Bright Employee: Samuel Biele-Fisher, Vice President, Multifamily Affordable, New York

We’re proud of the intelligent, passionate, and hardworking people that make up the Bright Power team. Each month, you’ll get a chance to meet one of them, understand how they contribute to the organization, and what makes them excited to come to work every day.

Meet Samuel Biele-Fisher, Vice President, Multifamily Affordable for our New York business unit.

What are some of the things you like most about working at Bright Power?
Partnering with our clients is my favorite part about working at Bright Power. I’ve had the pleasure and honor of working with a number of New York’s most impactful affordable and supportive housing organizations that serve some of the city’s and state’s more vulnerable populations.

To do that, I have expanded my knowledge in real estate finance, building science, and clean energy technologies. I enjoy learning about and continuing to develop my expertise in these topics, and I get to share that knowledge with these organizations on a daily basis.

I also like that Bright Power has a lot of smart and creative people.

What’s something people might not know about you?
I grew up in New York City, which might explain my passion for urban policy. I volunteer with the New York Housing Conference’s Rising Leaders Network (RLN), serving as co-chair of the RLN board. On a different note, I am a lifelong fan of hip hop music and culture and can’t wait to see more concerts in person.

Tell us about a project or accomplishment for which you’re proud.
Our work on a new affordable housing property in Brooklyn called Vital Brookdale with MDG Design + Construction, Smith & Henzy Advisory Group, and The New York Foundling. We worked with the development team from the initial RFP through the NYS Vital Brooklyn program, helped design the building to passive house standards, and now monitor construction to ensure the building will be able to certify with PHIUS and perform to the program’s extremely high standard of energy efficiency. We will install a large solar photovoltaic system on the roof as well so the building can produce a portion of its electric needs onsite and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is the development team’s first passive house project, and I am very proud to work with them throughout the process.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention all the ribbon cutting ceremonies for new and renovated properties I have attended. I feel proud of my work when I hear residents talk about how their new or renovated home transformed their lives. One ribbon cutting that really stands out for me is Ocean Bay Apartments. Not only did we work as the energy efficiency and sustainability consultant for this 24 building development with nearly 1,400 apartments, but we also designed and installed 575 kW solar PV system across 20 of the roofs.

What’s the one service offering we have that you think is the most beneficial to clients and why?
There isn’t one solution. It’s our end-to-end approach. We work with our clients to help them determine what solution best meets their needs based on their unique goals.

What are some trends that you see in the industry that excite you?
The move away from fossil fuel-powered systems in new buildings and the increased use of electrified systems and buildings! It’s also great to see solar, which used to be a rarity, increasingly becoming the norm in affordable housing construction projects.