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 Stuart Faith, Energy Analyst.
What are some of the things you like most about working at Bright Power?
I love thinking about New York City all day, and my role at Bright Power allows me to do just that. In the five boroughs alone, I benchmark over 80 million square feet of multifamily and commercial property. My work impresses upon me daily that buildings are what make New York City special; they are where we sleep, eat, work, meet friends, go to school, and more. As an Energy Analyst, I’m given a unique understanding of how sustainability and real estate entities interact. I’ve worked with property managers, utility companies, and various city departments all the way up to the Mayor’s Office. Even though I’ve lived in NYC since 2014, being at Bright Power makes me feel more connected to the city than ever.
Of course, I’d be remiss to not mention the people at Bright Power. Most of us are quite close and spend some time together outside of work. (Some highlights include trips to the symphony, trying out gym classes with another analyst, and a night out at Fat Cat with a larger portion of the NY team playing pool, ping-pong, and shuffleboard.) I think it’s rare to find a workplace with such fun, energetic, and like-minded people.
What are some projects and accomplishments you’re most proud of?
I’ve been working on a few projects recently with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) that I find highly interesting and rewarding. NYCHA’s PACT program uses strategic partnerships with development companies to infuse cash into public housing sites that need urgent repairs. I am responsible for gathering energy and water data at dozens of these NYCHA sites. That data is then used by our engineering teams to design audits and electrification studies. I’m really proud to be a part of these PACT projects. I think it’s an interesting model to address the funding gap and give safe, comfortable housing to NYC residents who need it most.
Also, this summer Bright Power reinvigorated an initiative called the Alliance for Multicultural People in Sustainability, aka AMPS. The goal of this group and its various subcommittees is to “create a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture that will allow our employees to thrive and, in turn, mitigate our clients’ impact on the environment.” I created and am leading the LGBTQ+ subcommittee, and I’m really proud of that. I’m glad that we now have internal systems committed to making Bright Power as safe and inclusive of a workplace as possible.
What’s something people might not know about you?
I am passionate about fishkeeping! I maintain an 11-gallon tank at home and a 40-gallon tank at Bright Power’s New York office. The office tank is gorgeous, and I’m so proud of it. Because of the pandemic, I don’t get to see it or care for it as often as I’d like, but I’m grateful for my coworkers who have pitched in to help whenever they’re in the office. Thanks to their generosity, the tank’s occupants are still thriving—see the picture below!
(Being a fishkeeper isn’t that different from being an Energy Analyst. Both are forms of ecosystem management in a way. I collect and analyze data, monitor changes over time, all with the goal of keeping occupants happy and healthy. ?)
One of your responsibilities is to prepare and submit buildings’ energy benchmarking data as part of New York City’s Local Law 84/133. That data also dictates a building’s energy grade (as part of Local Law 33/95) and will indicate a building’s carbon emissions (as part of Local Law 97). What’s something you wish building owners knew about the process?
Since buildings account for more than 70% of New York City’s annual carbon emissions, collecting this benchmarking data—and ensuring its accuracy—is enormously important for the city as it tries to lower its carbon footprint with the 80×50 plan. We need to understand how we are performing now so that we can build a reasonable roadmap toward a lower-carbon future.
Our clients’ buildings’ energy and water data really is a part of this larger fabric, and not just as a compliance checkbox. But things are getting more serious with Local Law 97 emissions fines coming into play in 2024 and 2030. I’ve benchmarked some buildings that perform so poorly now that they’d see fines of hundreds of thousands—even millions—of dollars. Nobody wants to get whacked with that kind of financial burden, so clients should start getting proactive on retrofits, capital improvements, and budgeting ASAP!
What’s the one service offering we have that you think is the most beneficial to clients and why?
MoBIUS, without question! I think real-time energy management is the future, as is any platform utilizing internet-of-things technologies. Having actionable data available when you need it saves time, money, and energy.