Program Design for Decarbonization
”Member”
”Non-member”
”Awards
AESP is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). AESP complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, AESP is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. AESP instructors disclose in advance that they have no interest in any product, service, or material discussed during the course. This information is stated orally and in the training course handbook.
A range of program approaches have been used to support building decarbonization—but which ones are most effective, and why?
In this session, you’ll explore how different program designs have performed across real-world applications. We’ll look at what has worked, what hasn’t and the factors that influenced those outcomes. Rather than focusing only on case study summaries, we’ll examine the underlying mechanics that drive success or lead to challenges.
You’ll develop practical frameworks to guide program design decisions and learn how to adapt proven approaches to your specific context. We’ll also explore the balance between standardization for scale and customization for effectiveness. Whether you’re designing new programs or refining existing ones, this session will help you make more informed, strategic decisions.
You’ll leave this session able to:
• Recall major program design approaches for building decarbonization
• Explain why certain program models succeeded or failed in specific contexts
• Analyze program designs for fit with building performance standards (BPS)
compliance pathways
• Evaluate trade-offs between standardization and customization
• Design program elements that balance scale with effectiveness
Course Designer
”Faith
”Chief
Faith DeBolt brings 20+ years of leadership in energy consulting, policy, and program development. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston with additional graduate studies at the University of Washington. Ms. DeBolt is a thought-leader in performance-based approaches to reducing energy use and carbon emissions in buildings. She served on the Northwest Strategic Energy Management Collaborative Leadership Team and the Energy Trust of Oregon Evaluation Advisory Group, and has presented multiple papers at ACEEE Summer Study and IEPEC conferences.
Instructor
”Anna
”Director
Anna Kelly brings 10+ years of expertise in energy efficiency evaluation, M&V methodology, and building performance standards. She has served as Chair of the North American Strategic Energy Management Collaborative and Chair of RESNET SDC1600 (CO2e Emissions from Metered Data), and on the CMVP certification board. At Power TakeOff, she led M&V operations processing 1,200+ energy models daily for 26 utilities and designed Colorado’s statewide Industrial SEM program. She is Author of Climate Champions (Springer, 2023) and Good Work forthcoming” (Springer, 2026), has 16+ peer-reviewed publications, and received the 2023 AEE Young Energy Professional of the Year International Award. Clients served include CPUC, PG&E, Seattle OSE, WA Commerce, OR DOE, Duke Energy, Xcel Energy and Energy Trust of Oregon.