The MIT Enterprise Forum of the Central Coast will present an event titled “More with Less: Energy Efficiency Tomorrow and Today” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 at the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion, 1118 E. Cabrillo Blvd. in Santa Barbara.

A networking hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. will be followed by panelist presentations.

The topic for discussion will be energy efficiency as a major tool in addressing the looming energy crisis. The World Bank reports that per capita energy use rose 36 percent from 1971 to 2007. Cutting-edge technology that will help offset the energy crisis is being developed in both academia and the private sector, and the event will host panelists from both fields.

UCSB’s Institute for Energy Efficiency recently won $19 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. The institute is developing a range of technologies, from solar cells that cost a tenth of today’s cells to computers and networking equipment that require minimal power to advanced LED lights that could replace bulbs at reasonable costs. In the private sector, Cisco Building Systems, with operations in Santa Barbara, is working to make large buildings more energy efficient.

Panelists will include David Auston, executive director of the Institute for Energy Efficiency and the Center for Energy Efficient Materials (CEEM) at UCSB. The Center for Energy Efficient Materials uses a cross-disciplinary approach to solve energy issues in photovoltaics, thermoelectrics and solid-state lighting.

Charles Kolstad, Ph.D, professor of environmental economics at UCSB, is chairman of the UCSB Department of Economics and co-director of the newly established UC Center for Energy & Environmental Economics, a joint undertaking of UC Berkeley and UCSB.

Cisco Building Systems will be represented by Ed Richards, a mechanical environmental engineer who has more than 25 years of experience in engineering and constructing buildings. The Cisco Network Building Mediator Manager is one tool used for energy efficiency; it can monitor and adjust a wide range of systems, from the heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system to photovoltaics, lighting, power meters, wind and solar energy systems, fuel cells and landscape irrigation.

Stephen Nellis, sci-tech editor and staff writer for the Pacific Coast Business Times, will serve as the moderator for the event.

Tickets are $15 for students and $30 online, or $40 at the door. Click here to register for the event.

Premier sponsors include Noozhawk, CIO Solutions, Express Employment Professionals,Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Nasif, Hicks, Harris & Co., Pacific Coast Business Times, Radius Group Commercial Real Estate, Riviera Insurance Services LLC, Socal IP Law Group LLC, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth and Visus. Supporting sponsors for the event are Alma Rose Winery & Vineyards, DuPont, EVC and Mission Ventures.

— Noozhawk business writer Taylor Orr can be reached at torr@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @NoozhawkBiz, @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.