ELPN: Decarbonization Forum: Realistic Pathways for Affordable Housing

With an expanding array of legislation pushing for carbon neutrality at both the state and federal levels, now is the time to have an in-depth, targeted discussion around electrifying and decarbonizing affordable housing in the Bay Area. This panel discussion will explore questions around the economic feasibility of sustainable design strategies, common challenges and solutions, and best practices. Attendees will hear from experts in the field and will be able to ask questions and share insights on this critical issue in affordable housing development.

Speakers include:

Cailtin Rood, Senior National Account Manager, Bright Power

Caitlin Rood is a national multifamily housing account manager for Bright Power.  She manages a portfolio of affordable and market rate multifamily clients with national portfolios.  In this role, she works with her clients on a variety of efforts such as developing decarbonization plans, advancing carbon reduction efforts, measuring portfolio energy and water consumption and emissions, assisting in meeting local benchmarking and emissions caps, and implementing efficiency, electrification, renewable, and other projects.   Prior to working for Bright Power, Ms. Rood was Mercy Housing’s National Environmental Sustainability Director for 8 years.  Under her leadership, Mercy Housing exceeded its goal and commitment to the Better Buildings Challenge by reducing its portfolio-wide (21 M square feet across 325 properties) energy use intensity by 24% and water use intensity by 27% over a 10-year period.  Also under her leadership, Mercy Housing received two energy efficiency awards from the National Apartment Association for its efficiency work.  Ms. Rood previously served as the chair of the  Better Buildings Program Multifamily Steering Committee, the former Vice-chair of the Colorado Pollution Prevention Advisory Board, sat on the California Housing Partnership Coalition Green Residential Energy Efficiency Network Advisory Board, and was named to the Energy + Environment Leader 100 Class of 2019.  Ms. Rood is an environmental engineer with a B.S. and M.S. in civil and environmental engineering and more than 25 years of sustainability experience.

Sean Armstrong, Managing Principal, Redwood Energy

Sean Armstrong is the Managing Principal of Redwood Energy and designed half the all-electric residences built in California and 1/4th the ZNE residences in North America between 2011 and 2020, co-authored 6 guides to building electrification, helped develop 120V heat pump water heaters, provided legal and technical support to 80 gas bans nation-wide, and has received many awards, including the 2017 Grand Prize in sustainable design from the United Nations. 

Rich Peske, Energy Project Manager, Willdan

Rich Peske is an Energy Project Manager at Willdan with over 27 years’ experience in architecture and sustainability, a background in architectural practice, and a diverse portfolio of work across the United States and Canada. As a carbon and energy consultant with a keen interest in high performance and cost-effective design, he collaborates with project owners and design teams to optimize building performance and reduce carbon emissions using a variety of comparative, analysis-based methods. His goal with every project is to provide owners and design teams with meaningful data and insight on carbon and energy reduction, guiding them toward the selection of building systems and measures that yield the greatest impact while balancing cost and feasibility. Much of Rich’s work happens through state and utility-sponsored efficiency programs, allowing his consulting to come at no cost to qualifying projects, and which can also provide incentives that help offset costs for many types of high-performance systems and upgrades. Rich is a frequent presenter on topics related to energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and energy analysis at AIA and other industry events as well as directly to design firms.

David Hodgins (MBA, MRED, LEED AP), Founder & CEO, Sustento Group

Rooted in a deep connection to nature and an abiding faith in human potential, Dave envisions a future where humanity thrives in partnership with nature – where business models support wellbeing, create economic value, and enhance ecosystem health. He has dedicated his career to this vision, working with a diverse set of clients and collaborators – from federal, state, and local governments to global, national, and local lenders, investors, and asset managers, to utilities, advocates, national labs, universities, and affordable housing providers – to innovate at the nexus of energy, and policy, and real estate.

Dave began his career with the Clinton Climate Initiative Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program, where he led private sector project development globally for 3 years. Building from that experience, Dave founded Sustento Group in 2011 to manage implementation of three ARRA-funded programs that eventually became the Los Angeles Better Buildings Challenge, now one of the most significant green building initiatives in the world. While remaining actively engaged in California, Sustento Group now offers a range of advisory services to empower market-leaders across the country to meet the moment.

Dave holds an MBA and a master’s in real estate development from the University of Southern California, as well as a BA in business economics from UCLA.  He resides in rural Colorado with his wife and two children.

Andrew Dawson, Policy Advocacy Manager, California Housing Partnership

Andrew Dawson joined the California Housing Partnership in 2022 as the Policy Advocacy Manager. He interfaces with the housing finance, sustainable housing and research teams to inform policy initiatives and advocate for legislative and regulatory changes working with other nonprofit advocates, government entities and housing professionals. 

Prior to joining the Partnership, Andrew worked in the Senate Housing Committee as part of the California Council on Science and Technology Fellowship program. Andrew acted as a consultant with the committee analyzing housing and homelessness bills, negotiating amendments and briefing members and staff. Some bill topics include electric vehicle charging regulations for multifamily complexes, affordable housing databases and diversity among contractors for CTCAC awardees.  Before transitioning into housing policy, Andrew did his doctorate work studying electrode materials for Li-ion batteries, during which he won various science communication awards and obtained a Leader in Sustainability certificate.