Alliance to Save Energy Reorganizes to Reach 2010 Goals

Washington, D.C. – The Alliance to Save Energy has restructured to enhance its position as the premier organization promoting energy efficiency worldwide to achieve a healthier economy, a cleaner environment, and greater energy security.

The structural changes underscore the Alliance’s evolution from a U.S.-based organization with overseas operations to an international organization working in two dozen countries. The ultimate aim of the reorganization, and of the Alliance’s plans to expand its programs and staff, is to promote and facilitate a significant reduction in the growth in global energy consumption between now and 2010.

“Despite significant deployment of energy efficiency worldwide, overall energy use continues to grow at alarming rates,” stated Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “World energy consumption will grow by more than 50 percent over the next two decades, even though global energy intensity – energy per dollar of output – is predicted to fall by about 20 percent.

“Reducing the projected, staggering growth in the world’s appetite for energy requires rapid and effective deployment of energy-efficiency practices and technologies in every energy-using sector of the economy: transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial,” Callahan noted. “To move in that direction, the Alliance will focus its significant human, technical, and financial resources on taking leadership in worldwide research, policy advocacy, education, technology deployment, and communications initiatives to assure that efficiency is used to slow energy demand, protect the environment, and enhance energy security.”

Under the reorganization, six “practice areas” were created to organize and expand the Alliance’s programmatic and activities

• Utilities and Buildings – led by Harry Misuriello, includes residential and commercial codes and standards work, labeling activities, and electric and gas utility initiatives world-wide;
• Market Transformation – led by Kate Offringa, focuses on worldwide market deployment of energy-efficient technologies including windows, appliances, lighting, and HVAC systems;
• Industrial – led by Christopher Russell, focuses on improving the efficiency of manufacturing and other industrial processes;
• Education – led by Merrilee Harrigan, focuses on bringing energy efficiency curricula, practices, and technologies into all levels of academia from grammar school to colleges and universities;
• Municipal Services – will focus on improving the efficiency of municipal services including water systems and district heating; and,
• Transportation – will focus on reducing the use of petroleum through improving the efficiency of technologies that move people and goods.

Five areas join cornerstone practice areas of the Alliance that will support the entire organization

• Research and Analysis – led by Joe Loper, will provide analytical support and research capabilities to all Alliance programs and initiatives;
• Policy – led by Kara Saul Rinaldi, will continue to develop and advocate government policies and programs that promote and advance the use of energy efficiency;
• Development – led by Leslie Black Cordes, will identify funding for programs that further the Alliance’s mission, goals, and objectives;
• Communications and Marketing – led by Rozanne Weissman, will continue to educate key audiences, including the media, policymakers, and the general public, about energy efficiency and related issues; and,
• Public and Corporate Relations – led by Zoe Dawson, will design and support Alliance functions, activities, and events related to its corporate Associates.

To carry through the Alliance’s ambitious plans, several staff were recently promoted to executive positions: Mark Hopkins from vice president to executive vice president and chief operating officer; Leslie Cordes from director of corporate and program development to vice president for program development; and Joe Loper from director of international programs to vice president for research and analysis.

“The greatest asset of the Alliance to Save Energy is its experienced and seasoned staff,” Callahan noted. “The Alliance will succeed in expanding its sphere of influence and achieving its mission not through a new organizational chart, but rather through the talent, dedication, and hard work of the staff it has assembled and their commitment to the cause of energy efficiency.”