Power Profile: Cara Spencer, director of Building Energy Exchange STL
In a novel approach, Cara Spencer aims to bridge the gap between profitability and sustainable energy in her new role as director of the Building Energy Exchange St. Louis. In her experience, taking a profitability approach is one many environmentalists are skeptical of, but that is the strategy she is using to increase energy efficiency.
“A lot of this boils down to a numbers game, for the utilities and the developers,” Spencer said. She added that in many instances, people have expected businesses and property owners to do what they perceive as the “right thing,” whether or not it is in the interest of the companies’ stakeholders and bottom line. “This approach lines up the right thing with the bottom line. I don’t think that has been the norm, and I think that has been part of the problem. I look at the building energy exchange as a profit-driven approach to sustainability.”
The Building Energy Exchange St. Louis (BE-Ex STL) is a regional resource to help building owners, operators, and community members drive greater efficiency in building environments. Specifically, it will provide support to the local real estate community and building industry professionals as they work to improve their building’s performance and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the Building Energy Performance Standard passed unanimously and signed into law by the City of St. Louis in April 2020. Although off the ground already, U.S. Green Building Council – Missouri Gateway Chapter plans to formally launch BE-Ex STL in early 2022.
“Where I come in is, I understand that we have to make the financial argument for folks. I have experience in the real estate community and understand a lot of the decisions are driven by their bottom line,” Spencer said. She noted this is the intersection of the right thing for the planet and profitability.
Spencer earned a B.S. in mathematics from Truman State University and brings experience from both the regulatory and investment side of development. She was elected to the City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen in 2015 and represents the 20th ward, a role which she will maintain. Prior to public service, Spencer spent more than a decade in the private sector consulting Fortune 500 companies in strategic planning. An avid hiker and outdoors person, Spencer said her love for the environment and the world has always been present.
“This really aligns all of my interests into one,” Spencer said.
Success for the BE-Ex STL, according to Spencer, looks like a future with reduced energy use. “Where the energy burden is lessened for building owners, occupants, and our utility company…results that are mutually beneficial.”
BE-Ex STL will work in partnership with the City of St. Louis, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Washington University, and the Institute for Market Transformation, along with other non-profits, businesses, and institutions, including foundational support from Ameren Missouri, The Leon Lowenstein Foundation, Spire and Washington University.
"We look forward to working with Cara in our ongoing efforts to connect building and business owners with some of the best incentives in the state to reduce energy use and save money," said Tony Lozano, director of energy solutions at Ameren Missouri.