Minnesota is working hard to create more affordable housing. But if we build structures that are not super-efficient, residents will be saddled with high energy bills—and we will miss an opportunity to improve our built environment, a top source of carbon emissions in the state. Now more than ever the topic of affordable housing has become even more critical.

In July 2020, Fresh Energy hosted conversations with Minnesota thought leaders and Fresh Energy staff about how super-efficient buildings can become the new normal in equitable affordable housing. This is the second in the four-part series featuring a discussion with Gina Ciganik, Chief Executive Officer of the Healthy Building Network.

With the increased attention on affordable housing in this current crisis, we know that the conversation has only just begun and it’s crucial that energy efficiency be part of the equation. We must build new affordable housing that is so energy efficient it can be heated and cooled with small amounts of renewable electricity. It makes economic sense, it improves indoor air quality, and it also dramatically reduces carbon emissions.

We have the know-how to build super-efficient housing that is affordable over the long term. Why isn’t all new housing built that way, and how can we do better? Fresh Energy is bringing people together from diverse areas of the affordable housing arena to explore this issue.

Thank you to Stoel Rives LLP for sponsoring this event.

Meet the Speakers

Gina Ciganik is the Chief Executive Officer of the Healthy Building Network. In her previous role at HBN she established and led the HomeFree initiative, an expansion of HBN’s healthy materials work into the affordable housing sector. Prior to HBN, she was Vice President of Housing Development at a Minneapolis-St. Paul area affordable housing development organization, where she spent two decades creating thousands of healthy, affordable homes, including The Rose, a 90-unit apartment building that set a new national standard for healthy materials.

As Director of Energy Access and Equity, Ben directs Fresh Energy’s work to advance equitable outcomes across Minnesota’s energy system, and also supports the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. He joined Fresh Energy as a Policy Associate in May 2015. Ben’s previous experience includes legal clerkships with the Minnesota Department of Commerce and Honeywell International, and internships with Governor Mark Dayton and Senator John Marty. Ben holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Minnesota and a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law. He is a member of the Minnesota Bar.

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Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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Minnesota is working hard to create more affordable housing. But if we build structures that are not super-efficient, residents will be saddled with high energy bills—and we will miss an opportunity to improve our built environment, a top source of carbon emissions in the state. Now more than ever the topic of affordable housing has become even more critical.

In July 2020, Fresh Energy hosted conversations with Minnesota thought leaders and Fresh Energy staff about how super-efficient buildings can become the new normal in equitable affordable housing. This is the second in the four-part series featuring a discussion with Mitra Jalali, Saint Paul City Councilmember. It was recorded on July 16.

With the increased attention on affordable housing in this current crisis, we know that the conversation has only just begun and it’s crucial that energy efficiency be part of the equation. We must build new affordable housing that is so energy efficient it can be heated and cooled with small amounts of renewable electricity. It makes economic sense, it improves indoor air quality, and it also dramatically reduces carbon emissions.

We have the know-how to build super-efficient housing that is affordable over the long term. Why isn’t all new housing built that way, and how can we do better? Fresh Energy is bringing people together from diverse areas of the affordable housing arena to explore this issue.

Thank you to Stoel Rives LLP for sponsoring this event.

Meet the Speakers

Mitra Jalali is the proud daughter of immigrants, a former classroom teacher, community organizer and policy aide who now represents Ward 4 on the St. Paul, Minn., City Council. Her main priorities in office include addressing the affordable housing crisis, community-first public safety, action on climate, and building community wealth.

Janiece Watts is a policy associate with Fresh Energy's Energy Access and Equity program. Janiece plays a key role that is working to advance equitable outcomes across Minnesota’s energy system. Her current projects include the Saint Paul Property-Dweller Property-Owner Energy Project, a unique, joint partnership with Community Stabilization Project, and collaborative work with environmental justice groups to improve air quality and reduce demand for oil through electrification of transportation. Janiece joined the Fresh Energy team in August 2018. Before joining Fresh Energy, Janiece worked as a community engagement manager for Eureka Recycling where she developed strategies on zero waste and environmental justice. She is an established organizer working for racial and environmental justice through outreach, events, community meetings, and political action in the Twin Cities for over ten years. She has a BA in Political Science and Environmental Science, Policy and Management from the University of Minnesota. Janiece is a board member of Headwaters Foundation for Justice and MN350. She loves food—from gr

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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Minnesota is working hard to create more affordable housing. But if we build structures that are not super-efficient, residents will be saddled with high energy bills—and we will miss an opportunity to improve our built environment, a top source of carbon emissions in the state. Now more than ever the topic of affordable housing has become even more critical.

In July 2020, Fresh Energy hosted conversations with Minnesota thought leaders and Fresh Energy staff about how super-efficient buildings can become the new normal in equitable affordable housing. This is the first in the four-part series featuring a discussion with Elizabeth Turner, Architect and Founder of Precipitate. It was recorded on July 9, 2020.

With the increased attention on affordable housing in this current crisis, we know that the conversation has only just begun and it’s crucial that energy efficiency be part of the equation. We must build new affordable housing that is so energy efficient it can be heated and cooled with small amounts of renewable electricity. It makes economic sense, it improves indoor air quality, and it also dramatically reduces carbon emissions.

We have the know-how to build super-efficient housing that is affordable over the long term. Why isn’t all new housing built that way, and how can we do better? Fresh Energy is bringing people together from diverse areas of the affordable housing arena to explore this issue.

Thank you to Stoel Rives LLP for sponsoring this event.

Meet the Speakers

Elizabeth Turner
Elizabeth Turner is an architect and founder of Precipitate, a firm that responds to the pressing social, economic, and ecological justice issues of today through deep listening and engagement, leading to holistic design at the intersection of architecture, research, policy, and education. As Passive House Consultant, Elizabeth pioneered pre-certification of the Hook & Ladder development—the first large multi-family project to PHIUS+2015 standards in Climate Zone 6A. This project is considered a “testing zone” for the industry and a model for super-efficient structures.

Margaret Cherne-Hendrick
As Fresh Energy's director of beneficial electrification, Margaret leads Fresh Energy’s strategic imperative to decarbonize fossil fuel-dependent sectors of Minnesota’s economy and advances policy aimed at enhancing carbon sequestration potential across the state. Margaret joined Fresh Energy’s staff in 2018. She previously worked as a senior policy associate at the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Boston University. Margaret’s multidisciplinary background in climate science and energy policy – including work with the Environmental Protection Agency, Conservation Law Foundation, Barr Foundation, and Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) – informs her approach to developing efficient, cost-effective, and inclusive decarbonization strategies. Margaret holds a PhD in Geography from Boston U

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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Minnesota Attorney General Ellison made history last week when he filed a customer protection lawsuit against ExxonMobil, Koch Industries, and the American Petroleum Institute. This lawsuit aims to hold these major climate polluters accountable for their decades-long lies and misinformation about the climate harm their products have been causing in our state. But this is just the beginning and many Minnesotans are asking what comes next.

Listen to this webinar recorded on July 1 with guests from The Center for Climate Integrity, MN350, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, and Fresh Energy. Our experts discuss why now was the right time for this historic action, what it means for environmental and social justice, what makes Minnesota’s lawsuit different from other states, and what comes next.

Guests:
Michael Noble, Executive Director at Fresh Energy
Michael Noble is a 30-year energy leader, well-known for shaping and driving the major public policy innovations that are speeding Minnesota and the Midwest’s transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. As Executive Director of Fresh Energy, Michael builds and catalyzes partnerships to secure new policies and harness market forces to achieve visionary change. At this moment, with electricity becoming cleaner and transportation now the top source of carbon pollution,

J. Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director at Fresh Energy
J. is Fresh Energy’s science policy director. An expert in climate and energy policy at the state and national levels, her responsibilities include scientific analysis and policy development of clean energy solutions to global warming that will maximize economic opportunities. J. represents Fresh Energy at the global climate summits, and witnessed the historic 2015 Paris Agreement; she showcased Minnesota’s nation-leading deep carbon reductions at the 2017 Bonn Climate Summit.

Sam Grant, Executive Director, MN350
Sam Grant has been organizing around the intersection of economic, cultural and environmental justice since working on his college campus for divestment from South Africa and working for passage of legislation ensuring that both workers and communities have the right to know about toxic chemicals in their workplaces and communities. Sam brings decades of nonprofit leadership, transformative organizing, and love to the work of MN350.

Joy Anderson, Senior Staff Attorney, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
Joy is a senior staff attorney at Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, where she works on climate, water quality, and mining issues. Before joining MCEA, she was a partner at Minneapolis law firm Gray Plant Mooty, where she was a litigator and chair of the pro bono committee.

Alyssa Johl, Legal Director, The Center for Climate Integrity

Listeners can stay up to date on our work via our once monthly

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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On June 11, 2020, Fresh Energy staff and leadership had a conversation about the immediate steps that Minnesota legislators can take to act quickly and decisively during summer 2020 special legislative sessions. On this webinar, we discuss the four recommendations put forward by Fresh Energy that addresses the most urgent needs of Minnesotans first:

1. Prioritize Transformational Police Reform and Community Recovery
2. Protect Communities Disproportionately Affected by COVID-19
3. Prioritize Bonding Investments in Transit and Affordable Housing
4. Allocate the Renewable Development Account to Energy Projects in Under-Resourced Communities

Take Action: Your legislators need to hear from you about your expectations for a Special Session in these unprecedented times. To help you get started, we summarized the recommendations on this podcast into a letter you can copy, paste, and edit to best suit you. Click here for additional information and to view the letter.

Listeners can stay up to date on our work via our once monthly email list, blog at www.fresh-energy.org, or by following us on Facebook and Twitter. You can support Fresh Energy’s work for a clean energy Minnesota by making a donation today! Click here to learn more and donate. 

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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Join nationally leading experts Dr. Marla Spivak, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, and Fresh Energy's Rob Davis for an in-depth discussion on their work around the global climate crisis, clean energy, and pollinator health. Most of the audio for this podcast comes from a live webinar hosted by The Center for Pollinators in Energy at Fresh Energy recorded in April 2020.

Guest Details:
Dr. Marla Spivak is a MacArthur Fellow and Distinguished McKnight Professor in Entomology at University of Minnesota. Dr. Spivak’s specific area of study is honeybees and she kicks off the webinar discussion with a honey bee 101 and then dives into threats to bee health and what we can do to protect them.

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is an Endowed Professor in Public Policy and Public Law in the Public Administration program of the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University and co-directs the Climate Center at Texas Tech. Dr. Hayhoe ties together the connections between pollinator health, energy, and climate change, in the webinar discussion.

Rob Davis, Director of the Center for Pollinators in Energy at Fresh Energy, closes the webinar by sharing how Fresh Energy’s work to advocate for photovoltaic solar fields as pollinator habitat in Minnesota and across the country can reshape the renewable and pollinator landscape.

Stay up to date on all of Fresh Energy's pollinator-friendly solar and clean energy news at www.fresh-energy.org/subscribe.

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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In this podcast, we discuss how Fresh Energy's legislative and policy goals for the 2020 legislative session have changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how the organization is pivoting work to provide thought leadership and action around energy access and equity. We also discuss the status of Fresh Energy's work around the Governor's One Minnesota Path to Clean Energy, Clean Cars Minnesota, and more.

Listeners can stay up to date on our work via our once monthly email list, blog at www.fresh-energy.org, or by following us on Facebook and Twitter. You can support Fresh Energy’s work for a clean energy Minnesota by making a donation today! Click here to learn more and donate. 

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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This episode was recorded in February 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode, we discuss how Minnesota can cut waste in our energy system by improving our cities with super-efficient commercial buildings Join Ben Rabe, director of built environment at Fresh Energy, and Kevin Bright, energy and sustainability director for Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency, as they discuss Minnesota Step Code and what it could mean for cutting carbon in Minnesota.

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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Minnesota's 2020 legislative session has just begun, but Fresh Energy has been working since the close last session to grow support for our clean energy goals. We had some exciting successes in 2019 and we're geared up to make 2020 an even bigger year for clean energy. Join Fresh Energy's executive director, Michael Noble, and director of government affairs, Justin Fay, as they discuss Fresh Energy's legislative and policy plans for 2020. 

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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J. Drake Hamilton, Fresh Energy's science policy director, discusses her big takeaways from the Global Climate Summit in Madrid and what COP25's outcomes mean for Minnesota. J. also highlights some Minnesota businesses that were at the Summit and how they're helping to move the needle and setting the pace for other businesses around the world. Read J.'s daily blog posts from the summit at https://fresh-energy.org/cop25/.

Fresh Energy’s mission is to shape and drive bold policy solutions to achieve equitable carbon-neutral economies. Together we are working toward a vision of a just, prosperous, and resilient future powered by a shared commitment to a carbon-neutral economy. Learn about Fresh Energy's work and our bold "Vision 2030: Fresh Energy's Strategic Framework" at our website fresh-energy.org.


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