Expect volatility as energy markets adjust to tariffs
We all know that energy cannot be created or destroyed. We also know that it can be expensive. My news feed this morning was filled with articles on the new reciprocal tariffs and the...
Zoning sets the foundation for sustainability
Recently, ULI’s Lewis Center for Sustainability hosted a sustainability exchange session, titled: Reshaping the City: Zoning for Sustainability, Health, and Inclusion, in which Sara C. Bronin, author of “Key To The City” discussed how...
Does daylight savings save?
When I was in California, I had a famous quote by Albert Einstein on a sign by my door: “Energy cannot be created or destroyed.”
And underneath it in wiggly handwriting I wrote “But it...
Utility Management Advisory: An Origin Story
“No matter how hard I try, I can never, ever know everything about utility management.” I was a single contributor in my company and felt I would never get the experience necessary to be...
Blame it on the ground hog!
On February 2, 2025, Punxsutawney Phil, AKA “The Groundhog” suggested that there would be 6 more weeks of winter. Over the past 130 years, Phil has been accurate about 40% of the time, which...
Wherefore art thou sustainability
So last week, we talked about Caddy Shack. It is a perfect segway into Shakespeare.
In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” Juliet from her balcony contemplates her love for Romeo despite her family’s feud with his...
Clearing the air on gas ranges
If you have not watched the movie, “Caddy Shack” I highly recommend it. Not only is it one of Bill Murray’s finest performances, but it also contains one of the most hilarious scenes ever,...
The roots of sustainability
I was recently reminded of my early roots in sustainability in multifamily. Specifically, carrots.
For my first major renovation, I wanted to do a toilet retrofit, which would replace over 450 toilets which used 1.8...
The double materiality payoff
The 1944 Film Noir, “Double Indemnity, gets its title from the insurance clause which doubles life insurance payouts due to death occurring in a rare way. Whenever I hear the sustainability term “double materiality”,...
Two myths of solar
There are a couple reasons that I am thinking about solar and the myths about its efficacy today.
As I look out my window and watch the snow falling, I am reminded of the temperature...
Contemplating solar
My husband tells me this is a true event, although I do not have any memory of it. In 2017, I had surgery and underwent general anesthesia. When finally allowed to see me, my...
Shower the people …
There is no question that winter is here, which makes hot showers even more glorious. I must really watch my timer to ensure that my shower time is reasonable and not indulgent. Maybe my...
GRESB is where the action is
One of my favorite Elvis Presly songs, “A little less conversation” starts with the lyric, “A little less conversation a little more action, please”, which speaks to my soul.
I like practicing sustainability and reporting...
A short guide to staying up-to-date
The first time I ever presented a case study purely on the economic value of sustainability was at the NWP Energy Summit in 2014. It was an amazing, nerve-wracking experience in which, prior to...
Requiem for sustainability?
As a practitioner of sustainability in multifamily, sometimes I hear things that crack me up. My all-time favorite was an article about a town in North Carolina which moved to ban solar because it...
