Read “Designing for All,” Our Paper Presented at ACEEE Summer Study 2026

Energy efficiency programs have long optimized for how much energy is saved, not who benefits from those savings—a gap that shows up in uneven participation and outcomes across communities.

In “Designing for All: How Targeted Universalism Can Expand Reach and Impact in Energy Programs,” a paper presented at the 2026 ACEEE Summer Study, Rachel Dortin makes the case for targeted universalism: a framework that pairs universal goals with implementation pathways tailored to different populations' barriers. Drawing on examples from healthcare and education, the paper shows how this approach can broaden access and reduce the backlash that often follows targeted interventions — and lays out practical steps for bringing it into energy programming now.