New Buildings Institute
Our Mission
We push for better buildings that achieve zero energy, zero carbon, and beyond – through research, policy, guidance, and market transformation – to protect people and the planet.
New Buildings Institute (NBI) works collaboratively with industry market players—governments, utilities, energy efficiency advocates and building professionals—to promote advanced design practices, innovative technologies, public policies and programs that improve energy efficiency at the highest levels and decarbonize the built environment.
Throughout its 25-year history, NBI has become a trusted and independent resource helping to drive buildings that are better for people and the environment.
We envision a transformed built environment that is carbon-free, sustainable, and energy-efficient and supports thriving economies that benefit all people and the planet. With this vision, we then set out to create the research that informs our outreach, education, tool and policy development aimed at creating market change.
We will continue to fuel innovation that accelerates adoption of “next” practice in energy performance by the energy efficiency and building industries. We are helping to create a future where the built environment represent an effective use of resources, a positive force against climate change, and a driver for local economies that creates jobs and saves money for homeowners and business on energy costs.
Ralph DiNola
CEO
Ralph is an expert facilitator and convener providing inspiration and a pathway for business, policymakers and building owners seeking quantum advances in building energy performance.
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Kim Cheslak
Director of Codes
Kim is a building energy codes leader and content matter expert that guides the future of building energy codes throughout the United States. Her work also includes assisting leading jurisdictions to improve their use of zero based-carbon codes and energy policies.
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Amy Cortese
Director of Programs
Amy has been involved in sustainable design consulting and implementation of energy efficiency market transformation approaches for over 20 years. She is responsible for managing implementation teams covering all aspects of NBI’s work.
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Jim Edelson
Director of Policy
Jim is a leading advocate for advanced energy codes and has been at the forefront of national and local commercial energy code development of higher stringency efficiency measures.
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Smita Gupta
Director for Building Innovation
Smita has been involved in nearly all aspects of building energy policy, programs, and technology research over the course of 18 years. She manages NBI's initiatives on building electrification, advanced water heating, and grid interaction of buildings.
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Stacey Hobart
Marketing and Communications Director
Stacey provides her expertise across NBI projects and programs to clearly communicate progress and accomplishments while also supporting advancement for NBI’s mission.
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Alexi Miller
Associate Technical Director
Alexi has spent more than a decade working to transform the built environment through energy efficiency programs, best practices guidance, and policy development.
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Erin Beddingfield
Associate Director of Codes and Policy
Erin supports jurisdictions across the U.S. in their efforts to advance decarbonization codes, standards and policies. She's been involved in work on GHG mitigation policies in support of governments and private sector clients for over 12 years.
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Webly Bowles
Senior Project Manager
Webly brings her wide range of experience in sustainable building to NBI's zero net energy building programs. She translates technical requirements to create practical guidance for design and construction professionals.
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Liepa Braciulyte
Project Analyst
Liepa brings experience in policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and technical research and writing to her role as a Project Analyst for NBI’s Codes & Policy team.
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Diana Burk
Project Manager
Diana works to advance net zero energy and net zero carbon building codes through their development, adoption, and implementation both locally and nationally.
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Kevin Carbonnier
Senior Technical Associate
Kevin supports NBI with technical research and data analysis. He also develops and maintains systems for tracking building energy use and reporting on building systems and trends.
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Sarah Chaney
Communications & Development Specialist
Sarah strengthens connections with our stakeholders as part of our development and communications team.
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Christopher Dean
Operations & HR Manager
Christopher leads NBI’s administrative team and departments including Human Resources, Operations, and Finance.
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Sean Denniston
Senior Project Manager
Sean uses his expertise for code analysis, tool development and research. He also manages NBI’s New Construction program, which provides technical resources for new construction projects.
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Mischa Egolf
Technical Associate
Mischa brings expertise in technical research and writing, data analysis, and project management in the building science field to her role as a Project Analyst at NBI.
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Leada Fuller-Marashi
Project Manager
Leada focuses on outreach, market development, and fostering the next generation of industry leaders through her work on the Getting to Zero Forum and NBI’s Next Gen program.
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Mary Hansel
Controller
Mary works closely with executive management to oversee all financial aspects of NBI’s business operations.
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Susan Grant Harris
Senior Communications Specialist
Susan supports NBI communications efforts and strengthening stakeholder relationships through direct outreach and information management systems that enable tech transfer of NBI research and guidance.
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Meghan Humphreys
Senior Development Manager
Meghan coordinates fundraising and other advancement efforts for NBI. She works with NBI sponsors and partners, foundations, and other supporters to build a diverse funding mix for NBI’s mission.
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Amruta Khanolkar
Senior Project Manager
Amruta brings her technical expertise on energy efficiency, demand response management, and mechanical design and operation to analyze building energy use, develop tools and advance energy codes and policies.
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Jen Langsam
Office Administrator
Jennifer supports NBI by working with our Administration and Operations team.
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Reilly Loveland
Senior Project Manager
Reilly’s focus is on energy efficiency in schools; this work includes developing educational opportunities and resources for a better understanding of zero net energy.
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Mark Lyles
Senior Project Manager
Mark provides technical and design expertise, project management and research support on programs related to zero net energy buildings, new construction and commercial real estate.
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Erin Murphy
Market Engagement Manager
Erin supports collaborations and partnerships across NBI projects and initiatives to promote increased market engagement around better buildings that are zero energy, zero carbon, and beyond.
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Ben Rabe
Project Manager
Ben works with the Codes and Policy Team on state and local policy efforts and engages in base and stretch code adoption efforts across multiple jurisdictions.
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Bryce Seymour
Project Manager
Bryce uses her expertise in both state and local policy to focus on work involving building energy codes, carbon policies, roadmaps, and other codes-related initiatives.
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Izzy Sigrist
Project Analyst
Izzy supports the Leadership & Market Development program through research and analysis, event engagement and promotion, and overall coordination of programmatic elements.
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Maggie Trimbach
Office Manager
Maggie brings her experience in administration, human resources, and accounting to NBI to support staff in reaching the organization’s mission.
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Connie Umphress
Marketing and Communications Manager
Connie leads NBI’s communications efforts including publication management, brand oversight and stakeholder outreach. She also facilitates the delivery of NBI’s educational webinars.
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Joe Wachunas
Project Manager
Joe provides technical and project management for the Advanced Water Heating Initiative and other building electrification and decarbonization projects in the Building Innovation area.
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Gregg Ander
Consultant
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Marge Anderson
Board President | Slipstream
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Michael Colgrove
Energy Trust of Oregon
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Mona Chandra
National Grid
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Tina Jayaweera
Northwest Power and Conservation Council
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Nancy Jenkins Ander
Board Vice President | Consultant
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Bing Liu
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
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Mark MacCracken
Trane
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Steven Nadel
ACEEE
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Patrick O’Shei
NYSERDA
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Brendan Owens
ecountabl, Inc.
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Susan Rochford
Legrand North America and Central America
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Peter Turnbull
Board Treasurer | Consultant
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Corrine Van Hook-Turner
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer | People's Climate Innovation Center
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Kathryn Wright
Board Secretary | Barr Foundation
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David Goldstein
President Emeritus | Natural Resources Defense Council
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Bronwyn Barry
Board Member at Large, NAPHN
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Doug Baston
North Atlantic Energy Advisors
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Janice Berman
Director of Grid Innovation, Pacific Gas & Electric
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Kelly Cunningham
Program Manager, Codes and Standards, Pacific Gas & Electric
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Erica Dunn
Director of Design, Green Hammer
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Charles Eley
Retired Eley Associates, RA, PME, Certified Energy Modeler, ASHRAE BEMP
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Mark Frankel
Principal, Ecotope
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Dian Grueneich
Precourt Energy Scholar, Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University
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Sheila Hayter
Laboratory Program Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
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Dave Hewitt
Retired New Buildings Institute
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David Kaneda
Founder, IDEAS Consulting
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Alexis Karolides
Sustainability Practice Leader, Point Energy Innovations
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Katrin Klingenberg
Executive Director, PHIUS
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Anica Landreneau
Director of Sustainable Design, HOK
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Mandy Lee
Senior Program Manager, Emerald Cities Collaborative
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Vivian Loftness
Carnegie Mellon, FAIA, LEED AP, CPHC
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Vinh Mason
Senior Energy Policy Advisor, City of Portland
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Michael McAteer
Retired National Grid
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William Nesmith
Energy/Environment Consultant
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RK Stewart
RK Stewart Consultants, FAIA, Hon. FRAIC, Hon. JIA, Hon. AIA, LEED® AP BD+C
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Sarah Talkington
Commercial Green Building, Manager, Austin Energy
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Debbie Karpay Weyl
Deputy Director, WRI-U.S., World Resources Institute
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Senior Fellows Program
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Thanks to our valued sponsors and partners
NBI is supported by contributions from a number of entities through sponsorship and grant funding. We are extremely grateful for the faithful support of these organizations.