Tonight, five leaders from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors will receive the Champions of Energy Efficiency in Buildings Award from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The awards will be presented at the 23rd biennial Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, recognizing accomplishments in improving buildings’ efficiency. An ACEEE Board of Directors committee selected the winners, nominated by peers, for their impact, innovation, and leadership in reducing energy waste and advancing sustainability.
“These five individuals are at the forefront of ensuring that homes and other buildings use energy efficiently to serve their occupants and protect our environment,” said Mitchell Simpson, chair of the awards committee and director of the Arkansas Energy Office. “Their remarkable achievements in advancing efficient buildings are creating a more affordable and sustainable energy future. Out of a truly exceptional pool of nominees, we are delighted to recognize this year’s winners and their excellent work to champion energy efficiency.”
The 2024 winners in this year’s five categories are:
Lifetime Achievement
Margie Gardner, Vice President of Market Transformation at Resource Innovation: For a lifetime of contributions to energy efficiency and in particular for serving as the first executive director of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and leading it to many market transformation successes, and for starting up CalMTA.
Energy Policy
Dr. Nan Zhou, Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: For pathbreaking work to analyze and advance energy efficiency and decarbonization policies in China as well as several other countries to help implement climate pledges and accelerate transitions to resilient, inclusive energy systems.
Research and Development
Amit Kulkarni, Manager of Strategy and Technical Solutions at Eversource: For leading efforts to demonstrate new energy efficiency measures and incorporate them into programs, including those supporting commercial heat pumps and deep energy retrofits.
Implementation and Deployment
Jake Marin, Lead Emerging Opportunities Manager at VEIC: For work to advance use of heat pumps in New England and nationally, including developing cold-climate product specifications and innovative program approaches such as midstream programs.
International Center for Appropriate & Sustainable Technology / Young Professional
Ryan Kristoff, Vice President of Grant Programs at ICAST: For developing programmatic approaches to scaling whole-building green retrofit solutions in underserved multifamily affordable housing, including work to better serve this housing through the Weatherization Assistance Program.
This year’s Champions join a select group of efficiency leaders recognized by ACEEE at the annual Summer Study conferences for their extraordinary contributions and leadership.
