie Shoemaker – President – Tetra Tech
Masjood Jafri – Resiliency Director, Atkins, Member of the SNC-Lavalin Group
Environmental Consulting & Private Equity: 2022 Deals & Trends
Friday, June 17, 2022
12 PM PST / 3 PM EST
Environmental Consulting & Private Equity: 2022 Deals & Trends
EBJ’s next webinar on June 17th features a conversation with senior advisors on one of the most important trends in the industry: private equity investment transactions in the environmental consulting industry and the pathway from environmental compliance to energy transition.
In May 2022, 1,750-person Geosyntec announced a majority investment by Blackstone Energy Partners; earlier ERM completed a major transaction with KKR and OMERS; and WSP continues its growth with the recent acquisition of Wood. These and other headline deals are examples, but what is the market strategy behind the deals?
EBJ editor Grant Ferrier interviews senior advisors from the industry.
Panelists:
Joe Smetona – Principal – AEC Advisors LLC
Jessica Barclay – Managing Partner – EFCG
Al Spiers – Founder – 2020 Environmental Group
PFAS Markets: Projects, Science, Data, Regulations & Technology
Friday, May 20, 2022
PFAS Markets: Projects, Science, Data, Regulations & Technology
Setting the context for PFAS markets in mid-2022. With potentially hundreds of thousands of sites in play and the prospect of re-opening remediation sites across the country, per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a hot topic.
Policy, technology, water treatment, and remediation experts share the latest perspective on the building momentum behind PFAS projects across the environmental industry.
Much of the current project activity is in drinking water treatment to meet various state standards, but multiple scenarios exist for how markets may evolve in water, wastewater, and source remediation.
These scenarios are discussed with a focus on states ahead of the curve, and how they may frame the national picture.
Hosted by Grant Ferrier, Editor, Environmental Business Journal® & John Simon, Editor, Remediation Journal
Panelists
Stephanie Fiorenza, Principal Scientist, Arcadis U.S.
Charles J. Newell, Vice President – Environmental Engineer, GSI Environmental Inc.
Jim Cummings, Technology Assessment Branch, EPA
John Simon, Principal – Gnarus
The Future of Energy Development in a Decarbonizing Economy
Friday, April 15, 2022
The Future of Energy Development in a Decarbonizing Economy
EBIs April 15th webinar takes on the topic of the future of energy development, and where business opportunities will develop for engineering consulting, project management, and technology firms.
How far can the electrification of everything take us?
What markets will move fastest? Transportation versus industrial versus commercial and residential.
What sources will see the most short-term investment? Hydrogen vs. Nuclear vs. Wind vs. Solar… or all of the above.
And what policy, economic or geopolitical wildcards may be played to impact the market?
And how long is the fossil energy tail? And how much more legacy remediation work will accumulate?
These questions and more will be posed to a panel of experts by moderators Grant Ferrier and Andy Paterson from Environmental Business International Inc.
The energy transition may be in full swing but elements continue to align two reward entrenched interests and force strategic dilemmas upon business planners in the environmental and climate change industry.
While complete clarity cannot be promised, the perspective of the assembled experts will at least clarify strategic pathways of industry growth for the rest of the 2020s.
Panelists:
James Frolich – Vice President-Environment & Society – Advisian
William Haas – Decarbonization and Electrification Strategy and Growth Leader – AECOM
Part II: Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law: Electricity
February 18, 2022
Part II: Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law: Electricity & the Future of the Grid
EBI presents the second in its series of webinar broadcasts on ‘Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law and Implications for Environmental Markets in 2022’ on Friday, February 18th at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.
A panel of three experts on power markets will discuss generation, T&D, the grid, FERC, NERC, ISOs, renewables, storage, electric vehicle charging, resilience, and other topics pertinent to electricity infrastructure.
The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has set off a new wave of infrastructure spending across federal, state, and local entities – as well as investor-owned utilities and private power companies – over the next two to three years.
Environmental Business Journal® and its panel of experts will share their perspective on the massive piece of bipartisan legislation, consensus on how programs will roll out in 2022, and where and when the funding is most likely to flow.
Panelists:
Michael Johnson – Vice President / U.S. Transmission Sector Lead – Stantec
Ted Murphy – Partner – Hunton Andrews Kurth
Craig Sieben – Director, Energy – AECOM
Ryan Bliss – VP, Transmission Engineering – TRC
Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law and Implications for Environmental Markets in 2022
January 21, 2022
Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law and Implications for Environmental Markets in 2022
Environmental Business International’s next webinar on January 21st features an analysis of the infrastructure law passed in November 2021 and its implications for the environmental and climate change industries.
Federal markets will get a boost, but it is likely that state and local markets will benefit even more, although the timing may be less predictable.
Key areas expected to see major surges in demand, most with funding already in place or fully authorized:
Transportation: roads, rail, ports
Water: supply, treatment, storage, and resilience
Electric vehicle infrastructure
Renewable energy generation; Energy storage; Grid management
PFAS and remediation
Environmental Business Journal® will summarize the latest consensus perspective on how programs will roll out in 2022, and where the funding will flow, and convene a panel of business development executives focused on these markets.
Panelists include:
Matt Chiller – Vice President, Federal Government Relations – Jacobs
Jason Hill – Public Lands Practice Leader – Hunton Andrews Kurth
Brian Boose – Senior Vice President – AECOM
David A. Goldwater – Vice President, Public Policy – Stantec
Geetha Eva Shan – PE Associate Vice President Market Sector Leader Power & Utilities – Arcadis
Perspectives On Strategic Planning In The Environmental Industry 2022
December 17, 2021
Perspectives On Strategic Planning In The Environmental Industry 2022
EBJ’s next webinar on December 17 will be an open discussion between fellow executives sharing perspectives on how they are approaching business planning in today’s dynamic markets.
Large and small firms in the environmental industry have to balance long-term objectives of new markets and new services with short-term performance objectives and resource needs. Find out how industry leaders approach the planning process, and their take on the challenges that new markets pose to their firm and the industry.
Joining host Grant Ferrier, editor of Environmental Business Journal, will be a panel of senior executives from environmental service companies responsible for or that contribute to the strategic plan for their company or business unit.
Following a summary of major market dynamics that EBJ believes necessitate a strategic response, there will be a discussion of the planning process, specific trends impacting each company and industry segment, and strategic initiatives and resource allocations towards those initiatives for 2022 and the rest of the decade.
Panelists:
Curt Bjurlin – Vice President of Environmental Services – Stantec
Frank Sweet – Chief Executive of the Environment Global Business Line – AECOM
Patricia Taylor-Woodyard – SVP – Chief Strategy & Development Officer – Weston Solutions
Environmental Consulting & Engineering Market Analysis and 2022 Forecasts
November 19, 2021
Environmental Consulting & Engineering Market Analysis And 2022 Forecasts
Environmental Business Journal analysts present the most recent update of their model of the U.S. Environmental Consulting & Engineering industry derived from EBI’s database of revenue information on more than 700 firms in the $33 billion industry.
Final full-year analysis of 2020 performance and client sector ratings will be presented, along with a new market forecast for the environmental industry out to 2025.
While market share at the top of the industry changed marginally with some significant transactions in the last couple of years, small and medium-sized players have not lost much ground to their larger competitors.
Notable gains have been made, however, by specialty and boutique practices and firms, and a panel of leading firms and innovators will share their success stories and short and long-term plans for the future.
As decarbonization and electrification spread across industries, institutions and governments, these entities are all making new plans regarding the resilience of their assets in the face of climate change.
But alongside new practice areas traditional service categories in water, air quality, hazardous materials and remediation continue to have legs well into the 2020s.
Perspective on these and other trends will allow webinar participants to approach their end-of-year business planning with confidence. Registering companies will receive a dataset in Excel format, as well as credit towards EBI’s comprehensive Environmental Consulting & Engineering datapack.
Panelists:
Ian Rusk – Managing Principal – ROG + Partners
Joe Smetona – Principal – AEC Advisors
Al Spiers – Founder and CEO – 2020 Environmental Group
What Does COP26 Mean To The Environmental Industry?
October 22, 2021
What does COP26 mean to the Environmental Industry? How are themes at COP impacting business decisions in the regulated community?
The Conference of the Parties will convene in Glasgow 1-12 November 2021. This is not a “normal COP” — coming five years since the Paris ACCORD at COP21, this COP will ask for emboldened commitment. Early indications are the physical attendance in Glasgow will be muted by COVID, but many virtual events are being coordinated to the calendar.
Several Themes are focusing the dialogs at COP26:
1. Finalizing the Rules of the Paris Agreement
Common timelines, Transparency, and Market rules (or taxes)
By the end of COP26 next year, countries must work out the details of three areas within the rulebook of the Paris Agreement. Might Cities emerge as the real players going forward on Climate Policy and Resilience… more than National Governments?
2. Building Resilience and Addressing Loss and Damage
Countries increasingly now are assessing progress made fostering climate resilience and adaptation to adverse impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, flooding, drought, polar vortexes, heat waves — more volatility and more hazardous weather. Are Public-Private Partnerships likely to be the larger-scale structure of response instead of Federal Spending?
3. Financing Climate Action
Public finance for climate action is showing the least progress and greatest signs of distrust.
The global COVID pandemic has clearly dented plans and resources for broader government funding.
How can global capital markets play a larger role? What incentives are needed?
The UN Donor Plan for a Green Fund seems to have failed. How can global capital markets (ESG) play a larger role? What incentives are needed?
4. Focus on a “Decade of Ambition” to Reach Climate Goals Sooner
Which broader actions by 2030 can “bend the curve” on emissions at global scale? More renewables, new build for nuclear energy, increasing electrification of transport, better energy use in major urban areas, large-volume fuel switching… What is the outlook? How can the industry move the needle on emissions sooner? Many companies have made “pledges”… How are those being implemented?
Reference WRI INSIDER: 4 Key Topics Climate Negotiators Must Resolve by COP26
https://www.wri.org/insights/insider-4-key-topics-climate-negotiators-must-resolve-cop26
Moderators:
Andrew D. Paterson, EBI in Washington, DC — Policy & Politics expert
Grant Ferrier, EBI Publisher – Series Organizer
Panelists:
Marian VanPelt, Senior Vice President – ICF, Climate and Clean Energy, WDC
Sam Brown, Partner – Environmental Policy, Hunton Andrews Kurth
Roundtable discussion with EBI Executive Audience — Highly Interactive Dialog
Rapporteur:
James Powell, US Federal Representative – Southern States Energy Board (Biden Appointee).
Highlights and survey results from this session will be provided to the Biden Administration (e.g., DOE, EPA, CEQ). No quotes will be made for attribution, but useful commentary will be summarized as a report out by EBI.
The Water Industry Faces The Challenges Of The 2020s
September 17, 2021
Environmental Business International’s next monthly webinar features a wide-ranging discussion of the water industry and the unique and accelerating challenges that service and technology providers face in a market facing pressure from all sides.
Infrastructure investment is a key theme across the country, and water and wastewater systems are well-positioned in new and revitalized funding programs. Drought and long-term supply challenges juxtaposed against abundance and flood protection and response highlight the significance of climate change on impacting water and wastewater assets. Adaptation and resilience have become a key component of long-term design, upgrades, and operation and maintenance contracts, but new regulations around PFAS, WOTUS, stormwater, and emerging contaminants provide new market drivers in the short term.
Environmental Business Journal convenes a panel of experts in the water industry from consulting engineering firms, operations contractors, and equipment and technology companies to discuss these important trends impacting the water industry in the 2020s, as well as the business and financial issues impacting strategy.
Panelists:
Meena Sankaran – CEO – Ketos
Susan Crawford – Water Services Group Director – CDM Smith
Pauli Overdroff – President – Alarian Associates
Matt Demarco – Vice President – Industrial Infrastructure Program Management, Design and Construction at Arcadis
Peter Shanaghan – Principal Consultant – The Cadmus Group
Private Equity Investment In The Environmental And Climate Change Industries
August 20, 2021
Increasing private equity investment into environmental service and technology companies has been a consistent trend for at least a decade. This trend has accelerated with the onset of the ESG movement across the investment community and heightened interest in climate change solutions.
Along with these industry-wide dynamics come changing investment propositions for professional fund managers and strategic investors. In our August 20th broadcast, EBI convenes a panel of leading edge private equity firms discussing the history and future of their investment strategy, and what they are looking for in investments for the 2020s.
Profitable recurring revenue streams in environmental services yes, but what about technology, digitalization, and project investments in regeneration and carbon fixation?
Professional investors will discuss:
- Technologies and services most of interest to them;
- How ESG has impacted how they manage their portfolio and raise money from limited partners;
- Most successful investments and characteristics investors values in environmental companies.
Panelists include:
Tony Brindisi – Managing Partner – RTC Partners
Chris Melton – Chairman & CEO – The White Oak Group
Michael Castellarin – Managing Director – Clairvest Group
Angus Cole – Managing Director – Head of Energy Transition – Clairvest Group
Evan Kaufman – Principal, KKR Global Impact
The ESG Movement and What It Means To The Environmental Industry
July 16, 2021
EBI’s next webcast is an open discussion of key factors impacting the market for ESG advisory services, featuring practice profiles and a panel discussion with leading ESG service providers.
Environment, social and governance issues have become essential elements for any corporation or entity. ESG is rapidly evolving from statements and commitments to ambitious conversions and cultural transitions across each of the environmental, social, and governance areas.
The ESG movement, combined with the acceleration of corporate commitments to carbon neutrality, is creating new opportunities for environmental service providers and a broad range of professional services firms. Panelists share the specialized expertise of their practice in the rapidly evolving field of ESG advisory services, from planning and strategy to metrics, execution and communication.
Panelists:
Lindsay Ross, Director, Global Client Services – Four Twenty Seven (part of Moody’s ESG Solutions)
Chris Kline – Global Senior Principal, Sustainability and ESG – Cardno
Josh Nothwang – AVP, Sustainability, Energy and Climate Change – WSP
Jill Cooper – JD, Senior Principal – Geosyntec Consultants
Rich Goode – Managing Director, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Services practice – Alvarez & Marsal
Mergers & Acquisitions in the Environmental Industry 2021
June 18, 2021
Have the unique economic circumstances of the year 2021 changed the picture for merger and acquisition activity in the environmental industry? Has there been any impact on valuations, or on activities of private equity investors?
EBJ and a panel of experts and advisors weigh in on these factors, and forecast market conditions for the rest of the year and into 2022.
Data will be presented and discussed on transaction activity and valuations, as well as new entrants the market.
Expert Panelists:
Joe Smetona- Principal- AEC Advisors LLC
Jessica Barclay- Managing Partner- EFCG
Dan Spiers- Partner- 2020 Environmental Group
Colvin Matheson- Managing Director- Matheson Advisors
Disha Mehta- Director- Houlihan Lokey
Bradford Page- Managing Director, Global Investment Banking- RW Baird
Environmental Industry Outlook 2021 and Q2 EBJ Forecast
May 21, 2021
EBI presents the results of its annual survey of the environmental industry to assess 2020 performance and the outlook for 2021 – 2022. Analysis will be shared on market sectors, emerging service categories, as well as when and how the pandemic-impacted segments of the industry and the trajectory of the recovery.
EBJ editor and lead analyst Grant Ferrier will be joined by a panel of market research specialists in environmental service companies and dedicated analysts from the investment and professional services community.
Companies registering for this webcast will receive the presentation slides as well as a custom data set in spreadsheet format.
Panelists include:
Guy Lewis- Executive Director and COO, Environment & Health- Ramboll
Jean Lynch- Global Environment Strategic Marketing and Clients Director- AECOM
Peter Walter- Managing Director- L.E.K. Consulting
Rebecca Zofnass- Managing Partner- EFCG
Fred Carey- President & CEO- Potomac-Hudson Engineering, Inc.
The Biden Administration & The Environmental Industry
April 16, 2021
Government relations experts, federal markets leaders and analysts discuss evolving priorities for the Biden Administration in 2021 and beyond. Budget and political limitations may restrict some legislative and executive options for advancing environmental and climate policy the next four years, but early signs point to a fairly ambitious agenda.
Panelists will share their viewpoint, and the likely impacts on the environmental industry, public and private sector markets, the energy transition, PFAS, de-carbonization and regional markets.
Panelists:
Cara Bellavia- Vice President of Scientific & Technical Services at SWCA
Matthew Chiller- Vice President, Federal and Government Relations at Jacobs
Brian Tynan- Corporate Vice President Government Relations at AECOM
Justin Mosquera- Managing Director, EHS & Air Practice at AECOM
Tom Lewis- National Business Line Leader for Climate, Resilience & Sustainability- WSP
Marisa Harrilchak- Associate- Hunton Andrews Kurth
Climate Change Industry: Evolution and Growth Scenarios for the 2020s
March 19, 2021
Environmental industry leaders discuss short- and long-term views on energy and infrastructure transition, the evolution of a low-carbon economy and the emergence of what EBI calls the climate change industry.
CCBJ offers its 2021 quantitative review of the history and forecast for climate change industry segments with a 20-year history and growth scenarios for the 2020s.
Panelists respond and discuss trends that indicate an industry still a ways from maturity, but poised for growth and significant breakthroughs in the 2020s in:
- renewable energy & energy storage
- electrification of fleets and the built environment
- biofuels for aviation; biogas for RNG
- community solar & off-shore wind
- carbon capture & carbon credits
- natural infrastructure and adaptation & resilience
Panelists include:
Jan Walstrom- Senior Vice President of Strategy and Solutions at Jacobs
Frank Sweet- Executive Vice President at AECOM
Leslie Shoemaker- President at Tetra Tech
Curt Bjurlin- Power Sector Leader – Environmental Services at Stantec
Kevin Doyle- Executive Director of Career Development at Yale School of the Environment
Strategic Planning in the Environmental Industry
February 19, 2021
EBI’s February 19th broadcast features a discussion on strategic planning in the environmental industry, with perspective on 2020 and how leading companies have pivoted or adapted or reset their strategic plan for 2021.
An impressive list of companies and executives will discuss how their companies have reacted to the year that was 2020, and what they look forward to in 2021, and how their long term plans may have or may have not changed.
The recently completed survey by Environmental Business Journal® on strategic planning in the environmental industry will be summarized and discussed by the panel offering more perspective on the process and particular areas of importance to environmental service companies.
Host:
Grant Ferrier- Editor of EBJ, CEO of EBI Inc.
Featured Panelists:
Kathleen Abbott- President Environment of Arcadis
Alyson Watson- Chief Executive Officer of Woodard & Curran
Kurt Beil- Principal & Environment Market Leader, Northern Hemisphere of GHD
Lytle Troutt- Senior Vice President/Regional Manager South, Wood
Joe Monaco- President and CEO of Dudek
Russ Wachter- Managing Director of Client Services and Executive Vice President of Carollo Engineers
Rebecca Zofnass- Managing Partner EFCG
Environmental Information & Data Management
January 15, 2021
Environmental Business Journal continues its webinar series with a focus on environmental information on Friday, January 15 at 3pm eastern time.
The event features EBI analysis on environmental information markets for technology, software and services firms, and a presentation on the rapid transition to digitalization of environmental project data in the 2020s.
Results of a detailed EBJ survey are presented and discussed by two distinguished panels:
One consisting of recent entrants and startups in focus on environmental data management value propositions for environmental services companies and the regulated community
Another consisting of environmental consulting & engineering and project management leaders and how they have invested in software, systems, training and integration of the latest wave of Information Systems to manage, collect, manage, store, analyze, visualize and display project data for themselves and for their clients.
Panelists include:
-Grant Ferrier (host from EBI)
-Jeremy Schewe (Ecobot)
– R. Mukund (Benchmark Digital Partners)
-Mark Packard (DDMS Inc.)
-Jim Jonas (Copper Environmental Consulting)
-Kristen Hazard (Wildnote)
-Emily Mulford (EarthSoft Inc.)
Infrastructure & the Environmental Industry in the 2020s Webinar
*event already passed*
The evolution of infrastructure in the United States during the decade of the 2020s will have a significant impact on American competitiveness, quality of life and the environment.
The deployment of technology and services to disruptive forces surrounding this evolution will offer significant opportunities for today’s environmental industry, and it sheds light on the tangential services that will be offered in the increasingly broadening and integrating professional & technical services market.
Infrastructure categories researched and modeled in market forecasts by Environmental Business Journal include:
Energy & Power
Water & Wastewater
Solid Waste, Recycling & Energy Recovery
Communications & Information Technology
Transportation
EBJ’s service definitions and forecast for this evolving market, and rankings of the most influential disruptive forces in the 2020s, will be presented by EBJ editor Grant Ferrier followed by a panel of experts and practitioners in the market. EBI webinars are scheduled for 2.5 hours but open discussion often stretches to 3 hours.
A presentation and interactive discussion of themes and market data published in EBJ Vol XXXIII No 7/8: Infrastructure & the Environmental Industry in the 2020s
Expert Panelists:
Steve Nalefski– Vice President of Environmental Services at Burns & McDonnell
Amanda Black– Principal at Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc.
Amy Squitieri– Vice President at Mead & Hunt
Curt Bjurlin- Power Sector Leader – Environmental Services at Stantec
Green Buildings & Smart Cities
*event already passed*
EBI presents a webinar summarizing climate change business journal’s recent research on the green buildings and smart cities market segments, and prospects for growth and market evolution in the 2020s.
A summary of EBI’s segmentation and quantification of the climate change industry precedes a more detailed discussion of business opportunities in green buildings and smart cities. Trends in client investment strategies and the competitive dynamics of leading players are discussed with participants from both market segments.
Urbanization of the world’s population continues and buildings still account for 39% of GHG emissions, highlighting the importance of these two challenges. Smart city markets may be several years behind green building markets, but are emerging faster as the pace of technology powers devices, connectivity, and consumer, civic & corporate investment around the world.
Hosted by:
Grant Ferrier, Editor, Climate Change Business Journal
Expert Panelists:
Dr. Avi Patwardhan- Managing Director of Global Smart Cities Practice at Jacobs
Sean Quinn- Sr. Associate & Sustainable Design Leader at HOK
Peter Kindel- Director of Urban Design and Planning at Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill
Jay Mezher- Vice President & Digital Delivery Practice Leader at Mott MacDonald
Peter Glus- North American Big Urban Client Director at Arcadis
Marwan Madi- Emerging Technologies Practice Leader at CDM Smith
Tim Farkas- Director of Finance at Ameresco
Click here to see full details on this feature edition of Climate Change Business Journal
Environmental Industry Outlook & Market Forecast 2020-2021 Webinar
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In this 2-hour Environmental Industry Outlook webinar and interactive discussion, EBI presents its baseline market forecast for 2020 and 2021.
Results and analysis from EBJ’s annual Snapshot Survey are summarized and alternative recovery scenarios are presented.
Two discussion panels ensue featuring economic analysts and management consultants and their take on 2020-2021 scenarios, and then executives from environmental services
12-12.45: EBI Environmental Industry Outlook presentation and panelist response
12.45-1.15: Analyst and Management Consultant view on recovery scenarios
1.15-1.45: Environmental Executive perspective on 2020-2021 markets
Webinar Host and Moderator:
Grant Ferrier- CEO of Environmental Business International
Webinar Guest Speakers:
Pat Taylor-Woodyard- Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Weston Solutions
Bob Grim- Head of Business Development at AnchorQEA
Peter Walter- Managing Director at L.E.K. Consulting
Dave Zarider- Senior Vice President of TRC
Jay Hofmann- President and CEO of Trinity Consultants
Mergers & Acquisitions in the Environmental Industry 2020
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Environmental Business Journal® recently compiled analysis on merger & acquisition activity and trends in deal structure and valuations in the environmental industry. Combining this perspective with EBJ’s aggregation of expertise of leading analysts and investment bankers serving the industry puts EBJ in a unique position to summarize the current state of investment and M&A in the environmental industry.
On July 24th at 12pm PST, EBJ hosted a 2-hour webcast featuring a summary of environmental industry consolidation and future prospects for investment and acquisition activity. A roundtable of experts debated key issues such as valuations, ownership structures, the increasing influence of private equity-backed companies, and the historical dominance of employee-owned models in a service-based industry.
And no broadcast is complete in the summer of 2020 without an up-to-date analysis on the impact of COVID on the industry. Panelists appeared in three sets allowing Q&A from the participants.
Webinar Host and Moderator: Grant Ferrier- CEO of Environmental Business International
Webinar Guest Speakers:
Panel 1: Reaction to 2020 Pandemic by Buyers & Sellers in Environmental C&E
Al Spiers- Founder & CEO of 2020 Environmental Group
Ian Rusk- Managing Principal at Rusk O’Brien Gido + Partners
Colvin Matheson- CFA CM&AA at Matheson Advisors
Joe Smetona- Principal at AEC Advisors LLC
Panel 2: M&A & Credit Markets in Environmental Services
Jessica Barclay- Managing Partner at EFCG
Effram Kaplan- Managing Director & Principal at Brown Gibbons Lang & Company
Tony Brindisi- Co-Founder and Managing Partner at RTC Partners
Panel 3: Private Equity’s Evolving Picture of Environmental Industry Investments
Disha Mehta- Director at Houlihan Lokey
Michael Castellarin- Managing Director at Clairvest
Ryan Roberts- Investment Partner at Pritzker Private Capital
Emerging Technology & the Environmental Industry: 2020-2030
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Environmental business International continues its webinar series with a 1-hour review and 1-hour Q&A discussion of the recent Environmental Business Journal edition on emerging or disruptive technology in the environmental industry today and for the rest of the decade.
Information management and automated & remote monitoring dominate the activity as the decade dawns, but few seem to know what to do with artificial intelligence and blockchain.
Environmental companies are aware, however that their competitive future increasingly depends on their technical edge.
Join presenter Grant Ferrier, editor of EBJ since 1988 as he summarizes this intriguing topic and presents results of EBJ’s environmental industry survey of expectations about deployment of technology today and investment over the decade, and what type of clients and environmental media applications will see the most movement.
Climate Change Consulting Webinar
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CCBJ estimates climate change industry consulting revenues at $4.6 billion in the United States, and substantially more in climate-related engineering, construction and contracting for a total market of more than $20 billion. Core segments of Adaptation & Resilience and Mitigation & Compliance are still mostly the realm of specialist firms, but entities of all types are positioning business propositions in climate change. CCBJ’s recent edition on CCC quantifies all aspects of the market, but also profiles 11 leading practitioners.
EBI’s webcast on the subject explains the details of its market quantification and growth models, strategic objectives of major competitor types, and key indicator statistics that form the basis for long-term market demand.
Natural Resource Management Webinar
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Natural Resources Management represents a growing $3.3 billion slice of the $34 billion U.S. environmental consulting & engineering industry. In spite of curtailed momentum in natural resource policy in federal agencies, statutes and regulations have hardly been eroded and reinvigorated efforts in state & local jurisdictions and resilient private markets driven by development have paced growth in NRM services. EBJ’s recent research on the subject includes a comprehensive survey of NRM companies with collective perspective on market drivers, client trends, and the already revolutionary impact of technology. EBI’s webcast on NRM features detailed analysis of the NRM market and current trends, and presents key indicator statistics on ecosystems and iconic species.
Air Quality & Pollution Webinar
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EBJ continues its webinar series with a complete analysis and a strategic overview of the $24-billion U.S. Air Quality & Air Pollution Control market. With an emphasis on services, market drivers, pollutants and client sectors, the 90-minute review includes data from EBJ’s Q4 2019 comprehensive survey of AQ&APC equipment and services vendors, and the presentation of historical data on emissions, fuels consumption, APC technology applications and other factors that indicate future growth prospects in the market. Trends in client demands, regulatory requirements and the role of technology, automated systems and AI are also discussed While air quality has traditionally been one of the most regulatory driven of environmental markets, recent federal inactivity has been countered by state & local programs and industry initiatives to continue to drive air quality investments.
PFAS Webinar
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Environmental Business Journal recently completed a strategic overview of the U.S. remediation market and the dawn of the ‘PFAS Era’.
Past Webinars
PFAS Market Update
Friday, May 17, 2024
PFAS Market Update Webinar
Environmental Business Journal® continues its series of assessments of the PFAS market with the perspective of leading practitioners in the market.
The Q2 2024 edition will feature:
– A roundup of the most active states driving water and wastewater testing and treatment;
– Remediation project activity in industry, DOD facilities, airports, landfills and formerly closed sites;
– A summary of the recent PFAS Environmental Professionals meeting and current consensus on federal standards and regulatory rollout.
Panelists joining EBJ moderator Grant Ferrier include:
Sharon Minchak, P.G. – VP, Environmental Market Remediation & Regeneration Solution Director – Jacobs
Jeff Gamlin, PG, CHG – Principal Hydrogeologist – GSI Environmental Inc.
Jeff Gamlin, PG, CHG – Principal Hydrogeologist – GSI Environmental Inc.
Human Resources, Recruitment & Retention and the Diversity Challenge
Friday, April 19, 2024
Human Resources, Recruitment & Retention and the Diversity Challange Webinar
Talent acquisition, training, compensation, retention, and advancement are increasingly challenging in a tight labor market with continued high growth demand across the environmental industry. At the same time, cultural, societal, and contractual requirements for diversity & inclusion raise the bar for the senior executives and Human Resources professionals that strategize the future assets of their companies.
Environmental Business Journal®’s April 19th webcast brings an open discussion on how to recruit and build a collaborative and inclusive team that is more than just competitive in the market.
Panelists:
Sarah Gilliland – HR Leader – Terracon
Linda Singfield – HR Director – Arcadis
Sarah Gilliland – HR Leader – Terracon
Linda Singfield – HR Director – Arcadis
SEC Climate Disclosures & Environmental Industry Summit Preview Webinar
Friday, March 22, 2024
The SEC Climate Disclosures & Environmental Industry Summit Preview Webinar
In March 2024 the US Securities and Exchange Commission enhanced and standardized final rules for climate-related disclosures for public companies. Implications for all companies and ESG strategies will be discussed in an interactive Q&A with:
Katie Eisenbrown, Global Technical Director of Sustainability Measurement – Arcadis
Environmental Industry Summit XXII preview will include the current outlook on the 2024 election, and a snapshot summary of how goes the energy transition. EBJ political analyst and long time summit presenter Andy Paterson brings his schtick to the Summit again on April 2-4 in San Diego and also to this Zoom preview. EBJ and CCBJ editor Grant Ferrier previews his opening Summit presentation on environmental markets and energy transition in 2023 and scenarios for the rest of the 2020s.
Andrew Paterson talks through his Four Scenarios for the 2024 Election:
Business Outlook for New Leadership in 2024
Friday, February 16, 2024
Business Outlook for New Leadership in 2024
The new year brings new perspective and new leadership across the environmental industry. The February 16th webcast hosted by Environmental Business Journal® features a panel of newly appointed senior executives representing a next generation of leadership in their respective firms.
Challenges to be discussed beyond the rapidly changing market conditions of 2024 include:
- Recruitment & Retention of a new generation of project managers and potential leaders;
- Strategic planning and ownership transitions;
- Operations, technology, management, and accountability in the changing workplace that is the 2020s.
Panelists:
Sarah Ridgway, P.E. – Executive Vice President – EA est
Michael E. Hagemeister, P.E. (NE) – National Director, Senior Principal – Terracon
Rio Franzman – CEO – KC Harvey
US Environmental Market Outlook & Focus on Southeast and Florida
Friday, January 19, 2024
US Environmental Market Outlook & Focus on Southeast and Florida
Environmental Business Journal® Q1 2024 Market Outlook webcast features a focus on the Southeast and growing markets in the region, with a focus on Florida.
Market size and growth estimates are followed by an open format panel discussion with executives from leading environmental consulting firms focused on environmental natural resource, and resilience and adaptation related markets.
Panelists:
Stephanie Hudgins – VP of Client Services, Power & Energy – SWCA
Julie Sullivan – Southeast Regional Director – ESA
Technology & AI in the Environmental Industry
Friday, October 20, 2023
Technology & AI in the Environmental Industry
Environmental Business Journal® October 20 webcast features perspective and analysis on the growing influence of information technology on the environmental industry.
Companies investing in digitalization for internal efficiencies and external service innovation share their experiences, and how they view the potential of generative AI.
EBJ presents a summary of the results of its 2023 survey of disruptive technologies in the environmental industry, as well as intriguing results and perspective from other analysts.
Panelists:
Nick Lange – Innovation Strategy and Services Lead – ICF
Mark Meyers – Principal Scientist – Anchor QEA
Jill Oliver – Geospatial Science Team Leader and Senior Managing Analyst for Shared Technical Services – Anchor QEA
Marcus Quigley – Partner, Technology Practice – EFCG
2024 Election Outlook and Point-Counterpoint Politics
Friday, September 15, 2023
2024 Election Outlook and Point-Counterpoint Politics
With the 2024 election in sight, and a nation weary of geriatric leadership, EBI principals present scenarios for a new generation of leadership, and debate the progressive and conservative sides of today’s hot button political issues.
With over 35 years of environmental industry analysis behind them, Environmental Business Journal’s Grant Ferrier and Andy Paterson stir the pot and assess any relevance to the future of the environmental and climate change industries.
EBI’s monthly webcast usually requires a fee for registration or subscription, but this month’s version is free to all interested parties.
Forest Carbon: Market potential and pathways to atmospheric equilibrium
Friday, August 18, 2023
Forest Carbon: Market potential and pathways to atmospheric equilibrium
Can forests and other ecosystems be more effectively monetized to stimulate more ‘forest carbon’ and other markets so ecosystem protection, restoration and monitoring becomes a much larger service for consultants and technology providers in the era of climate policy?
Terrestrial flora has long maintained the balance of earth’s atmosphere but in the 21st century has been overwhelmed by centuries of deforestation and decades of greenhouse gas emissions. The potential of ecosystem and forest restoration as more significant contributors to limiting the impacts of climate change have created a forest carbon market, but it is still in relative adolescence.
Academics and consultants who study and help support policy development and carbon markets discuss the science, business and future market drivers in EBI’s monthly open format webcast.
Panelists:
Michael Ackerman, CEO of EcoForests, Canadian-based asset management firm focused on sustainable forestry
Joshua Fisher, a climate scientist and associate professor of environmental science and policy at Chapman University’s Schmid College of Science and Technology
ESG Revisited
Friday, July 21, 2023
ESG Revisited Webinar
Since the introduction of ESG or Environment Social Governance as a recognized term, companies of different industries and ownership statuses have taken different approaches to how they internally manage and externally communicate their status.
A panel of leading consulting firms will participate in an open discussion of how they see various client approaches to long-term strategic environmental and climate compliance and voluntary action related to ESG and their own drivers of sustainability, liability and climate resilience.
Panelists:
Michelle Bachir – Managing Director, Sustainability Advisory North America – Arcadis
Eric Wooten – Environmental Department Manager – Terracon
Dean Slocum – President – Acorn
Market Evolution Scenarios for PFAS in Water, Wastewater and Remediation
Friday, June 16, 2023
Market Evolution Scenarios for PFAS in Water, Wastewater and Remediation Webinar
Environmental Business Journal®’s June 16th webinar features a strategic assessment of market evolution scenarios in PFAS.
EPA’s March 2023 long-awaited announcement of four parts per trillion maximum contaminant load proposed rule was unexpectedly low and less than any promulgated state standard to date. The news set off speculation as how the PFAS market will evolve, how the rulemaking process will go in 2023, and the compliance horizons for the thousands of parties that will be affected.
EBJ draws off of its years of market analysis in water and remediation markets, it’s panel of experts that have contributed to EBJs PFAS Market Model since 2018, and participation in the third PFAS expert symposium to present an updated market forecast in:
- Drinking water systems from the largest cities to the smallest of the 50,000 entities delivering potable water in the United States;
- Wastewater treatment systems from the largest cities to the smallest of the 15,000 entities;
- Industrial dischargers increasingly under pressure from downstream wastewater treatment facilities;
- Tens of thousands of remediation sites that will require assessment and clean up; and
- The analytical work and instrumentation opportunities resulting from the acceleration of the PFAS era.
EBJ editor Grant Ferrier will present a summary of the market model and discuss most likely scenarios with a panel drawn from the PFAS expert symposium.
Panelists:
John Simon – Principal – Gnarus Advisors (PFAS Expert Symposium)
Frederic Andes – Partner – Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Stewart Abrams – Principal & Director of Remediation Technology – Langan Engineering
AI and Human Resources In The Era of Digitalization
Friday, May 19, 2023
AI and Human Resources In The Era of Digitalization
Will the broader onset of digitalization, artificial intelligence, and platforms like chat GPT change the formula for human resource management in the environmental industry?
The next Environmental Business Journal® webcast will feature perspective on personnel and human resources from the continued tactical challenges of recruitment and retention, and building the next generation of leadership within companies, to the long-term implications of technology and digitalization on companies and individual careers.
Panelists:
Cara Corsetti – Senior Principal, Environmental Services – Stantec
Paul Goudreault – Business & Career Coach – Enorine Partners
Growth and Strategy in the Era of Changing Ownership Models
Friday, April 21, 2023
Growth and Strategy in the Era of Changing Ownership Models
On April 21st Environmental Business Journal® presents part 2 of a strategic discussion about business strategy, operations, and financial management in the environmental industry in an era of changing ownership models.
Discussion panel participants from one of the more active private equity investors in the environmental consulting & engineering industry RTC Partners and the chief operating officer of portfolio company Verdantas offer perspectives on key issues of market strategy, M&A approaches, integration, and preparing companies for future stages of growth and ownership transition.
RTC Partners recently sold its stake in Ardurra to a larger investment company, after financing the platform company Verdantas in 2021. Both firms have been active in the midsize and smaller acquisition business across engineering sectors
Panelists:
Tony Brindisi – Managing Partner – RTC Partners
Jesse Kropelnicki – Chief Operating Officer – Verdantas
Strategic Options for 2023: Capital, Acquisition & Growth
Friday, March 17, 2023
Strategic Options for 2023: Capital, Acquisition & Growth Webinar
The March 17th Environmental Business Journal® webinar features a strategic discussion of business strategy, planning, finance, M&A and growth options in an economy that seems to be pointing in multiple directions.
Tailwinds behind the strategic growth options in the environmental industry and for the design, and consulting in engineering sectors have almost never been stronger, yet economic indicators continue to cloud the horizon.
In an open-format discussion panel, Environmental Business Journal® editor Grant Ferrier interviews two key executives for their perspectives on the business today.
Panelists:
Tom Secker, Senior Vice President of corporate development with Trilon Group, presents the recent history of his company. The private equity-backed firm has completed 11 acquisitions in the last 2 years.
Steve Gido, Principal, ROG Partners, shares his perspective as one of the most experienced advisors in the architect engineering consulting sector.
2023 Business Outlook and Regional Market Snapshot
Friday, February 17, 2023
2023 Business Outlook and Regional Market Snapshot
The February 2023 Environmental Business Journal® monthly webcast features executive leaders from three regional small to mid-sized companies sharing their perspectives on their planning process and the market outlook for 2023.
Panelists will discuss key client sectors, developing service and practice areas, recruitment strategies, and recent strategic planning processes for the short and long term.
Panelists:
Mike Schwerin – CEO – Helix Environmental Planning – La Mesa, CA
Curt Thalken – CEO – Normandeau Associates – Bedford, NH
Perspectives On Strategic Planning In The Environmental Industry 2023
Friday, January 20, 2023
Perspectives On Strategic Planning In The Environmental Industry 2023
EBJ’s first 2023 webinar on January 20 will be an open discussion between executives sharing perspectives on how they are approaching business planning in today’s dynamic markets.
Firms in the environmental industry have to balance long-term objectives of new markets and new services with short-term performance objectives and resource needs. Find out how industry leaders approach the planning process, and their take on the challenges that new markets pose to their firm and the industry.
Joining host Grant Ferrier, editor of Environmental Business Journal, will be a panel of senior executives from environmental service companies responsible for the strategic plan for their company or business unit.
Panelists:
Beth Myers Graham – Chief Growth Officer, Environmental – TRC
Frank Sweet – Chief Executive of the Environment & Energy Global Business Line – AECOM
Live from Washington DC Environmental Industry Summit
Friday, November 18, 2022
Live from Washington DC Environmental Industry Summit
EBJ’s November 18 webinar features a live broadcast from Washington DC at the conclusion of EBJ’s two-day conference: Washington DC Environmental Industry Summit VIII.
Hosted by EBJ Editor Grant Ferrier, the broadcast features co-chairs of the summit Andy Paterson of EBI and Fred Eames of Hunton Andrews Kurth. The midterm election aftermath and its implications for policy and environmental & energy markets will be top of mind, but other key takeaways from the two-day conference will be summarized.
Election Preview and Q&A with WSP Earth & Environment
Friday, October 21, 2022
Election Preview and Q&A with WSP Earth & Environment
Environmental Business Journal’s October 21 webinar presents three segments of strategic interest to environmental industry executives:
- A midterm election preview, and how the Congressional makeup scenarios may impact policy in 2023-2024.
- Highlights of sessions in the upcoming Environmental Industry Summit in Washington DC on November 17-18, including PFAS, implementation of IIJA & IRA, climate and energy policy.
- An executive interview with Joe Sczurko, recently elevated to President of Earth & Environment at WSP USA during WSP’s integration of Wood plc. Sczurko was formerly at Wood, Amec, MACTEC and ABB and offers perspective on WSP’s global environmental strategy.
Panelists:
Hosted by EBJ Editor Grant Ferrier
Election preview by Andy Paterson, EBJ’s DC Editor
Joseph Sczurko, President of Earth & Environment at WSP USA
PFAS Markets and Developments in Water and Wastewater Treatment
Friday, September 16, 2022
PFAS Markets and Developments in Water and Wastewater Treatment
Environmental Business Journal®’s September 16th webinar features an open discussion with industry leaders on PFAS and evolving water and wastewater treatment markets around the United States.
PFAS has been heralded as a major contaminant of concern and market driver for remediation and water treatment for some time, but regulatory certainty has been elusive. Federal standards remain undetermined and while certain states have established criteria for maximum levels, testing protocols, and treatment requirements, the market for services and technology remains highly variable.
Several companies have traction in PFAS markets, and executives in EBJ’s webinar will share the drivers, characteristics, and desired outcomes of their recent project work, as well as their strategy for growing their business platforms around PFAS and emerging contaminants in the 2020s.
Moderator and webinar host Grant Ferrier, editor of Environmental Business Journal®, will be joined by the following panelists.
Panelists:
Jim Claffey – National Technology Innovation Leader – Brown & Caldwell
Matt Burns – Vice President and Technical Fellow – WSP USA
Steve Woodard – Chief Innovation Officer – ECT2, a Montrose Environmental Group company
Angus McGrath – Senior Principal – Stantec
IIJA: What’s the hold up? Plus IRA review
Friday, August 19, 2022
IIJA: What’s the hold up? – First take on the Inflation Reduction Act
Two major pieces of legislation authorizing hundreds of billions for climate and clean energy have now passed: IIJA & IRA.
The consensus amongst environmental service providers is that not as much as expected has come from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The potential flow of project funding is still regarded as a substantial opportunity in transportation, water/wastewater, electricity grid modernization, electric vehicle infrastructure, remediation, and other project areas.
So what is the holdup? And what are some examples of programs or agencies that are in project mode? These questions and how the new IRA shapes up will be the topics for this month’s panel.
Panelists:
Andy Paterson, EBI Politics & Policy Analyst
Jeremy Harrell – Chief Strategy Officer – ClearPath
Richard Harmon – Strategic Funding & Advisory Lead – Woodard & Curran
Discussion of SEC Climate Disclosures
Friday, July 15, 2022
SEC Climate Disclosures & Climate Advisory Services
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission recently raised the bar on how public companies report their exposure to climate change.
The new SEC rules have reinvigorated the demand for climate advisory services, and related sustainability and emissions mitigation practice areas in the environmental industry.
Environmental Business Journal’s® next webcast on July 15th features leaders from climate advisory and sustainability advisory practices.
Panelists share their perception of the new rules and their implementation, and how they have developed client demand and built out their practice areas in 2022.
The new SEC rules require companies to
- Disclose climate risks to all of their assets, including regulatory technology market and reputational risks;
- Report audited scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, and scope 3 depending on the company;
- Disclose existing GHG emissions targets and NetZero plans.
Panelists:
Josh Nothwang – Global Managing Director, Sustainability Advisory – Arcadis
Elizabeth Logan – ESG & Climate Governance, Strategy and Reporting | Net-Zero Target Setting & Planning – AECOM
Leslie Shoemaker – President – Tetra Tech
Masjood Jafri – Resiliency Director, Atkins, Member of the SNC-Lavalin Group
Environmental Consulting & Private Equity: 2022 Deals & Trends
Friday, June 17, 2022
12 PM PST / 3 PM EST
Environmental Consulting & Private Equity: 2022 Deals & Trends
EBJ’s next webinar on June 17th features a conversation with senior advisors on one of the most important trends in the industry: private equity investment transactions in the environmental consulting industry and the pathway from environmental compliance to energy transition.
In May 2022, 1,750-person Geosyntec announced a majority investment by Blackstone Energy Partners; earlier ERM completed a major transaction with KKR and OMERS; and WSP continues its growth with the recent acquisition of Wood. These and other headline deals are examples, but what is the market strategy behind the deals?
EBJ editor Grant Ferrier interviews senior advisors from the industry.
Panelists:
Joe Smetona – Principal – AEC Advisors LLC
Jessica Barclay – Managing Partner – EFCG
Al Spiers – Founder – 2020 Environmental Group
PFAS Markets: Projects, Science, Data, Regulations & Technology
Friday, May 20, 2022
PFAS Markets: Projects, Science, Data, Regulations & Technology
Setting the context for PFAS markets in mid-2022. With potentially hundreds of thousands of sites in play and the prospect of re-opening remediation sites across the country, per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a hot topic.
Policy, technology, water treatment, and remediation experts share the latest perspective on the building momentum behind PFAS projects across the environmental industry.
Much of the current project activity is in drinking water treatment to meet various state standards, but multiple scenarios exist for how markets may evolve in water, wastewater, and source remediation.
These scenarios are discussed with a focus on states ahead of the curve, and how they may frame the national picture.
Hosted by Grant Ferrier, Editor, Environmental Business Journal® & John Simon, Editor, Remediation Journal
Panelists
Stephanie Fiorenza, Principal Scientist, Arcadis U.S.
Charles J. Newell, Vice President – Environmental Engineer, GSI Environmental Inc.
Jim Cummings, Technology Assessment Branch, EPA
John Simon, Principal – Gnarus
The Future of Energy Development in a Decarbonizing Economy
Friday, April 15, 2022
The Future of Energy Development in a Decarbonizing Economy
EBIs April 15th webinar takes on the topic of the future of energy development, and where business opportunities will develop for engineering consulting, project management, and technology firms.
How far can the electrification of everything take us?
What markets will move fastest? Transportation versus industrial versus commercial and residential.
What sources will see the most short-term investment? Hydrogen vs. Nuclear vs. Wind vs. Solar… or all of the above.
And what policy, economic or geopolitical wildcards may be played to impact the market?
And how long is the fossil energy tail? And how much more legacy remediation work will accumulate?
These questions and more will be posed to a panel of experts by moderators Grant Ferrier and Andy Paterson from Environmental Business International Inc.
The energy transition may be in full swing but elements continue to align two reward entrenched interests and force strategic dilemmas upon business planners in the environmental and climate change industry.
While complete clarity cannot be promised, the perspective of the assembled experts will at least clarify strategic pathways of industry growth for the rest of the 2020s.
Panelists:
James Frolich – Vice President-Environment & Society – Advisian
William Haas – Decarbonization and Electrification Strategy and Growth Leader – AECOM
Part II: Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law: Electricity
February 18, 2022
Part II: Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law: Electricity & the Future of the Grid
EBI presents the second in its series of webinar broadcasts on ‘Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law and Implications for Environmental Markets in 2022’ on Friday, February 18th at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.
A panel of three experts on power markets will discuss generation, T&D, the grid, FERC, NERC, ISOs, renewables, storage, electric vehicle charging, resilience, and other topics pertinent to electricity infrastructure.
The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has set off a new wave of infrastructure spending across federal, state, and local entities – as well as investor-owned utilities and private power companies – over the next two to three years.
Environmental Business Journal® and its panel of experts will share their perspective on the massive piece of bipartisan legislation, consensus on how programs will roll out in 2022, and where and when the funding is most likely to flow.
Panelists:
Michael Johnson – Vice President / U.S. Transmission Sector Lead – Stantec
Ted Murphy – Partner – Hunton Andrews Kurth
Craig Sieben – Director, Energy – AECOM
Ryan Bliss – VP, Transmission Engineering – TRC
Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law and Implications for Environmental Markets in 2022
January 21, 2022
Unpacking the New Infrastructure Law and Implications for Environmental Markets in 2022
Environmental Business International’s next webinar on January 21st features an analysis of the infrastructure law passed in November 2021 and its implications for the environmental and climate change industries.
Federal markets will get a boost, but it is likely that state and local markets will benefit even more, although the timing may be less predictable.
Key areas expected to see major surges in demand, most with funding already in place or fully authorized:
Transportation: roads, rail, ports
Water: supply, treatment, storage, and resilience
Electric vehicle infrastructure
Renewable energy generation; Energy storage; Grid management
PFAS and remediation
Environmental Business Journal® will summarize the latest consensus perspective on how programs will roll out in 2022, and where the funding will flow, and convene a panel of business development executives focused on these markets.
Panelists include:
Matt Chiller – Vice President, Federal Government Relations – Jacobs
Jason Hill – Public Lands Practice Leader – Hunton Andrews Kurth
Brian Boose – Senior Vice President – AECOM
David A. Goldwater – Vice President, Public Policy – Stantec
Geetha Eva Shan – PE Associate Vice President Market Sector Leader Power & Utilities – Arcadis
Perspectives On Strategic Planning In The Environmental Industry 2022
December 17, 2021
Perspectives On Strategic Planning In The Environmental Industry 2022
EBJ’s next webinar on December 17 will be an open discussion between fellow executives sharing perspectives on how they are approaching business planning in today’s dynamic markets.
Large and small firms in the environmental industry have to balance long-term objectives of new markets and new services with short-term performance objectives and resource needs. Find out how industry leaders approach the planning process, and their take on the challenges that new markets pose to their firm and the industry.
Joining host Grant Ferrier, editor of Environmental Business Journal, will be a panel of senior executives from environmental service companies responsible for or that contribute to the strategic plan for their company or business unit.
Following a summary of major market dynamics that EBJ believes necessitate a strategic response, there will be a discussion of the planning process, specific trends impacting each company and industry segment, and strategic initiatives and resource allocations towards those initiatives for 2022 and the rest of the decade.
Panelists:
Curt Bjurlin – Vice President of Environmental Services – Stantec
Frank Sweet – Chief Executive of the Environment Global Business Line – AECOM
Patricia Taylor-Woodyard – SVP – Chief Strategy & Development Officer – Weston Solutions
Environmental Consulting & Engineering Market Analysis and 2022 Forecasts
November 19, 2021
Environmental Consulting & Engineering Market Analysis And 2022 Forecasts
Environmental Business Journal analysts present the most recent update of their model of the U.S. Environmental Consulting & Engineering industry derived from EBI’s database of revenue information on more than 700 firms in the $33 billion industry.
Final full-year analysis of 2020 performance and client sector ratings will be presented, along with a new market forecast for the environmental industry out to 2025.
While market share at the top of the industry changed marginally with some significant transactions in the last couple of years, small and medium-sized players have not lost much ground to their larger competitors.
Notable gains have been made, however, by specialty and boutique practices and firms, and a panel of leading firms and innovators will share their success stories and short and long-term plans for the future.
As decarbonization and electrification spread across industries, institutions and governments, these entities are all making new plans regarding the resilience of their assets in the face of climate change.
But alongside new practice areas traditional service categories in water, air quality, hazardous materials and remediation continue to have legs well into the 2020s.
Perspective on these and other trends will allow webinar participants to approach their end-of-year business planning with confidence. Registering companies will receive a dataset in Excel format, as well as credit towards EBI’s comprehensive Environmental Consulting & Engineering datapack.
Panelists:
Ian Rusk – Managing Principal – ROG + Partners
Joe Smetona – Principal – AEC Advisors
Al Spiers – Founder and CEO – 2020 Environmental Group
What Does COP26 Mean To The Environmental Industry?
October 22, 2021
What does COP26 mean to the Environmental Industry? How are themes at COP impacting business decisions in the regulated community?
The Conference of the Parties will convene in Glasgow 1-12 November 2021. This is not a “normal COP” — coming five years since the Paris ACCORD at COP21, this COP will ask for emboldened commitment. Early indications are the physical attendance in Glasgow will be muted by COVID, but many virtual events are being coordinated to the calendar.
Several Themes are focusing the dialogs at COP26:
1. Finalizing the Rules of the Paris Agreement
Common timelines, Transparency, and Market rules (or taxes)
By the end of COP26 next year, countries must work out the details of three areas within the rulebook of the Paris Agreement. Might Cities emerge as the real players going forward on Climate Policy and Resilience… more than National Governments?
2. Building Resilience and Addressing Loss and Damage
Countries increasingly now are assessing progress made fostering climate resilience and adaptation to adverse impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, flooding, drought, polar vortexes, heat waves — more volatility and more hazardous weather. Are Public-Private Partnerships likely to be the larger-scale structure of response instead of Federal Spending?
3. Financing Climate Action
Public finance for climate action is showing the least progress and greatest signs of distrust.
The global COVID pandemic has clearly dented plans and resources for broader government funding.
How can global capital markets play a larger role? What incentives are needed?
The UN Donor Plan for a Green Fund seems to have failed. How can global capital markets (ESG) play a larger role? What incentives are needed?
4. Focus on a “Decade of Ambition” to Reach Climate Goals Sooner
Which broader actions by 2030 can “bend the curve” on emissions at global scale? More renewables, new build for nuclear energy, increasing electrification of transport, better energy use in major urban areas, large-volume fuel switching… What is the outlook? How can the industry move the needle on emissions sooner? Many companies have made “pledges”… How are those being implemented?
Reference WRI INSIDER: 4 Key Topics Climate Negotiators Must Resolve by COP26
https://www.wri.org/insights/insider-4-key-topics-climate-negotiators-must-resolve-cop26
Moderators:
Andrew D. Paterson, EBI in Washington, DC — Policy & Politics expert
Grant Ferrier, EBI Publisher – Series Organizer
Panelists:
Marian VanPelt, Senior Vice President – ICF, Climate and Clean Energy, WDC
Sam Brown, Partner – Environmental Policy, Hunton Andrews Kurth
Roundtable discussion with EBI Executive Audience — Highly Interactive Dialog
Rapporteur:
James Powell, US Federal Representative – Southern States Energy Board (Biden Appointee).
Highlights and survey results from this session will be provided to the Biden Administration (e.g., DOE, EPA, CEQ). No quotes will be made for attribution, but useful commentary will be summarized as a report out by EBI.
The Water Industry Faces The Challenges Of The 2020s
September 17, 2021
Environmental Business International’s next monthly webinar features a wide-ranging discussion of the water industry and the unique and accelerating challenges that service and technology providers face in a market facing pressure from all sides.
Infrastructure investment is a key theme across the country, and water and wastewater systems are well-positioned in new and revitalized funding programs. Drought and long-term supply challenges juxtaposed against abundance and flood protection and response highlight the significance of climate change on impacting water and wastewater assets. Adaptation and resilience have become a key component of long-term design, upgrades, and operation and maintenance contracts, but new regulations around PFAS, WOTUS, stormwater, and emerging contaminants provide new market drivers in the short term.
Environmental Business Journal convenes a panel of experts in the water industry from consulting engineering firms, operations contractors, and equipment and technology companies to discuss these important trends impacting the water industry in the 2020s, as well as the business and financial issues impacting strategy.
Panelists:
Meena Sankaran – CEO – Ketos
Susan Crawford – Water Services Group Director – CDM Smith
Pauli Overdroff – President – Alarian Associates
Matt Demarco – Vice President – Industrial Infrastructure Program Management, Design and Construction at Arcadis
Peter Shanaghan – Principal Consultant – The Cadmus Group
Private Equity Investment In The Environmental And Climate Change Industries
August 20, 2021
Increasing private equity investment into environmental service and technology companies has been a consistent trend for at least a decade. This trend has accelerated with the onset of the ESG movement across the investment community and heightened interest in climate change solutions.
Along with these industry-wide dynamics come changing investment propositions for professional fund managers and strategic investors. In our August 20th broadcast, EBI convenes a panel of leading edge private equity firms discussing the history and future of their investment strategy, and what they are looking for in investments for the 2020s.
Profitable recurring revenue streams in environmental services yes, but what about technology, digitalization, and project investments in regeneration and carbon fixation?
Professional investors will discuss:
- Technologies and services most of interest to them;
- How ESG has impacted how they manage their portfolio and raise money from limited partners;
- Most successful investments and characteristics investors values in environmental companies.
Panelists include:
Tony Brindisi – Managing Partner – RTC Partners
Chris Melton – Chairman & CEO – The White Oak Group
Michael Castellarin – Managing Director – Clairvest Group
Angus Cole – Managing Director – Head of Energy Transition – Clairvest Group
Evan Kaufman – Principal, KKR Global Impact
The ESG Movement and What It Means To The Environmental Industry
July 16, 2021
EBI’s next webcast is an open discussion of key factors impacting the market for ESG advisory services, featuring practice profiles and a panel discussion with leading ESG service providers.
Environment, social and governance issues have become essential elements for any corporation or entity. ESG is rapidly evolving from statements and commitments to ambitious conversions and cultural transitions across each of the environmental, social, and governance areas.
The ESG movement, combined with the acceleration of corporate commitments to carbon neutrality, is creating new opportunities for environmental service providers and a broad range of professional services firms. Panelists share the specialized expertise of their practice in the rapidly evolving field of ESG advisory services, from planning and strategy to metrics, execution and communication.
Panelists:
Lindsay Ross, Director, Global Client Services – Four Twenty Seven (part of Moody’s ESG Solutions)
Chris Kline – Global Senior Principal, Sustainability and ESG – Cardno
Josh Nothwang – AVP, Sustainability, Energy and Climate Change – WSP
Jill Cooper – JD, Senior Principal – Geosyntec Consultants
Rich Goode – Managing Director, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Services practice – Alvarez & Marsal
Mergers & Acquisitions in the Environmental Industry 2021
June 18, 2021
Have the unique economic circumstances of the year 2021 changed the picture for merger and acquisition activity in the environmental industry? Has there been any impact on valuations, or on activities of private equity investors?
EBJ and a panel of experts and advisors weigh in on these factors, and forecast market conditions for the rest of the year and into 2022.
Data will be presented and discussed on transaction activity and valuations, as well as new entrants the market.
Expert Panelists:
Joe Smetona- Principal- AEC Advisors LLC
Jessica Barclay- Managing Partner- EFCG
Dan Spiers- Partner- 2020 Environmental Group
Colvin Matheson- Managing Director- Matheson Advisors
Disha Mehta- Director- Houlihan Lokey
Bradford Page- Managing Director, Global Investment Banking- RW Baird
Environmental Industry Outlook 2021 and Q2 EBJ Forecast
May 21, 2021
EBI presents the results of its annual survey of the environmental industry to assess 2020 performance and the outlook for 2021 – 2022. Analysis will be shared on market sectors, emerging service categories, as well as when and how the pandemic-impacted segments of the industry and the trajectory of the recovery.
EBJ editor and lead analyst Grant Ferrier will be joined by a panel of market research specialists in environmental service companies and dedicated analysts from the investment and professional services community.
Companies registering for this webcast will receive the presentation slides as well as a custom data set in spreadsheet format.
Panelists include:
Guy Lewis- Executive Director and COO, Environment & Health- Ramboll
Jean Lynch- Global Environment Strategic Marketing and Clients Director- AECOM
Peter Walter- Managing Director- L.E.K. Consulting
Rebecca Zofnass- Managing Partner- EFCG
Fred Carey- President & CEO- Potomac-Hudson Engineering, Inc.
The Biden Administration & The Environmental Industry
April 16, 2021
Government relations experts, federal markets leaders and analysts discuss evolving priorities for the Biden Administration in 2021 and beyond. Budget and political limitations may restrict some legislative and executive options for advancing environmental and climate policy the next four years, but early signs point to a fairly ambitious agenda.
Panelists will share their viewpoint, and the likely impacts on the environmental industry, public and private sector markets, the energy transition, PFAS, de-carbonization and regional markets.
Panelists:
Cara Bellavia- Vice President of Scientific & Technical Services at SWCA
Matthew Chiller- Vice President, Federal and Government Relations at Jacobs
Brian Tynan- Corporate Vice President Government Relations at AECOM
Justin Mosquera- Managing Director, EHS & Air Practice at AECOM
Tom Lewis- National Business Line Leader for Climate, Resilience & Sustainability- WSP
Marisa Harrilchak- Associate- Hunton Andrews Kurth
Climate Change Industry: Evolution and Growth Scenarios for the 2020s
March 19, 2021
Environmental industry leaders discuss short- and long-term views on energy and infrastructure transition, the evolution of a low-carbon economy and the emergence of what EBI calls the climate change industry.
CCBJ offers its 2021 quantitative review of the history and forecast for climate change industry segments with a 20-year history and growth scenarios for the 2020s.
Panelists respond and discuss trends that indicate an industry still a ways from maturity, but poised for growth and significant breakthroughs in the 2020s in:
- renewable energy & energy storage
- electrification of fleets and the built environment
- biofuels for aviation; biogas for RNG
- community solar & off-shore wind
- carbon capture & carbon credits
- natural infrastructure and adaptation & resilience
Panelists include:
Jan Walstrom- Senior Vice President of Strategy and Solutions at Jacobs
Frank Sweet- Executive Vice President at AECOM
Leslie Shoemaker- President at Tetra Tech
Curt Bjurlin- Power Sector Leader – Environmental Services at Stantec
Kevin Doyle- Executive Director of Career Development at Yale School of the Environment
Strategic Planning in the Environmental Industry
February 19, 2021
EBI’s February 19th broadcast features a discussion on strategic planning in the environmental industry, with perspective on 2020 and how leading companies have pivoted or adapted or reset their strategic plan for 2021.
An impressive list of companies and executives will discuss how their companies have reacted to the year that was 2020, and what they look forward to in 2021, and how their long term plans may have or may have not changed.
The recently completed survey by Environmental Business Journal® on strategic planning in the environmental industry will be summarized and discussed by the panel offering more perspective on the process and particular areas of importance to environmental service companies.
Host:
Grant Ferrier- Editor of EBJ, CEO of EBI Inc.
Featured Panelists:
Kathleen Abbott- President Environment of Arcadis
Alyson Watson- Chief Executive Officer of Woodard & Curran
Kurt Beil- Principal & Environment Market Leader, Northern Hemisphere of GHD
Lytle Troutt- Senior Vice President/Regional Manager South, Wood
Joe Monaco- President and CEO of Dudek
Russ Wachter- Managing Director of Client Services and Executive Vice President of Carollo Engineers
Rebecca Zofnass- Managing Partner EFCG
Environmental Information & Data Management
January 15, 2021
Environmental Business Journal continues its webinar series with a focus on environmental information on Friday, January 15 at 3pm eastern time.
The event features EBI analysis on environmental information markets for technology, software and services firms, and a presentation on the rapid transition to digitalization of environmental project data in the 2020s.
Results of a detailed EBJ survey are presented and discussed by two distinguished panels:
One consisting of recent entrants and startups in focus on environmental data management value propositions for environmental services companies and the regulated community
Another consisting of environmental consulting & engineering and project management leaders and how they have invested in software, systems, training and integration of the latest wave of Information Systems to manage, collect, manage, store, analyze, visualize and display project data for themselves and for their clients.
Panelists include:
-Grant Ferrier (host from EBI)
-Jeremy Schewe (Ecobot)
– R. Mukund (Benchmark Digital Partners)
-Mark Packard (DDMS Inc.)
-Jim Jonas (Copper Environmental Consulting)
-Kristen Hazard (Wildnote)
-Emily Mulford (EarthSoft Inc.)
Infrastructure & the Environmental Industry in the 2020s Webinar
*event already passed*
The evolution of infrastructure in the United States during the decade of the 2020s will have a significant impact on American competitiveness, quality of life and the environment.
The deployment of technology and services to disruptive forces surrounding this evolution will offer significant opportunities for today’s environmental industry, and it sheds light on the tangential services that will be offered in the increasingly broadening and integrating professional & technical services market.
Infrastructure categories researched and modeled in market forecasts by Environmental Business Journal include:
Energy & Power
Water & Wastewater
Solid Waste, Recycling & Energy Recovery
Communications & Information Technology
Transportation
EBJ’s service definitions and forecast for this evolving market, and rankings of the most influential disruptive forces in the 2020s, will be presented by EBJ editor Grant Ferrier followed by a panel of experts and practitioners in the market. EBI webinars are scheduled for 2.5 hours but open discussion often stretches to 3 hours.
A presentation and interactive discussion of themes and market data published in EBJ Vol XXXIII No 7/8: Infrastructure & the Environmental Industry in the 2020s
Expert Panelists:
Steve Nalefski– Vice President of Environmental Services at Burns & McDonnell
Amanda Black– Principal at Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc.
Amy Squitieri– Vice President at Mead & Hunt
Curt Bjurlin- Power Sector Leader – Environmental Services at Stantec
Green Buildings & Smart Cities
*event already passed*
EBI presents a webinar summarizing climate change business journal’s recent research on the green buildings and smart cities market segments, and prospects for growth and market evolution in the 2020s.
A summary of EBI’s segmentation and quantification of the climate change industry precedes a more detailed discussion of business opportunities in green buildings and smart cities. Trends in client investment strategies and the competitive dynamics of leading players are discussed with participants from both market segments.
Urbanization of the world’s population continues and buildings still account for 39% of GHG emissions, highlighting the importance of these two challenges. Smart city markets may be several years behind green building markets, but are emerging faster as the pace of technology powers devices, connectivity, and consumer, civic & corporate investment around the world.
Hosted by:
Grant Ferrier, Editor, Climate Change Business Journal
Expert Panelists:
Dr. Avi Patwardhan- Managing Director of Global Smart Cities Practice at Jacobs
Sean Quinn- Sr. Associate & Sustainable Design Leader at HOK
Peter Kindel- Director of Urban Design and Planning at Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill
Jay Mezher- Vice President & Digital Delivery Practice Leader at Mott MacDonald
Peter Glus- North American Big Urban Client Director at Arcadis
Marwan Madi- Emerging Technologies Practice Leader at CDM Smith
Tim Farkas- Director of Finance at Ameresco
Click here to see full details on this feature edition of Climate Change Business Journal
Environmental Industry Outlook & Market Forecast 2020-2021 Webinar
*event already passed*
In this 2-hour Environmental Industry Outlook webinar and interactive discussion, EBI presents its baseline market forecast for 2020 and 2021.
Results and analysis from EBJ’s annual Snapshot Survey are summarized and alternative recovery scenarios are presented.
Two discussion panels ensue featuring economic analysts and management consultants and their take on 2020-2021 scenarios, and then executives from environmental services
12-12.45: EBI Environmental Industry Outlook presentation and panelist response
12.45-1.15: Analyst and Management Consultant view on recovery scenarios
1.15-1.45: Environmental Executive perspective on 2020-2021 markets
Webinar Host and Moderator:
Grant Ferrier- CEO of Environmental Business International
Webinar Guest Speakers:
Pat Taylor-Woodyard- Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Weston Solutions
Bob Grim- Head of Business Development at AnchorQEA
Peter Walter- Managing Director at L.E.K. Consulting
Dave Zarider- Senior Vice President of TRC
Jay Hofmann- President and CEO of Trinity Consultants
