Mark Ginsberg founded Ginsberg Green Strategies, LLC, in January 2012, to consult on Eco-Cities, energy efficiency and renewable energy. He provides strategic consulting and is working with a number of companies and organizations to create a US Eco-Cities Council, to serve as an advocate and technical resource to help the 250 anticipated Eco-Cities in China and to help revitalize American cities through widespread application of US energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, policies and practices. He joined with Carl Hodges and the Seawater Foundation in 2012 to launch Deserts Bloom-Yuma, LLC, to advance widespread use of salt tolerant Salicornia as a biofuels feedstock that can produce food, fuel and fodder.
He served as a senior executive at the U.S. Department of Energy for 20 years and the Arizona Energy Office for 10 years. Mark served in the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) as a Senior Executive, from July 2002 to December 2011. He directed EERE policy, strategies and budgets, and served as “ambassador” for EERE. As a Senior Executive to the Assistant Secretary, his portfolio included energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate change technologies, with an emphasis on international activities, including work on Zero Energy Buildings and Communities, with primary emphasis on China and India. He has overseen major energy agreements between the DOE and Ministries in China, India and the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Ginsberg served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the DOE Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs (BTS) from July 1995 to July 2002. In that position, Mr. Ginsberg oversaw a comprehensive set of programs to make buildings, equipment and appliances more energy efficient; support state, community and low income energy programs; and pave the way for a healthy and prosperous future through high efficiency research and development, building codes and appliance standards. He launched the research effort that lead to the goal of Zero Energy Buildings to be cost competitive by 2020 and developed early concepts for Zero Energy Communities or Eco-Cities. He granted the first funding for the USGBC’s LEED and DOE’s Solar Decathlon.
From December, 1991, until July 1995, Mark directed the Federal Energy Management Program, where he provided leadership for Federal agencies to reduce energy consumption $1 billion in their 500,000 buildings. He led the Greening of the White House in 1993-1994, launched federal agency Energy Savings Performance Contacting, implemented Executive Orders and major Federal legislation, and oversaw the development of policies that advanced energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy in the Federal government. He helped apply those lessons learned globally and throughout state and local governments. Prior to joining DOE in 1991, Mr. Ginsberg served as Director of the Arizona Energy Office, which was a division of the Department of Commerce, where Mr. Ginsberg oversaw energy and solar programs and helped make the connection between energy efficiency and economic development.
He pioneered the Energy Conscious Community Program, helped establish the National Association of State Energy Officials, and served on the Western Interstate Energy Board, the Interstate Solar Coordination Council and Conference of Local Energy Officials. With the merger of the Solar Energy Office, he advanced the Arizona Solar Oasis and Tucson Solar Village. Ginsberg declared Arizona a “Solar State” and worked to attract solar and energy efficiency companies. Mr. Ginsberg has received numerous recognitions for his work. The US Green Building Council established a Ginsberg Fellowship to pursue his research goals and the Alliance to Save Energy presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to him. In 2009, Ginsberg was one of 25 initial inductees into the Energy Efficiency Forum Hall of Fame. He received the Distinguished Career Service Award from DOE in 2011. The US Green Building Council designated Mark as the First USGBC Senior Fellow in the Fall, 2012.