"We administer five low-income programs in Texas and in New Mexico and the bulk of our outreach efforts are driven by agency and non-profit allies who refer individual customers. When we launch a new program or target a new area, we look for established local partners—community-based organizations like churches, libraries, and family service agencies—and then conduct much of our program enrollment through them. We help people save energy and money on their utility bills largely because we put time, effort, and value into cultivating and sustaining these relationships."
Steve Wiese
Director Implementation Services
"We’re working with manufacturers, contractors, and homeowners to close the gap between what the code requires for HVAC and what is actually installed. I’m passionate about education and training—workforce development—to increase the number of contractors that sell, install, and maintain advanced energy efficient HVAC."
Kristen Heinemeier
Engineering Manager
“In Minnesota, our focus is on multifamily, commercial, and industrial. Our staff interact with about 1,300 commercial and industrial customers a month that range from churches and offices to small businesses like muffler shops and bakeries to huge manufacturing plants. It’s a great job; we get to travel all over North America, see how businesses make things and contribute to the economy, and help them save money by reducing their energy use.”
Tanuj Gulati
Director
“During ARRA funding in 2009, I helped implement, administer, and secure $30 million in funding for home upgrade programs that had lasting impacts and shaped the way I design programs today. As I talk with clients about “shovel-ready” programs should federal funding become available in 2021/22, I’ve been sharing four lessons I learned from my ARRA projects.”
Nancy Barba
Director
“I perform monitoring and verification for complex distributed energy resources (DERs) across the United States. Some DERs, like photovoltaic panels and battery storage systems, have no moving parts and operate in silence. You can stand next to one and have no idea if it’s working well—or working at all. Others, like offshore wind farms or fuel cells located on the roof of a high rise, are in places that make visual verification nearly impossible. Companies and utilities want to make sure the DERs are working at peak efficiency and that the energy production, emissions reductions, and provided grid support are correctly credited so they can be monetized."
Dan Robb
Sr. Engineer
“Now, more than ever, restaurants need to find ways to reduce energy costs. Every restaurant can significantly reduce their utility bills by using energy and water efficient appliances. My team and I test and model efficiency of commercial foodservice equipment, and then work with utilities and the restaurant industry to get this equipment into the kitchen!”
Richard Young
Director of Outreach