Venture:
Common Good Sustainability Consultants
Founders:
Garrett Modeste ‘23GS and Alanna Kelly ‘23GS
Industry:
Service
Venture Type:
For-profit
What is the social or environmental issue being addressed?
In buildings with poor energy performance, we know utility bills are more expensive and the impact on the environment is undesirable. According to NYC’s Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice, over 70 percent of the city’s emissions are attributed to buildings, making them a prime target in strategies to curb global warming. However, the social impact on the people inside these buildings is often overlooked.
Building occupants are subject to the systems put in place by property owners and managers. The result is a disconnect between stakeholders — either owners pass off inefficient utility costs to tenants, or they bundle utilities into rent and tenants care less if energy literally goes out the window.
Many New Yorkers have normalized the phenomenon of opening windows during winter to regulate the temperature of a room. Energy benchmarking laws have begun to monitor buildings over 25 thousand sq. ft. in NYC, in addition to large properties in a growing number of cities and states across the United States. Smaller buildings, without mandatory energy tracking, are being neglected in the transition to sustainability.
Innovation:
Common Good Sustainability Consultants is a holistic energy efficiency company that provides a convenient advisory service for the management of poor-performing properties. Because over nine thousand large buildings in NYC alone received an energy efficiency rating from the Department of Buildings of a “D” or lower in 2022, Common Good deployed community-based social marketing to initiate the first steps toward decarbonization. They facilitate the process of understanding people's needs to design long-lasting sustainability initiatives in any region. Their methodology is monitored through energy benchmarking, ensuring every step is purposeful. Common Good’s mission is to simplify the execution of sustainable property stewardship as a solution to housing injustice.
In particular, Common Good’s service develops communities that are primed for high-impact transitions and supported by a network of industry experts and local contractors. Their service extracts properties’ potential while spreading responsibilities and benefits between owners and occupants.
As a result, utility usage and environmental strain are minimized, creating healthier and more comfortable built environments. This, in turn, empowers individuals to lead more productive lives.
Common Good provides tailored solutions for the entire spectrum of property users pursuing sustainability. They are adept at navigating the intricacies of each region within property managers national portfolios to executing apartment-specific improvements for renters, illuminating pathways to a brighter future for all.