Building industry expert Joe Lstiburek to speak at Appalachian Energy Summit June 4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 29, 2025

Building industry expert Joe Lstiburek to speak at Appalachian Energy Summit June 4

BOONE, N.C. — Joe Lstiburek, founding principal of Building Science Corporation and Lstiburek Consulting Inc., will give the keynote address at the 2025 Appalachian Energy Summit on Wednesday, June 4, at 6 p.m. in the Grandview Ballroom of Kidd Brewer Stadium’s north end zone facility. 

The Appalachian Energy Summit is hosted by Appalachian State University’s Sustainability and Energy Management office. The keynote address is free and open to the public, with limited seating available. 

Lstiburek has been described as “the Dean of North American building science” by The Wall Street Journal. He has played a pivotal role in advancing building codes and practices, particularly in the areas of air barriers, vapor barriers and roof assemblies. As a principal investigator for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program, he contributed to research that influenced major building code updates — most notably, the easing of vapor barrier requirements in the International Residential Code.

“As one of North America’s foremost experts in building science and energy efficiency, Dr. Lstiburek brings invaluable insight into resilient and sustainable building practices — insight that will benefit the attendees of this year’s Appalachian Energy Summit,” said Mike Kapp, director of Sustainability and Energy Management at App State.

Since its inception, the Appalachian Energy Summit has gathered faculty, staff and students from colleges and universities, as well as energy managers, visionaries and government and industry leaders to share ideas and put into action ecological, financial and social processes designed to improve energy efficiency across the University of North Carolina System, the state and beyond. The effort has resulted in $1.96 billion in avoided energy costs by the UNC System, North Carolina community colleges and other state agencies since 2002–03, and the expectation is that the System and state partners will realize $2 billion in avoided costs by 2025.

Sessions for App State’s Appalachian Energy Summit will cover a variety of energy topics, such as transportation-oriented opportunities, pathways toward zero waste and high-performance campus design. Registration for the summit is free for governmental, educational and nonprofit employees, as well as for students from the UNC System and other area colleges and universities. 

Free parking for the keynote address will be available in the Blue Ridge Parking Deck on Stadium Heights Drive, approximately a five-minute walk from the north end zone facility. For a disability accommodation, visit odr.appstate.edu. 

For more information, visit sustain.appstate.edu/initiatives/energy-summit/2025.