As Maine Goes, So Goes the Nation
February 12, 2026
How Maine is charting a path toward a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable built environment.
This was the focus of passivhausMAINE's (phME) 13th Annual Forum, held February 12–14, 2026 at the Abromson Community Education Center at the University of Southern Maine in Portland. Shannon Richards was a panelist for one of the discussions.
Drawing on Maine's state motto Dirigo ("I lead"), the theme highlighted how innovation in Maine is shaping the future of construction, energy, and community resilience across the country.
Through panels, keynote presentations, workshops, site walks, and networking, the forum explored Maine's progress in workforce training, high-performance housing, and low-carbon technologies as a path toward a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable built environment.
At its core, the forum was about momentum — learning from Maine's experience, its successes, challenges, and innovations, and understanding how regional leadership can drive national change.
Shannon Richards joined a moderated roundtable discussion focused on the ways that we can utilize policy and engagement to support the advancement of smaller multi-family housing. This discussion will feature perspectives on policy, architecture, and development.