Summary:

The term ‘market transformation’ is used frequently in the building industry, yet it can be hard to define—until you get concrete about what actually has to change. This conversation breaks down how building performance policy moves beyond early adopters and into the reality of class B and C buildings, mom-and-pop owners, and communities that care first about health, affordability, and housing stability.

Matt Watson talks with Jessica Miller, Chief Program Officer at the Institute for Market Transformation and a member of Evanston's Healthy Buildings Accountability Board, about the translation work at the heart of decarbonizing buildings: turning policy into something local partners can actually use, building trust with community organizations, and designing rules that work for owners, tenants, and government at the same time.

Key Takeaways:

• Why market transformation has to reach beyond early adopters

• How IMT defines its role in building decarbonization

• Why equity needs to sit at the center of climate policy

• How trusted local partners help reach hard-to-serve building owners

• Why community organizations need translation, not top-down messaging

• What the Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership adds to policy design

• Why Evanston’s public rulemaking process is a notable model

• How multiple metrics can support stronger building performance standards