--- title: Why Energy Efficiency Must Define a Post-Pandemic World description: "On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the theme is “climate action.\" By prioritizing energy efficiency and advancing efforts to further reduce emissions, public and private building owners could give the economy a much needed kick-start to rebound from recession." --- [![Ameresco](https://blog.ameresco.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Ameresco_September2020/images/ameresco-logo-header.jpg?width=2000&height=447&name=ameresco-logo-header.jpg "Ameresco")](https://www.ameresco.com/) - [Solutions](https://www.ameresco.com/solutions/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.ameresco.com/energy-efficiency/) - [Central Plant Upgrades](https://www.ameresco.com/central-plant-upgrades/) - [Deep Energy Retrofits](https://www.ameresco.com/deep-energy-retrofits/) - [Enterprise HVAC](https://www.ameresco.com/enterprise-hvac/) - [Interior Lighting and Controls](https://www.ameresco.com/interior-lighting-and-controls/) - [LED Street and Area Lighting](https://www.ameresco.com/led-street-and-area-lighting/) - 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[Careers](https://www.ameresco.com/energy-careers-ameresco/) - [Contact](https://www.ameresco.com/contact-us/) # Why Energy Efficiency Must Define a Post-Pandemic World *George Sakellaris is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Framingham-based Ameresco. Originally published on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-energy-efficiency-must-define-post-pandemic-world-sakellaris/).* Today the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of [Earth Day](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earthday.org%2Fearth-day-2020%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cldillon%40ameresco.com%7C150dbd99364642700dfb08d7d7f009ce%7Cd11dfc6a833a471284dbfc468665e0e1%7C0%7C0%7C637215298327426950&sdata=VWY8vxIGQnYUlVozaNUdys52GOMdNRHY%2FAW1k2PvTjI%3D&reserved=0), the theme of which is “climate action." Unlike Earth Day observations over the last half-century, however, this one lands during a global pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak has halted industries and changed daily life as we know it. But, despite these unprecedented circumstances, we cannot lose sight of our long-term climate change goals. In fact, by prioritizing energy efficiency and advancing efforts to further reduce emissions, public and private building owners could give the economy a much needed kick-start to rebound from recession. Late last year, a United Nations [report](https://www.unenvironment.org/interactive/emissions-gap-report/2019/) showed that governments were failing to take the necessary action to limit carbon emissions. Now, months later, projections show that for the first time in over a decade, global carbon output could fall by more than 5 percent year-on-year. Data from the [Global Carbon Project](https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/) shows that the last substantial dip in CO2 emissions came after the 2008 financial crisis, which was by just 1.4 percent. For the first time in modern history, there is a tremendous opportunity before us to stave off emissions and limit the effects of climate change. In fact, if building owners took immediate action to retrofit existing building stock for energy efficiency, we could [remove 148 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere](https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faceee.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fhalfway-there-0919.pdf&data=02%7C01%7Cldillon%40ameresco.com%7C150dbd99364642700dfb08d7d7f009ce%7Cd11dfc6a833a471284dbfc468665e0e1%7C0%7C0%7C637215298327446936&sdata=aqT0P%2BzZnrzKWL7yfqz8jV30mjeuJF18l3OEW%2B1mVY8%3D&reserved=0). Better yet, these retrofits could happen in a means that is financially feasible --even post-pandemic.  I know, because I owe my career to the viability of efficiency. In the aftermath of the global oil crisis in the 1970s, I started an energy efficiency group within New England Electric—when the concept was unheard of. The majority of my prospective customers laughed at my proposition to rip out perfectly functioning boilers and chillers and replace them with more efficient ones based on an unproven promise of energy cost savings. The first person to give it a shot at Boston’s Mercantile Wharf building was local construction legend Ed Fish, who signed a 10-year deal in return for 50 percent of the savings. And it worked. We all benefited, and it was the dawn of what is known as an energy savings performance contract (ESPC)—a low-risk way to finance energy efficiency projects. Forty years later, ESPCs are still proving their value by allowing building owners to make critical energy-efficient upgrades to their facilities at zero upfront cost. They generate substantial energy cost savings that are put toward other operational expenses and future infrastructure upgrades. Furthermore, ESPC-funded projects are going to be the quickest way to put people back to work.  While the energy efficiency sector has not been immune to the economic downturn, it is still the [fastest-growing segment of the U.S. energy sector](https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/102518efficiency)—employing twice as many workers as all fossil fuel industries combined. That is due in part to the vastness of the energy efficiency value chain. When a building owner decides to retrofit their property for energy efficiency, engineers, designers, manufacturers, administrative personnel and a host of other subcontractors have to get to work to execute that project. These jobs are often local and directly benefit the communities in which the project takes place. And while aggressive lobbying efforts are taking place at the federal and state levels to ensure firms in the energy efficiency business benefit from stimulus funding, increased market demand for these services will be vital.  When I started in this field four decades ago, I was focused on an assignment to find cost-effective alternatives to building more coal-fired or nuclear power plants. I wasn’t thinking about the long-term implications of my work. Now, in a time when the future seems more uncertain than ever, business leaders have the ability to enact positive change to protect our natural resources and restart the economy through the simple act of driving efficiency—a proven concept. While it’s nice that we can save money along the way, building owners can and should prioritize energy efficiency, both for the future of our environment and economy. ##### Share this entry - Share on Twitter - Share on LinkedIn - [mailto:?body=https://blog.ameresco.com/why-energy-efficiency-must-define-a-post-pandemic-world](mailto:?body=https://blog.ameresco.com/why-energy-efficiency-must-define-a-post-pandemic-world) Share by Mail ### Contact Us [info@ameresco.com](mailto:info@ameresco.com) [1-866-AMERESCO](tel:18662637372) [Use our online form](https://www.ameresco.com/contact-us/) ### Categories ### Recent Press Releases - [Adjusting to Climate Change Part 2 of 2: Renewable Energy and Storage (NBC 10 Boston) December 29 2020 - 3: 19 PM](https://blog.ameresco.com/how-solar-power-transformed-a-massachusetts-school-nbc-10-boston-part-1-of-2-0) - [Adjusting to Climate Change Part 1 of 2: How Solar Power Transformed a Massachusetts School (NBC 10 Boston) December 29 2020 - 3: 17 PM](https://blog.ameresco.com/how-solar-power-transformed-a-massachusetts-school-nbc-10-boston-part-1-of-2) - [Doing Well by Doing Good: Ameresco’s First Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Report December 07 2020 - 8: 00 AM](https://blog.ameresco.com/doing-well-by-doing-good-amerescos-first-environmental-social-governance-esg-report) - [San Joaquin County Installs 5.3 MW Solar Array On Landfill Site November 17 2020 - 2: 15 PM](https://blog.ameresco.com/san-joaquin-county-partners-installs-5.3-megawatt-solar-array-on-landfill-site) - [Transfer the Risk with Energy as a Service November 16 2020 - 10: 15 AM](https://blog.ameresco.com/transfer-the-risk-with-energy-as-a-service) ### Press Release Archive - [December 2019 (3)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2019/12) - [December 2020 (3)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2020/12) - [June 2019 (2)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2019/06) - [September 2019 (2)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2019/09) - [November 2020 (2)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2020/11) - [March 2019 (1)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2019/03) - [August 2019 (1)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2019/08) - [November 2019 (1)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2019/11) - [February 2020 (1)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2020/02) - [April 2020 (1)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2020/04) - [May 2020 (1)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2020/05) - [June 2020 (1)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2020/06) - [August 2020 (1)](https://blog.ameresco.com/archive/2020/08) see all [Coast Guard Academy Completes Project to Cut Down Energy Consumption by Nearly 50%](https://blog.ameresco.com/coast-guard-academy-completes-project-to-cut-down-energy-consumption-by-nearly-50) [Commercial Operations Announced at Ameresco's First Wind Farm in County Kerry, Ireland](https://blog.ameresco.com/ameresco-announces-commercial-operations-of-its-first-wind-farm-in-county-kerry-ireland) - COMPANY INFO - [About Us](https://www.ameresco.com/company/) - [Careers](https://www.ameresco.com/energy-careers-ameresco/) - [Investor Relations](https://ir.ameresco.com/) - [Media Coverage](https://www.ameresco.com/media-coverage/) - [Resource Center](https://www.ameresco.com/resource-center/) - CONTACT AMERESCO - 111 Speen Street, Suite 410 Framingham, MA USA - [1-866-AMERESCO](tel:18662637372) - [Contact Us via Online Form](https://www.ameresco.com/contact-us/) - [Office Locations](https://www.ameresco.com/ameresco-office-locations/) - [Select Your Country](https://www.ameresco.com/select-your-country/) ### Press Releases [See all press releases](http://www.ameresco.com/press-releases/) ### STAY CONNECTED © Copyright 2026 - Ameresco | [Privacy Policy](https://www.ameresco.com/privacy-policy/) | [Terms and Conditions](https://www.ameresco.com/terms-and-conditions/) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Ameresco) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameresco) - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/user/Ameresco) [Back To Top](https://blog.ameresco.com/why-energy-efficiency-must-define-a-post-pandemic-world#top)