In the context of
international discussions on the energy transition, sustainable development,
and emerging technologies shaping the future of the global economy, Hellenic
Media Group and the Hellenic Los Angeles Media Network host
an important interview with Kevin Kampschroer, one of the most experienced
experts in sustainability and energy policy in the United States.
With many years of
experience in designing and implementing strategies for green infrastructure,
energy-efficient buildings, and the promotion of clean energy, Kevin
Kampschroer has played a significant role in initiatives aimed at reducing
carbon emissions and advancing the transition toward a sustainable energy
model.
In the interview that
follows, he discusses the major challenges of the global energy transition, the
technological innovations that can accelerate green development, and the role
of governments, cities, and international organizations in addressing climate
change.
The conversation was
conducted with international journalist Dimitrios Kannavos, founder
of the Hellenic Los Angeles Media Network and correspondent
for Hellenic Media Group, as part of international media coverage
on issues related to energy, the environment, and sustainable development.
Dimitrios Kannavos : Mr. Kampschroer, you have spent many years working on sustainability and clean
energy within the U.S. federal government. What do you see as the most critical
global challenge in the transition to clean energy today?
Mr. Kampschroer : The most difficult challenge is the widespread retrenchment of the commitment
to increasing multiple sources of clean energy to grids, most particularly in
the US and Europe. The antagonism toward
wind energy in the US is difficult to understand. The slackening of the adoption of EVs due to
evaporating government tax benefits while the tax benefits for oil-based energy
sources stay firmly in place will reduce the ability of vehicle manufacturers
to scale up, and thus make EV prices more competitive.
Dimitrios Kannavos : From your perspective, how can governments accelerate the transformation of
public infra structure toward net-zero emissions?
Mr. Kampschroer : First: lead by example
in all government operations, particularly buildings and transportation. Make
sure that buildings are safe, healthy and energy efficient, preferably all
electric. Maximize electric busses in particular.
Second: devote public resources to modernizing grid
infrastructure, whether through regulation, or direct investment, or incentives
for private investment.
Third: establish or restore incentives for EV use.
Fourth: Level the regulatory and tax framework for
energy sources (e.g., in the US, eliminate the oil depletion allowance). Adjust
for unpriced externalities, such as the medical costs of dirty air, the
pollution of water supplies from polluted runoff (e.g., mining, manufacturing, others.)
Dimitrios Kannavos: You have worked extensively on sustainable federal buildings. How important is
the role of architecture and urban design in addressing climate change?
Mr. Kampschroer : In the US, buildings
account for 40% of GHG emissions, with over 30% from energy consumption. Worldwide,
it is about the same. Buildings need to be designed and renovated in a way that
radically reduces GHG emissions, both from embodied carbon and from operations.
The confluence of architectural and urban design can mitigate transportation impacts.
Most importantly, re-use of existing buildings can be challenging, and should
inspire architects and engineers to design with the constraints of re-use.
Dimitrios Kannavos : What lessons from U.S. federal sustainability programs could be useful for
European countries and developing economies?
Mr. Kampschroer : The most useful
contribution from federal sustainability programs was to demonstrate, and
prove, the effectiveness of various energy efficiency programs, building
standards, and operational practices. Because the government is generally not
as concerned about secrecy as private entities, making the success (or failure)
of projects public can inform the rest of the economy. After-completion project review and on-going
measurement mad public are powerful tools to encourage improvements and to
bolster understanding about the impacts of technologies, design decisions,
construction techniques, and operational choices.
Dimitrios Kannavos : Energy transition requires cooperation between governments, industry, and
science. What model of collaboration works best in practice?
Mr. Kampschroer : On a project-scale,
integrated design, construction, and operation makes the most sense, and
inevitably results in lower capital costs, lower operations, and better overall
buildings as a result.
More broadly, there is
still a critical gap between invention, testing and proof of concept, and
commercialization. Governments’ role should be to set the broad policy
direction, and fill the gaps to commercialization, either through direct
investment, testing and publicizing results, or creating incentives to adoption
of new proven technologies. Many Universities now have developed ways to
support commercialization of scientific research; they are good models.
Dimitrios Kannavos: How do you evaluate the current progress of the global clean energy transition?
Are we moving fast enough?
Mr. Kampschroer : Simply put: No, emphatically not.
Dimitrios Kannavos : What technological innovations do you believe will most transform the energy
sector over the next decade?
Mr. Kampschroer : Multiple storage
solutions linked to a more dispersed set of energy sources, connected by
two-way grids.
Dimitrios Kannavos : Climate change policies often face political and economic resistance. How can
leaders balance economic growth with environmental responsibility?
Mr. Kampschroer : Governments should be
able to look to the long term better than private, commercial enterprises. Economic
growth in the future is not going to follow the paths of the past. One blatant
example is the investment in AI. Governments should be more willing to
encourage creativity in these massive investments, rather than just allowing
status-quo practice. The creation of massive data centers using 20th
century cooling technology is a huge lost opportunity. Given the massive cost
of these centers, creative, energy efficient solutions are easily in reach, and
would not add overall expense, even if initial capital expense might be a
little higher.
Dimitrios Kannavos: How important are public-private partnerships in accelerating large-scale
sustainability projects?
Mr. Kampschroer : They are essential.
Dimitrios Kannavos : Cities are responsible for a significant share of global emissions. What role
should metropolitan areas play in the fight against climate change?
Mr. Kampschroer : They need to capitalize
on the value of the density of infrastructure and population. There are
opportunities for sharing resources both on a neighborhood scale and on
metropolitan-wide infrastructure. High quality and densely deployed public
transportation is one obvious example. The US is a laggard in this arena, and
not just because the population is spread out. Cities have the ability to
concentrate on existing infrastructure in a way that can be very impactful.
District heating systems, thoughtfully designed microgrids, shared services are
a few examples.
Dimitrios Kannavos : Many countries are investing heavily in green infrastructure. What are the
biggest mistakes governments should avoid when implementing such programs?
Mr. Kampschroer : Dictating practices
rather than outcomes might be a good catch-all. Some things, like electrical
grids, need centralized management, and governments might need to be more
directive to overcome entrenched economic biases. I think governments should be
less afraid of failures: progress is
rarely achieved without some failures along the way. Of course, failure gets
more publicity, which takes some political will to accept.
Dimitrios Kannavos : How can international forums and symposiums help create real progress in global
sustainability policy?
Mr. Kampschroer : The exchange of knowledge and ideas is essential for progress. Sharing what worked (and what didn’t) can improve policies in other areas and countries. Even though economies, cultures, and politics vary, discussing how different ideas work in different context inspires connections, insight, and progress. This is why I am particularly happy to be returning to WGES in Athens this year. It was in the first WGES forum in Philadelphia that I walked away with numerous ideas which we then incorporated into the work that we were doing in sustainability in buildings for the U.S. General Services Administration throughout the United States.
The combination of design
professionals, engineering, expertise, and policy formulation was an exciting
blend of people and ideas. As we progressed and gained more experience in
different techniques, operational practices, and equipment, we were happy to
return to WGES and share our experience with
other others. Every conference gave me as many new ideas as I might have
brought to others. I continue to look forward to sharing what I’ve
learned in 50 years of work.
Dimitrios Kannavos : From your experience, what are the key indicators that a sustainability
strategy is truly effective and not just symbolic?
Mr. Kampschroer : Rigorous reporting,
using common frameworks. In the building arena, LEED, WELL, ASHRAE (ICC) have
well developed standards. Using common standards for life cycle assessment is
important. Third-party auditing is an important component.
Dimitrios Kannavos : Looking ahead to the next 20 years, how do you envision the global energy
landscape evolving?
Mr. Kampschroer : Solar, wind, and
geothermal (ground-source or direct) will continue to expand; their costs are
coming down, and other sources continue to rely on subsidies for survival. China
will continue to drive expansion and innovation with its massive economy, and
equally massive need for expanding their energy supply. Grid infrastructure
will more slowly improve, coupled with scale and technology breakthroughs in
storage solutions. Transportation will become massively more EV dominated, and
infrastructure will expand to meet the current gap.
Dimitrios Kannavos : Finally, what message would you like to share with young scientists, engineers,
and policymakers who want to contribute to the global sustainability movement?
Mr. Kampschroer : First: it is a great field, with immense potential
for growth, personal, organizational, scientific, and political.
Second: I think the dividing line among
disciplines—such as architecture, engineering, and construction—will continue
to blur, and we put more widely into practice what we already know, that teams
make better decisions, designs, and science than individuals. The value of people who know more than one
field has never been higher.
Third: We are in this field because we want to make
a positive difference for us, for our families, our communities, and ultimately
the world. Being a part of making
improving life could not be more rewarding.