The DCSEU began FY 2018 with a bang! We entered October having met all of the District’s ambitious minimum goals for FY 2017, and even exceeded some of its precedent-setting maximum goals for that year*. So, with that achievement, what is next on our minds?
A lot actually! Every first three months of the new fiscal year we have to collect the last few stray invoices, tally up the results for energy savings, count the green jobs created and money spent on certified business enterprises (CBE), and prepare for the financial audit and the data evaluation, measurement, and verification process.
While FY 2017 was our strongest year yet, the DCSEU’s main challenge is creatively balancing the way ratepayer funds are spent to achieve both ambitious energy savings and important social equity goals. Changes to programs were made in order to focus on bringing value to different market segments, while deepening the impact of energy savings for District businesses and residents.
These decisions drove the efficiencies we achieved in bringing savings to DC commercial, residential, and institutional energy consumers. Our decisions also benefited the environment by reducing substantial amounts of greenhouse gas emissions—decreasing the emissions' negative effects on health for District residents and workers. They also resulted in 84 green industry jobs created at or above the city’s living wage, and brought more than $800,000 in annual energy cost savings to low-income communities.
We at the DCSEU don’t take such changes lightly and we are constantly evaluating the way we deliver on our goals. We are always looking for new ways to balance energy savings goals with our social equity objectives. Right now, the DCSEU’s staff is working to design and implement innovative programs and activities to reach these goals. With the success of the DCSEU’s recent Focus on Green Technology: Building Sustainable Cities of the Future event being just one example, stay tuned for more!
It is an honor for me and the rest of the DCSEU staff to serve the District of Columbia. We look forward to improving upon our work and optimizing our programs as we progress through FY 2018. The DCSEU has important objectives, and we will enthusiastically strive to make 2018 our most successful year to date.
Ted Trabue
Managing Director
*DCSEU FY 2017 fiscal year data are based on the DCSEU’s estimates of energy savings and green job hours. These data are subject to rigorous monitoring and verification by a third-party evaluation firm hired by the District Department of Energy and Environment.