On October 1st, EcoBlock’s Dr. Therese Peffer joined KALW’s Clean Air Day panel to discuss how localized approaches to energy efficiency can strengthen climate resilience across California. Citing the economies of scale enabled by block-level retrofits, she shared how the EcoBlock project is working with residents to transform a neighborhood in Oakland through home performance and electrification upgrades, including insulation, electric appliances, and solar.
For Peffer, the project’s “selling point” lies not in the new technologies that are being installed, but rather in the community connections that have been forged. Peer-to-peer conversations allowed the EcoBlock team to reach neighbors who are often left out of the clean energy transition, building trust while accelerating local climate solutions.