Buildings, Energy Efficiency, and Energy Management: The New Paradigm

In 2008, U.S. buildings accounted for 8% of global primary energy consumption, 40% of U.S. primary energy consumption, and 40% of U.S. total carbon emissions. Thus, improving the efficiency of buildings is critical. For three decades, California has led the world on energy efficiency policies and programs. The lecture will discuss the relationship between buildings, energy consumption and emissions, California’s long-standing international leadership on energy efficiency, and efforts nationally and internationally using public policy, academic expertise, and private efforts to transform the building market.

Dian M. Grueneich is a nationally recognized expert in energy and environmental issues, with more than 33 years’ experience.  Her focus is on energy efficiency, climate change, renewable energy resources, transmission planning and permitting, demand response, and advanced meter infrastructure (smart grid). Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Grueneich served as a Commissioner on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) from 2005 – 2010.  While at the CPUC, Ms. Grueneich was the lead commissioner on energy efficiency and demand response.  She provided leadership for the groundbreaking development of the 2008 California Long-Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, overseeing a 40% expansion of energy efficiency funding in 2009, which resulted in the current three-year, $3.8 billion energy efficiency program of California investor-owned utilities, the largest program in the United States.  She also focused on the adoption of California’s “net zero energy” building goals, as well as the launch of Engage 360, the state’s clean energy marketing/outreach effort, and Energy Upgrade California, the state’s home retrofit program. Ms. Grueneich was also the lead commissioner on transmission issues, overseeing the streamlining of California’s transmission-siting process and the successful permitting of three major new transmission lines, resulting in more than $6 billion of new energy infrastructure to carry new renewable power.  During her tenure, Ms. Grueneich helped establish the California Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative, the parallel Western Renewable Energy Zone Initiative, and the Western Interconnection’s regional transmission planning process.  She also served on the Transmission Expansion Planning Policy Committee of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, the FERC/NARUC Smart Response Collaborative, and the International CHP/DHC Collaborative sponsored by the International Energy Agency. Prior to her appointment to the CPUC, Ms. Grueneich served as a board member of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and is a past-president of the California League of Conservation Voters.   Ms. Grueneich currently serves on the U.S. Department of Energy Electricity Advisory Committee, its Smart Grid Advisory Sub-Committee, and the Leadership Council of the China-US Energy Efficiency Alliance.   Ms. Grueneich obtained her J.D. from Georgetown University and her B.A. in Human Biology in 1977 from Stanford University.  She currently serves on the. Advisory Council of Stanford’s Precourt Energy Institute and has served on the Advisory Council of its Precourt Energy Efficiency Center since 2009.