Ceres State Policy Team – Building Decarbonization & Energy Optimization
The State Policy team at Ceres works with companies and investors through the Ceres Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) Network and in our Investor Network to advance climate, clean energy, and clean transportation policies at the state level. Ceres’ role is to elevate the business case for clean energy and clean economy investment. Ceres has held a long-standing leadership role in successfully mobilizing private sector support for state policies, bringing record numbers of companies to Capitol Hill and beyond to build and strengthen connections across the political aisle. This intern will assist our State Policy team in making the clear and urgent business case for policy that invests in clean technology and climate solutions, working with industries across the economy.
The Bekenstein intern at Ceres will support the Energy Optimization Working Group (EOWG) within our Ceres BICEP Network in developing a policy and engagement strategy for state legislative and regulatory engagement on the adoption of updated IECC building codes. Codes across the country currently exist as a patchwork of regulations, often vastly different from neighboring state to neighboring state. Often the code update process is slow and faces many barriers and opposition to robust updates that will support deeper penetration of energy efficient, electric technologies in the residential sector. Updated code adoption is critical to state emission reduction benchmarks, and building decarbonization roadmaps. Ceres sees a unique opportunity to leverage the industry expertise of the EOWG to bridge the gap between the interest of homebuilders, manufacturers, and state climate goals to promote the acceleration of code adoptions and streamline regionality of code adoption for ease of business engagement.
Ceres has an extensive track record in leveraging the EOWG’s industry expertise to influence the development of policy around building decarbonization and the adoption of energy efficient home technologies. The working group was a critical partner to the Federal Department of Energy in developing the Home Energy Rebate programs offering $8.5 billion in state funding to create new home energy rebate opportunities across the nation. Our working group is deeply invested in ensuring access to affordable, and efficient technologies to support state energy transitions and keep homeowners’ energy bills low. The EOWG’s role is critical to help states develop energy efficiency strategies with business expertise as a central pillar to successful policy adoption.
This intern will support the State Policy Team, and specifically the Energy Optimization Working Group primarily through:
- Research and analysis of the current landscape of building codes in key states.
- Create a policy action plan identifying target states primed for business engagement at both the legislative and regulatory levels to inform building code updates.
- Cultivate relationships with homebuilder associations to create opportunities for roundtable discussions with builder and manufacturing industries
- Support the drafting of whitepaper or other written opportunities which will provide cross-sector recommendations to policymakers on updating building codes.
Qualifications
Ceres is looking for an intern with the following skills:
- Interest in environmental or sustainability issues.
- Strong administrative, organizational, communication, and time-management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to take initiative, prioritize, multitask, and meet deadlines.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills and effective presentation style.
- Knowledge of quantitative and/or qualitative research methods a plus.
- Excellent analytical skills and ability to comprehend, synthesize, and communicate complex sustainability issues.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), databases, and email computer applications.
- Candidates must be flexible to work with employees in all US time zones.
Timeline
Weeks 1-4
- Research and analysis of current state building codes and code update cycles
- Identify key states for targeted engagement
- Identify key homebuilder associations to develop relationships with
- Identify key industry conferences to present written recommendations
Weeks 5-8
- Present findings to Energy Optimization Working Group
- Create small roundtable of manufacturers and homebuilders for brainstorming discussions
- Identify key advocacy coalition partners and manufacturing businesses for engagement strategy
- Scope opportunity for written recommendations
- Begin drafting written recommendations
- Prepare conference proposals to present written recommendations
Weeks 9-12
- Engage policymakers through roundtables, public comments, and educational webinars
- Assist in the development of presentation material and creating background memos and talking points for events and roundtables.
- Support continued drafting of written recommendations
- Create template public comments to support other advocacy partners and business engagement
Background
Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable economy. We make the business case for action on the greatest sustainability challenges facing our world today: climate change, water scarcity and pollution, and nature and biodiversity loss. We inspire the world’s most influential investors and companies with the greatest impact on our economy to urgently act on these threats and take advantage of the business opportunities in the transition. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line—changing markets and sectors from the inside out.
