Building Baselines: Erin Cosgrove, Esq.
In this interview, Erin Cosgrove, Director of Policy and Programs with Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), shares insights from her career at the intersection of environmental advocacy, energy policy, and law. Drawing from her diverse background, she discusses the critical role of data, collaboration, and policy innovation in shaping a sustainable energy future. Calico is grateful to Erin for sharing her expertise and perspective—her ability to connect big-picture policy goals with the everyday experiences of contractors, consumers, and communities is exactly why we loved this conversation. We hope you enjoy.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and your work with Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP)?
I have been with NEEP for four years now. In my time at NEEP, I have transitioned from being a Manager on the Policy and Programs team to a Director, currently. This role enables me to do both energy efficiency research (which is a passion of mine) and also think strategically about energy efficiency policy in the NEEP region and how NEEP can be a resource for states, communities, companies, and non-profits.
I started my work in energy efficiency at a trade association, the Energy Efficiency Alliance. I think having that experience and knowledge of the businesses in this field and how programs can impact them has really helped me in my role at NEEP where I get to work more directly on policy and best practices in energy efficiency.
Finally, one of the things I love about my role is the ability to help states navigate and implement policy. We provide direct technical assistance to states but also write and submit comments to outline recommendations for energy efficiency programs, implementation of clean heat standards, and other energy efficiency and building decarbonization policies and programs. These comments can impact how programs are designed, and policy is implemented, and it makes the role and the work just that much more meaningful when you get to see actions and recommendations implemented that you had some assistance in crafting.
Your career path spans environmental advocacy, energy policy, and legal work - from the Delaware Riverkeeper Network to your current role at NEEP. How has this interdisciplinary background shaped your approach to accelerating building decarbonization, and what unique perspectives do you bring to policy development that might differ from more traditional policy professionals?
Both my legal background and work in environmental advocacy and environmental justice afford me a unique perspective of energy policy. I was given the opportunity to work for an environmental justice attorney at the Public Interest Law Center in Philadelphia as a law student and the experience I had there really helped me understand the connection between regulatory decisions and the impacts on people’s communities and homes. Because of my past experience in environmental law, I firmly believe there is a clear connection between our energy and our environment, and energy efficiency offers a unique space where I can have an impact on both of those fields.
Because of this connection, I am very passionate about how energy efficiency plans are designed and what policies are pursued, especially ones that help to decarbonize homes (and help individuals live in healthier spaces) and ones that support a flexible, reliable grid (that looks to people and not power plants to run). This position also affords me the opportunity to work collaboratively with parties that I might likely see on opposing sides in court rooms and other legal settings. In fact, I litigated against a utility in one job and crafted energy efficiency policy with that same utility in the next job. Being in the energy efficiency space, especially at NEEP, provides me this unique opportunity to collaborate with parties and identify solutions that work across the board. It is a truly unique experience.
What have you learned since joining NEEP that most surprises you?
Since joining NEEP, I have gone on my own electrification journey. I’ve converted from oil and wood to heat pumps, purchased an EV, and recently bought a heat pump washer dryer. What I have learned most of all from this process and my policy work is the importance of good workforce policies, informational campaigns, and consumer education. For most of these upgrades I had to go back and forth with contractors, car salesman, and a local hardware store who insisted that I might regret my decisions to electrify. At NEEP, I think about these everyday decisions at a very high level, like what states should prioritize in energy efficiency plans and what products should be offered. My experiences have taught me that it is not only the frameworks and program design that matter but the execution and buy-in of everyday people like contractors and consumers.
I think one of the most impactful things I can do at NEEP is enable everyone to understand and participate in making their own homes more efficient – purchasing high efficiency equipment can reduce energy burden and invest in a comfortable home. For my role especially, that means creating materials, such as the Regional Roundup Regional Roundup, that enables the public with information to participate in these proceedings. It’s also important to make sure that we think about how to connect with contractors and consumers with energy efficiency programs, through educational materials, resources, and contractor networks.
Let’s dream a bit. Tomorrow, you wake up, and every utility can deliver a complete data set for the built world, including Affordable Housing / Multifamily buildings, when owners ask for it. Utility program owners can use it to empower and inform their programs. Customers and building owners can use it to make smarter decisions for their buildings. What are you most excited about and why? What else do you think is possible with this whole building data access?
A few things immediately popped into my head: building performance standards, buildings as power plants, empowering consumers to be a part of the grid (and be reimbursed for it). Unlocking data will help utilities, regulators, and consumers manage energy usage and ensure grid reliability. Unlocking data can also lead to more equitable policies. A data set on high-use affordable multi-family buildings and low-income residents can help policy makers and utilities design programs that better serve these communities and can help alleviate energy burden for those who are most in need. We explored this at NEEP in our paper on Using Equity to Help Achieve Decarbonization and Equity GoalsUsing Equity to Help Achieve Decarbonization and Equity Goals.
Equity requires that we recognize disparities that already exist in our energy and housing system and create programs that are designed to overcome these barriers.
Can you talk about the origin story of NEEP’s Regional Roundup? How do you see this resource evolving over time?
NEEP has been publishing the regional round up for well over 10 years (you can past versions on our webpage). It provides a great way to identify common themes in our states and new policies in our region. It offers a way to compare how different states are approaching energy efficiency and building decarbonization. A great feature we added this year was a breakdown of the top performing states and movers and shakers (those with the most changes) in our blog, Snapshot of Regional Energy Efficiency Policy, this year. For policy wonks, it provides a great snapshot of all the work our states are doing.
The northeast is currently busy with a lot of new city and state BPS and benchmarking policies, and programs advancing heat pump adoption, like the New England Heat Pump Accelerator. How do you see these policies evolving over time?
As we highlighted in our Setting the Table for Building Decarbonization Report, there is no single policy that will achieve energy efficiency and building decarbonization goals. Instead, we need states to enact a full suite of policies. I am especially excited to see more states and cities proposing building performance standards because these policies are key to initiating change in commercial buildings, especially in the multifamily space, as they set targets and mandate reductions. Benchmarking is another great policy tool that has been emerging. Benchmarking is great as the “gateway” to BPS, but also as a stand-alone program. Accounting for the energy usage of buildings can help identify high users and inform building owners as they plan long-term investments and upgrades. They provide an excellent “nudge” for building owners.
We are also seeing a lot of activity around heat pumps and heat pump water heaters in our region. BPS and benchmarking drives building changes, but the NEEP region must also transform the market for appliances. NEEP is helping a five-state coalition adopt a multi-state midstream heat pump program that we are hoping can really move the market on this technology, the New England Heat Pump Accelerator. In addition, NEEP just released a Northeast High-Performance HVAC Market Assessment report that shows how the NEEP region is increasing its adoption of heat pumps, even as sales decline nationally
You've worked across multiple states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region, helping communities and agencies adopt equitable building decarbonization strategies. Can you share a specific policy or program initiative where you've seen meaningful and unique progress, and what challenges were overcome to make that breakthrough?
The policies I have been most excited about are clean heat standards and cap-and-invest programs. These programs seek to lower emissions through regulations on market actors and create investment in efficient, electric technology. As we see states looking for additional funding for energy efficiency programs and seeking ways to transition the fuel industry, I think these two policies can be the most impactful to initiate market change. In my role at NEEP, I have been able to research and discuss these policies more as states start enacting them. For those who are wondering what these policies are and how they can be so impactful, please check out Can a Clean Heat Standard Transition the Fossil Fuel Industry and our Implementation Guide on Cap-and-Invest Programs for Equitable Decarbonization.
With your dual background in law and public policy, and your experience working at the intersection of environmental protection and energy efficiency, how do you define "equitable" decarbonization, and what do you believe are the most critical steps we need to take to ensure that building electrification and energy transitions don't leave vulnerable communities behind?
I love this question. Because I am so passionate about equitable decarbonization, I have had the opportunity to create resources on this topic while at NEEP.
I define equitable decarbonization as “providing equal access to the benefits of energy efficiency programs and meeting customers where they are” in these programs. Equity requires that we recognize disparities that already exist in our energy and housing system and create programs that are designed to overcome these barriers.
For critical steps, I think there are key points in the implementation of energy efficiency programs where regulators, implementers, and utilities can center equity (stakeholder engagement, conducting a gap analysis, benefit-cost testing, tracking implementations metrics, goals, and performance incentives). Changes to each of these components for energy efficiency planning can help ensure programs are designed to overcome barriers and provide benefits to all customers. We discuss these in more detail in our Centering Equity with Metrics Report.
Another important part of equity in programs is leveraging data. We released a report that explores this in more detail but I think there are two key places where data can be used to overcome barriers in program implementation: (1) using granular data to enhance energy efficiency portfolio programs and measures, and (2) using data sets to identify customers who have the highest energy need and stand to gain the most from participation. We explore both of these ways to leverage data to ensure equity in NEEP’s Using Data to Achieve Decarbonization and Equity Goals brief.
Finally, what advice would you give to someone aspiring to work in environmental policy and community partnerships?
For anyone interested in making a career in the energy and environment industry, do not shut the door to a job or internship that might not seem “interesting”. I never thought that utility regulation and how I heat and cool my home would be a passion project of mine but here I am. Over time I have learned more about how strong the connection is between how we power our grid and the environment. And I am always excited to come to work because I both protect the environment and invest in homes and businesses that make people’s lives more comfortable and healthier.
Take what opportunities you have and find out what makes you passionate but also understand that there are a lot of ways that you can work in this field. It’s important to leave the door open for those opportunities.
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