Seen & Heard: An overview of NEEP's activities in the field
This quarter, NEEP staff participated in many meetings, conferences and other public forums around the region. Here is a sample of places NEEP staff were "Seen and Heard" in the second quarter of 2008.
Regional Initiatives Team
Director of Regional Initiatives, Ed Schmidt facilitated two tracks (carbon and policy) at the Affordable Comfort Conference in Pittsburgh in April to deepened the engagement of residential field practitioners as well as policy, program and evaluation staff on climate change issues and the general policy underlying efficiency programs. Additionally, in May, Ed participated in a "thought-partners" meeting hosted by the Barr Foundation to identify issues and opportunities in low income residential retrofit efforts. Also in May, Ed led a panel at the Heating Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International Northeast/mid-Atlantic regional meeting to introduce HVAC distributors and trade associations to efficiency issues and to drive expanded relationships between efficiency programs and HVAC distributors. Other activities Ed engaged in during the second quarter included serving on the Air Conditioning Contractors of America Quality Installation Verification Protocols working group, participating in the Department of Energy's (DOE) workshop on ENERGY STAR for SSL and participating in the DOE's technical workshop regarding air conditioner and heat pump standard rulemaking.
Residential Programs Manager, Melissa Lucas participated in several meetings across the region during the quarter including: NYSERDA's SSL Product Funding, Demonstrations and Business Opportunities meeting in Albany; the National Lighting Product Information Program meeting at the Lighting Research Center in Troy, NY; the GasNetworks meeting in Westboro, Mass.; and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency's quarterly meeting in Boston. Melissa also facilitated a High Efficiency Home Solutions Working Group meeting in Connecticut and organized the ENERGY STAR Products quarterly working group meeting hosted by the Long Island Power Authority.
David Lis, Initiatives Program Associate was also active in meetings and events throughout the region. Dave was on hand at a ceremony in Washington, DC in April to receive the NERGY STAR Award for Sustained Excellence on behalf of Initiative sponsors. Later that month, he also accepted the Environmental Merit Award from EPA region 1 in Boston, MA on behalf of NEEP sponsors. Additionally, Dave participated in a two day teleconference meeting hosted by the Product Stewardship Institute on Fluorescent lighting recycling; attended the Consortium for Energy Efficiency's program meetings and co-hosted the quarterly Northeast ENERGY STAR Products Initiative Working Group meeting at the Long Island Power Authority.
Public Policy Team
Policy Director Jim O’Reilly was invited by the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources to participate in a strategic discussion with energy efficiency stakeholders regarding the state’s plans to implement pending legislation mandating the procurement of all cost-effective energy efficiency. Jim also continued to serve on the New Hampshire Climate Change Task Force’s Working Group on Residential, Commercial and Industrial Buildings, preparing draft action reports related to building energy codes, beyond code guidelines and enhanced code compliance.
High Performance Schools Exchange Manager Carolyn Sarno made a presentation on Northeast-CHPS at the Maine Saving Energy in SChools Conference in April. Also in April, Carolyn discussed Northeast-CHPS at the monthly meeting of Rhode Island Maintenance Directors. In May, Carolyn presented Northeast-CHPS to the Vermont Planners Association annual meeting at Vermont Law Schools. Finally, in June, she discussed the Rhode Island Circuit Rider and Northeast-CHPS with the Rhode Island chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
