Join a growing community of net zero practitioners! We award up to $60,000 grants to one or two fellows annually to support research that advances net-zero design and technologies, addresses potential barriers or helps grow community involvement.

Since 2017, Energy Trust has invited building industry professionals or companies to submit research proposals that advance net-zero commercial buildings. Individuals or firms in the fields of community development, urban planning, architecture, engineering, construction, facility management, public policy, or academia are encouraged to apply.

Research must be relevant to Oregon and/or Washington; however, the fellow is not required to be a resident. One to two fellows are selected annually and awarded up to $60,000 to conduct research over approximately a 12-month period. Selected fellow(s) work closely with members of Energy Trust and its Net Zero Advisory Panel and share research results publicly with the region’s growing community of net-zero practitioners.

Watch a recording of the Net Zero Fellowship informational session to learn more about the fellowship requirements and to hear from previous fellow Jean von Bargen Root about her experience.

“Prior to this (Fellowship) I was the director of sustainability at MWA as well as a principal. I wore the hat proudly, but I wear the hat more firmly now. My knowledge of relevant resources is so much broader, and I can better support clients, consultants and peers.”  – Jean von Bargen Root, 2021 Net Zero Fellow

Advisory Panel

To assist in selecting and advising the fellow(s), Energy Trust convenes a Net Zero Advisory Panel of leaders from a variety of commercial new construction industry sectors:

J’reyesha (Jay) Brannon, NSBE Pro PDX and City of Portland
Shelly Carlton, Energy Trust
Andrea Caudill, Port of PortlandMo
Ralph DiNola, New Buildings Institute
Erica Dunn, Opsis Architects
Ihab Elzeyadi, University of Oregon
Joel Good, RWDI,
Jeni Hall, Energy Trust
Michelle Montiel, Green Hammer
Lindsey Naganuma, SERA Architects
Gaetan-Dauphin Nzowo, NSBE Pro PDX
Sam Rosenberg, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Karen Rugg, Perennial Building