Building Energy Efficiency in California

Beckie Menten will work as a consultant with the California Public Utilities Commission in researching and developing energy efficiency implementation strategies to incorporate the goals of the recently adopted Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan into state and local government policies.  Beckie will work closely with city and county officials in California to help them design, implement, and finance building energy efficiency programs.  In the absence of Congressional action on climate policy, California has been a national leader in the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, passing the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) which requires the state to reduce GHGs to 1990 levels by 2020.  Energy efficiency improvements in the building sector represent a significant untapped reservoir of energy savings and GHG reductions.  With the combination of AB32 requirements, stimulus funding, and new municipal financing programs, California is poised to launch the nation’s largest building retrofit program and achieve dramatic energy savings.  Beckie will take the lead role within the Energy and Efficiency Planning Section to monitor and facilitate local government participation in retrofit programs.