BayREN Highlights for 2021

As we look back on the past year, we’re proud of the progress BayREN has made – and thankful for the many contributions of hardworking local government staff and our partner organizations. The following are some 2021 highlights.

The Codes and Standards Program Boasts New Offerings

BayREN’s Codes and Standards Program is partnering with the statewide TECH Initiative on a Permitting Pilot. This project works with local government staff and other stakeholders to develop and test processes and resources that building departments can use to process permits for residential heat pumps faster and easier. All products developed through this effort will be made publicly available. More information on this effort is available here.

Additionally, the Codes and Standards Program now offers two new trainings for building department staff:

• Residential Electrification and the 2019 Energy Code
• Navigating the Energy Code

More training information is available on the website.  

BayREN Improves its Language Outreach Efforts 

Our team is continually working to make our services more accessible to non-English speakers. With the new website launch in December, BayREN now has many of our online resources in Spanish and Chinese.

In the early days of November, BayREN coordinated with local partners to present a series of Home Energy 101 + virtual fair events in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese for all nine Bay Area Counties (Access and share all videos using this link).

County Representatives Bring Resources to Local Residents

BayREN works with county representatives who lead local marketing and outreach efforts within the cities and towns of the nine-county Bay Area. Kellen Dammann, a Sustainability and Outreach Specialist with the County of Marin, and a BayREN representative, recently hosted a Home Sustainability Webinar Series to highlight essential resources for homeowners. The webinar included information about BayREN’s Home Energy Audits and related topics such as electric vehicles, solar, and battery storage. Visit the BayREN site to connect with your county lead and bring these resources to your community.  

Stakeholder Engagement for BayREN’s 2024-2031 Business Plan

In furtherance of offering valuable energy services, BayREN staff conducted a series of stakeholder engagement events to help shape program design for services potentially beginning in 2024. Key highlights include:

• Input received for the Codes & Standards program from Building Department staff from 53 jurisdictions
• Multiple listening sessions and partnership meetings with Community Choice Energy agencies, local government staff, public health, non-profits, and business groups. 

Cheers to the New Year! We are excited to work with you to further our mission of promoting resource efficiency at the regional level by delivering energy, water, and cost savings in 2022. Whether you’re a Bay Area resident, local government staff, or a local organization, stay tuned for our 2021 annual report to learn more about how our work is creating positive impacts in the communities we serve.