Commissioner McAllister Recognized as an Energy Efficiency Leader
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) honored California Energy Commissioner Andrew McAllister for his work in energy efficiency.
Under McAllister’s leadership, the Energy Commission last year adopted first-in-the nation regulations for LEDs, small-diameter directional lams, computers and monitors.
"Our approach in California is really to do common sense things through regulatory processes — minimum appliance efficiency standards, building standards that we can show are absolutely cost effective and in everyone's best interest," said McAllister.
At a June 21 ceremony at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, USGBC awarded McAllister and State Senator Scott Wiener the Green Hard Hat, which symbolizes a commitment to the betterment of communities and the environment for all Californians.
“California has led the charge at the state level when it comes to green building initiatives, and we’ll continue working with these leaders to deliver sustainable, healthy communities for all Californians,” said Brenden McEneaney, Pacific regional director at USGBC, which is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.
McAllister was recognized for his work in implementing Assembly Bill 802 and Senate Bill 350. Both bills were major accomplishments in shaping state policy.
AB 802 requires the Energy Commission to establish a statewide energy benchmarking and disclosure program, which will provide commercial building owners the information they need to evaluate energy usage and identify high-value efficiency projects.
SB 350 calls for the doubling of the statewide energy efficiency savings and generating half of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
As the lead commissioner for energy efficiency, McAllister oversees appliance and building standards and financing programs for schools, cities, counties, special districts, public institutions, and hospitals.
McAllister was appointed to the Energy Commission by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in May 2012, and reappointed in January 2017. He has been working on clean energy deployment and policy for his entire 25-year career.
McAllister has worked across the world to develop renewable energy generation, energy efficiency investments, and energy management systems, with counterparts ranging from tiny remote communities to the largest of utilities.
