2020 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Synapse presented two papers at the 2020 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings conference:

  1.  Kenji Takahashi presented a paper on a survey that examined various U.S. state and local building decarbonization policies and programs. This paper identifies the importance of overarching GHG emission targets and building electrification, the role of different policies targeting new vs. existing buildings, important synergies between clean energy supply policies and building demand policies, the role of municipal leadership, the need for program coordination, and the importance of addressing equity issues.

     

  2. Asa Hopkins presented a paper entitled "Keep Warm and Carry on: Electrification and Efficiency Meet the 'Polar Vortex'" which examines the hypothetical future case of universal building decarbonization through electrification when exposed to a “polar vortex” weather event, modeled on the event that spread from the Upper Midwest through New England in January 2019.