Buildings account for roughly one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and up to 80 percent in major cities. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire speaks with Véronique Bugnion, co-founder and CEO of Clearly Energy, about how building performance standards, electrification, and grid design are reshaping the role of buildings in the clean energy transition.
They discuss the difference between electrification and true decarbonization, how cities like New York and Washington, D.C. are enforcing emissions targets, and why large buildings must evolve from passive energy consumers into dynamic participants in the grid. The conversation also explores the interaction between climate policy and grid constraints, and what it takes to build and fund a woman-led energy startup in a rapidly changing industry.
As power demand rises and cities pursue aggressive climate goals, buildings may prove to be one of the most important levers in transforming the energy system.
