Our Story
It started with a very simple idea: The cleanest and cheapest form of energy is the energy not used.
Clean-energy impacts have always driven our work
VEIC was founded in 1986 by Beth Sachs and the late Blair Hamilton. As a nonprofit organization, the company had a clear mission: to reduce the economic and environmental costs of energy use.
VEIC’s unique program design concepts caught the attention of utilities and governments across the country—especially small, resource-strapped governments. By the end of the company’s first decade, VEIC had delivered consultancy services in 18 states and 6 foreign countries.
In Vermont, VEIC introduced the idea that energy efficiency should be a matter of state law, with a single third-party program administrator regulated like the electric utilities. In 1999, the Vermont General Assembly created the nation’s first statewide, regulated “energy efficiency utility,” Efficiency Vermont. VEIC bid for and won the contract, which we continue to administer to this day.
“VEIC has a long history of making clean energy options accessible for all people. We are driven to innovate, deliver for our clients, and transform markets.”
Expansion has held true to original principles
Beginning in 2008 we expanded our program administration services, becoming the implementer of two new efficiency programs in the District of Columbia and in Ohio. We also invested in our expertise by growing our engineering team and establishing a transportation electrification practice.
Our work has continued to grow to support efficiency programs in Wisconsin and Hawaii, and to operate a community solar program model that enables employers to offer benefits to participating staff. We have also expanded our engineering services to address emerging issues, such as GHG emissions from refrigerants.
As the energy industry evolves, VEIC continues to translate input on market needs and opportunities into innovation for a new era. This work has involved big-thinking approaches that address more than traditional energy efficiency measures and reducing fossil fuel use.
VEIC is now aggressively moving the marketplace toward high-performance, efficient products, advancing transportation electrification, helping decarbonize buildings, and ensuring clean and efficient energy solutions reach all people, including low-income and disenfranchised communities.
Today, we measure the impact of our work by the GHG emissions we help to mitigate.
Core Values:
We are committed to the planet and the life it sustains. There is no greater challenge than the health of our planet. That's why every action we take as individuals and as an organization is focused on reducing GHG for the benefit of all people.
We are always evolving. Our mission is clear, but every day we face new challenges that require unique solutions. So we push ourselves to think differently, find partners that amplify our impact, and take risks that keep us at the cutting edge of our field.
We are our people. Our collective intellectual capital and passion drives our business. That's why we cultivate a culture of trust, respect, and accountability.
