Special thanks to our partners AMFP GNY for their collaboration on bringing this great event together. Join us for a joint ASHRAE NYC/ AMFP GNY chapter meeting. The biggest myth about electrification is that it is accomplished in one fell swoop. In reality, it is a journey that requires essential enabling measures to reduce fossil-fuel driven loads and allow buildings to close the broad gap between current conditions and eventual electrification. NYC LL97 is structured around exactly this process, and sets a measured pace for buildings to remove on-site combustion of fossil fuels. Decarbonization of the healthcare space targets the facilities that are essential to society but contribute an outsized proportion of carbon emissions.  

This discussion will feature healthcare stakeholders and the engineers who they have worked with to complete the crucial enabling measures that allow for long-term electrification of their healthcare facilities.

Panelists:

Jonathan Liang

Jonathan Liang is the Director of Plant Operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, bringing over 12 years of healthcare facilities experience to one of the world’s leading cancer institutions. A Certified Healthcare Facility Manager and Certified Energy Manager, he also holds High-Pressure Boiler and Refrigeration Machine Operator licenses.

Jonathan leads critical infrastructure operations with a strategic focus on decarbonization, energy efficiency, and long-term sustainability. He is committed to advancing resilient, low-carbon healthcare environments that support exceptional patient care while reducing environmental impact.

Jenna Agins, MBA, MS

Jenna Agins is the Assistant Director of Energy & Sustainability at NYU Langone Health, where she leads the institution’s sustainability program with a focus on strategic planning and cross-functional collaboration to advance environmental goals and foster a culture of sustainability. Under her leadership, NYU Langone became the first New York City member of the U.S. Health Care Climate Council and committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Her strategies have significantly reduced energy use, emissions, and waste, and have earned green building recognition, including double Platinum certification under USGBC LEED and PEER for the hospital’s largest campus. Jenna holds an MBA and an MS from the University of Michigan and a BA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Adam DeSio, PE

Adam DeSio is the Healthcare Sector Lead at NYSERDA, where he develops NYSERDA's strategy for engaging with the Healthcare Sector, with a specific focus on Safety Net hospitals and hospitals located in disadvantaged communities. In this role, he developed and administered the recent Empire Building Challenge: Hospitals program, which evaluated competitive applications for funding of decarbonization measures at healthcare sites, and awarded a total of $58 million dollars to fund these improvements.

Adam holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY Maritime and is a licensed Professional Engineer (NY) and Project Management Professional. He serves on the ASHRAE NYC Chapter Government Affairs Committee and as co-chair of the New York Healthcare Protocol.

Ryan McCarthy

Ryan McCarthy joined Jaros, Baum & Bolles in 2012 and currently serves as a Principal. During this time, he has led multidisciplinary teams in the design and delivery of complex projects across the healthcare, hospitality, commercial, and laboratory sectors. His approach centers on strategic leadership, fostering collaboration, and translating client objectives into actionable solutions.

His responsibilities include directing and mentoring project teams, cultivating a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and continuous improvement. He oversees project management, architectural coordination, and the development of client presentations, ensuring clarity and alignment with client goals. He has also been the lead project manager for new facilities such as the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, The JACX with Tishman Speyer in Long Island City, the Kellen Tower for the Hospital for Special Surgery, and the MSKCC Pavilion.

Moderator:

Zachery Wills

Zachery Wills serves as an Associate with the Deep Carbon Reduction Group at Jaros, Baum & Bolles. Since joining the firm in 2019, he has worked with numerous energy and HVAC design teams, specializing in healthcare and including a wide range of other market sectors, among them aviation, laboratories and commercial high-rise occupancies. His responsibilities include team leadership, modeling, coordination, data analysis and preparation of reporting documents.

Mr. Wills holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Fordham University. He serves as a Chair of the ASHRAE NYC Chapter Industry Partnerships Committee, Chair of ASHRAE NYC’s Healthcare Decarbonization Committee, and is a member of Urban Green Council’s Monthly Programs Committee as well as serving as Co-Chair for JB&B’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.