Policy Synergist Fellow

Policy Synergist Fellow

About the Organization:

The building sector accounts for approximately 40% of U.S. carbon emissions. The MEETS Coalition seeks to transform the building sector by transforming the way efficiency improvements and carbon reductions are undertaken.

The existing transaction structures for energy efficiency are 30 years old and were not designed to deliver the kinds of building improvements and decarbonization now required to prevent the climate crisis. MEETS (the Metered Energy Efficiency Transaction Structure) reimagines the way energy efficiency is transacted, mimicking not old-school utility programs, but instead, the powerful structures society has already used to scale renewable energy across the country and the planet.

In short, MEETS turns energy efficiency into Efficiency Energy and allows parties to transact on it just as we do all other forms of energy. (Learn more at MeetsCoalition.org)

http://meetscoalition.org

Fellowship Description:

Local and state policies in the U.S. related to building energy use and decarbonization are expanding rapidly. These policy “sticks” often create significant economic stress for owners of commercial real estate. While this stress is highly motivating, it does not (by itself) create a financeable economic transaction capable of transforming buildings. Building owners are often left with no option other than to simply pay penalties and leave their buildings unchanged. In many locations, building owners attempt to challenge the policies either in court or in the next election cycle.

MEETS is a policy “carrot” that can supercharge building performance standards, carbon penalties and other policies, turning building owners into allies rather than enemies of such programs. MEETS can transform these policies from a yoke around the necks of building owners, to an opportunity to harvest and sell the Efficiency Energy that is currently wasted in their buildings.

The Policy Synergist will research and report on U.S. geographic locations where policy synergies exist between:

-Building Performance Standards

-Carbon Penalties in The Building Sector

-Building Benchmarking Requirements

-On Bill Repayment Approaches

-Significant State Energy Office Budgets/Resident

-Energy Price Volatility

The goal is to determine the places that best combine:

-Policy pressure to decarbonize buildings

-Openness to new approaches to energy efficiency

Use of A.I. (backed by human review) to accelerate the research process is worthy of discussion.

Qualifications:

-Familiarity with the impact of buildings on the environment.

-Experience with energy efficiency and or commercial buildings and associated policies.

-Demonstrated research skills.

-Interest in market transformation.

-Curiosity and humor.

-Strong English proficiency

Time Commitment:   Flexible