BlocPower: Uplifting Communities Through Green Smart Buildings

Led by Donnel Baird, a passionate environmentalist and thought leader in the space, BlocPower is focused on transforming under-resourced communities through clean energy initiatives. By retrofitting buildings with energy-efficient systems, BlocPower is helping to reduce carbon emissions, lower energy costs, and create local job opportunities.

BlocPower is leading the revolution on intersecting energy, technology, and social justice. Baird and his team recognize that communities of color and low-income communities are often the hardest hit by the effects of climate change. These communities are more likely to be located near sources of pollution, and they often lack the resources to address the health and economic impacts of these environmental hazards.

To combat these injustices, BlocPower partners with community organizations and local leaders to identify areas that would benefit from clean energy initiatives. They work closely with residents to understand their needs and concerns, and they prioritize projects that will have the most positive impact on the community as a whole. By doing so, BlocPower is not only reducing carbon emissions, improving public health, and creating green jobs, but they're also helping to build more resilient and equitable communities.

BlocPower developed a new flagship program called the Civilian Climate Corps, aimed at creating green jobs and addressing climate change by providing fully-paid training and employment opportunities for green jobs to underserved communities. This program is so impactful because it is centered around closing the opportunity gap for communities that have been historically underrepresented in this industry; their membership is 25% women (two times the national average for construction) and 97% Black or Brown. BlocPower recognizes that a green economy and sustainable future cannot be achieved without equity and justice which is why they have centered this at the forefront of everything they do.

Through innovative financing models and community partnerships, BlocPower is proving that sustainability and social responsibility go hand-in-hand. Check out BlocPower and the amazing work they're doing to create a more sustainable and equitable future for everyone.