Providing Turnkey Sustainability Programs
[01:18] Introduction of Barbara Spoonhour and Dustin Reilich.
[01:52] Barbara shares how the Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) program started, what the goals were, and how the program works.
[03:29] What does PACE stand for?
[04:50] Barbara and Dustin describe the early years of the program.
[06:45] Was Renovate America on board with HERO from the very beginning?
[07:50] Dustin explains that the money that would have gone to utilities is being used to create jobs.
[08:55] Is there an opportunity for individual households to reduce their carbon footprint as a result of the HERO program?
[09:30] Is the program available to multi-unit houses, apartment buildings, etc.?
[10:26] How did the HERO program ramp up so quickly?
[11:40] How is the program different today than when it started in 2011?
[12:46] Barbara shares the specific, measurable outcomes she wants to achieve.
[14:31] Dustin explains how the expansion is going.
[15:59] Are there aspects of HERO that are designed to deal with issues of environmental justice, racial justice, income inequality?
[18:25] Is there any effort to target lower income communities?
[19:43] Barbara and Dustin share when they realized their career focus was working on issues of sustainability.
[22:14] Barbara and Dustin share if they ever imagined this program would become so big so fast.
[24:55] Dustin share how people can learn more about HERO and how they can get involved.
[25:50] Barbara and Dustin share one change that would lead to smarter, more sustainable, and more equitable communities.
[27:35] Barbara and Dustin describe the action that listeners can take to help build a more equitable and sustainable future.
[29:26] Barbara and Dustin explain what Western Riverside County, California, and our country look like 30 years from now.
[30:46] Barbara explains what motivated WRCOG to reach beyond local governments to have this program statewide in California.
Barbara Spoonhour, Director of Energy and Environmental Programs, has been with Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) since 2001. Ms. Spoonhour has over 10 years of experience in local government and over 15 years in implementing environmental programs. She oversees the energy efficiency and water conservation program for Western Riverside County, referred to as HERO (Home Energy Renovation Opportunity). The HERO program expanded statewide in 2014 and currently has over $1 billion in approved projects. In addition, Ms. Spoonhour oversees the Western Riverside Energy Leader Partnership, which is a public-private partnership with Southern California Edison that promotes jurisdictional leadership for the promotion of energy efficiency.
Dustin Reilich is the Senior Director of Municipal Development for Renovate America – HERO Financing. The HERO (Home Energy Renovation Opportunity) program provides turnkey Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program management designed for municipalities. The HERO program includes a full set of program deliverables that incorporate best practices utilized by other municipalities. This ensures each program builds on the experience of other programs, while at the same time allowing municipalities to modify the program to meet unique requirements.
