Turning Policy into Performance: Measuring Equity to Achieve Restorative Justice

September is here and, with it, possibly the strangest first day of school in recent history. Remote learning, work from home schedules, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of unemployed, mean many live, work, and play in a full house and rely on energy to connect to the outside world. Soon, heating systems across the country will be switched on for the winter. Consistent and uninterrupted…

At the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic is the topic of reopening schools, whether that be at the elementary, high school, or university level. The global crisis has shed light on the quality of learning environments, and further emphasizes the growing body of research that establishes the role those environments play in both occupant health and student achievement. As uncertainties remain and…

I'll never forget moving into my first home during junior year of college. It was a spacious, rambling ranch with over 4.6 acres of wooded area at the end of a quiet neighborhood. It was anything but typical for a college student, so understandably, we were head over heels and excited to move in. Similar to many homebuyers and renters on the hunt for their next place, we were captured by plenty…

COVID-19 is an unprecedented global pandemic that has impacted our lives in every imaginable way. Even as we adjust, adapt, and begin to reimagine what our future looks like, there is still a lot that is unknown. The energy efficiency and clean energy industry has been quick to respond to the pandemic with moratoriums on utility shutoffs , suspending on-site energy efficiency work, and…

Measurement & Verification (M&V) is a crucial tool in assessing and understanding the effectiveness of energy efficiency programs in order to achieve clean energy goals. Advanced M&V (also called M&V 2.0) is an emerging area that I had the privilege to learn about in two recent NEEP events at the outset of my time as an intern: a webinar on protocols for advanced M&V…

Last week was supposed to be our 2020 NEEP Summit to address Decarbonizing Our Communities to be healthy, resilient, and affordable. We planned to meet in New Haven, Connecticut to explore pathways to accelerate building and transportation decarbonization that create opportunities and solutions for everyone. We had invited leaders from public health, affordable housing, energy efficiency,…

As we settle into an undefined period of time at home and away from our offices, my thoughts turn to colleagues and associates throughout the energy sector – particularly those currently unemployed or underemployed: energy raters, HVAC and renewable energy installers, and code officials.  I cannot recall another time when we, the American public, have collectively thought as much about…

NEEP has been pursuing energy code initiatives at local, state, and regional levels since its inception in 1996. As homes and buildings continue to be one of the largest users of energy in the United States, energy codes work is a strong catalyst for driving down energy use and carbon emissions while improving public health. This is particularly important in the Northeast. …

We find ourselves hanging in a careful balance between continuing our work on various plans and policies that started before COVID-19 and managing a new direct response to the pandemic. This policy tracker is the first of a two-part analysis of policies in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. This first installment focuses on non-COVID-19 policies. Keep an eye out for the second blog analyzing COVID-…

Energy codes can push the market in powerful ways. Their pervasive influence in the sustainability industry works to promote increased renewable energy production, grid interconnectedness, and housing affordability. With the added benefit that they improve public health, there has never been a more important time to focus on advanced building energy codes than during the current COVID-19 pandemic…