Meet Matthew Soble, Senior Account Manager. Matthew plays a pivotal role in helping our customers meet their sustainability goals and bring high-quality, affordable housing projects to life.
What does your day-to-day look like at Bright Power?
In my role, I really enjoy being able to tackle two big challenges that our city faces at once: creating high-quality affordable housing and combatting climate change. Most days I am either working with clients to navigate what Local Law 97 compliance looks like for their properties, and/or establishing energy performance and sustainability goals for their new construction developments.
When working with clients to determine their strategic path to compliance for Local Law 97, I see compliance as more than checking a box to avoid fines, but as an opportunity for the client to invest in the future of their portfolio. It is rewarding to see how these investments end up impacting the overall carbon emissions of a client’s entire portfolio.
For development projects focused on establishing energy performance and sustainability goals, it has been great to see clients choose to certify with Passive House. By certifying to Passive House standards, owners and operators can ensure that their investment will yield comfortable, efficient, and clean housing for their tenants. It is especially rewarding to be part of the effort to increase accessibility to high-quality housing in the affordable market.
What led you to your role at Bright Power?
Growing up in Chicago, I always had an appreciation for architecture and the built environment. I earned an undergraduate degree in architectural studies and was exposed to building science in my first job after college. I began my career working at a home energy efficiency project financing company where I conducted energy audits, built energy models, tested mechanical equipment, and more. After a few years, I became increasingly interested in larger, more complex buildings, which led me to Bright Power.
I enjoy working here because it brings intelligent, well-intentioned, kind people together to work on some of the largest challenges facing NYC today. From performing energy audits, to analysis, to our policy work, Bright Power is at the vanguard of guiding buildings toward an economically and environmentally sustainable future and I am proud to be a part of it.
Can you tell us about a recent project that you enjoyed being part of?
We recently worked with a client who came to us with many Local Law 87 violations. Through our Energy Auditing process, we helped them bring their whole portfolio into compliance. The best part was that we were able to also develop the appropriate pathway for their decarbonization and compliance with Local Law 97. For this portfolio specifically, it’s rewarding to have a deeper level of engagement with their existing buildings while we also help build appropriate sustainability goals for their new construction properties.
What do you enjoy doing outside of Bright Power?
Earlier this month I ran the NYC Marathon on behalf of Team BRC (Bowery Residents Committee) and raised over $8,000 to benefit disadvantaged New Yorkers. I shaved 20 minutes off my time from 2022 and broke the elusive 4-hour barrier. You can usually find me reading books about urban planning or having a slice at Barboncino Pizza in Brooklyn.