#meetbeex

My name is Rachel and I am from Saratoga, NY about three hours north of New York City. I am a rising senior at Villanova University double majoring in Political Science and Cultural Studies. I was drawn to Building Energy Exchange based on a desire to learn more about energy efficiency and sustainability.

1. Share your favorite energy factoid. I find it noteworthy that a large percentage of American citizens would like to do more to work on reducing their carbon footprints. About 62% of American households would pay more for environmentally friendly energy solutions if it meant reducing global carbon emissions.

2. What energy campaign would you start in your office or want to share with other offices? The idea of a Daylight Hour as an annual event where businesses commit to turning off the lights for one hour is inspiring. I would work on sharing this idea with other businesses but also expanding the campaign up to a monthly or weekly basis. Most offices hold weekly staff meetings so it may be easy to combine the daylight hour idea with this allotted time for meetings.

3. What are you currently reading right now? I am currently reading “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr- highly recommend.

4. What are some ways you reduce your carbon footprint at home? I generally try to limit my water usage at home. For example, when brushing my teeth or washing dishes, turning off the faucet while it is not necessary can add up to save a decent amount of water. Taking shorter showers is something that has come naturally to me as my schedule fills up and I have less idle time. I could, however, work on turning off the lights more in my home.

Meet Helen Chananie, BEEx Project Associate

Share your favorite energy factoid. Buildings account for nearly 70% of New York City’s total energy use and almost 75% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions – that leaves us with a lot of room for making them greener and more efficient. 

What energy conservation campaign would you start in your office or want to share with other offices?  BEEx is great about using the A/C sparingly, but I would love for other offices to turn their thermostats up a few degrees in the summer. Overly air-conditioned spaces are not only uncomfortable and wasteful of energy, but research suggests they actually decrease worker productivity. 

What are you currently reading? Ursula LeGuin’s “City of Illusions” and Robert Putnam’s “Bowling Alone.”

What are some ways you reduce your carbon footprint at home? Little things like turning off lights and appliances when not in use, programming the thermostat, recycling, carrying reusable shopping bags, and walking more. My biggest vice is probably taking long showers –I’m trying to be more mindful about that. 

Meet Ashley Verhines, BEEx Programs Associate

My name is Ashley and I’m the new Programs Associate at BEEx.  I’m from Los Angeles and spend a great deal of my time reconciling cities and nature, and my love of the two. I’m always seeking out immaculate design.

Share your favorite energy factoid. In Building Energy Exchange’s offices, we keep the lights off most of the day to allow natural daylight to stream in through our windows. Doing this for just two hours each day for a year in our roughly 5,000-square-foot space saves about 4,500 kWh of energy. This offsets the greenhouse gas emissions of sending one ton of waste to landfill and is the equivalent of recycling it instead!

What energy conservation campaign would you start in your office or want to share with other offices? Mandatory naps for cranky coworkers. Or maybe, optional naps for non-cranky, just generally weary employees.

What are you currently reading? I’m always kind of reading and re-reading “The Book of Disquiet,” by Fernando Pessoa. Maybe one day I’ll be able to read some of it in Portuguese.

What are some ways you reduce your carbon footprint at home? Things like laundering clothes in cold water, turning off lights and unplugging appliances when I’m not using them, buying local goods and quality items meant to last, biking more, walking more, planning a little bit more.

Meet Catherine Gonsalves, BEEx Daylight Hour Intern.

My name is Catherine Gonsalves, I’m currently pursuing a Masters in Environmental Policy and Sustainable Management at the New School in New York. I have a background in interior design with an evolving focus on sustainable design. I’m particularly interested in sustainable urban development, green building, and energy.

Share your favorite energy factoid. The U.S. food industry accounts for approximately 16% of the national energy budget. 

What energy conservation campaign would you start in your office or want to share with other offices?  I think occupant sensors for lights need to be implemented everywhere. It frustrates me when I see offices that still have lights on at night. 

What are you currently reading?  I’m reading The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. I haven’t gotten very far into it as yet. It’s about a dysfunctional family in New York waiting for their trust funds to kick in. 

What are some ways you reduce your carbon footprint at home? I incorporate many things - that I imagine most people do - like unplugging electronics when they’re not in use, using energy efficient bulbs, and recycling. Recently I’m trying to reduce the amount of waste created from food and all its related material by planning meals and purchasing food that has less packaging.