August Climate Leader: Sarah Nerette
Sarah Nerette is Sigora Solar’s Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Director. She manages the Energy Efficiency team, oversees Sigora’s Produce and Reduce job pipeline, and works to expand the company’s internal and external sustainability efforts. She currently sits on the board of CVille REA, the Charlottesville Renewable Energy Alliance, and is a member of AABE, the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). Sarah is also the Co-Director of the LADYS-Charlottesville program, a mentoring program for high school girls that focuses on Leadership, Academic Excellence and Service to the community. Sarah’s background is in Sustainable Development and Green Building, and she is a LEED Green Associate. Originally from Haiti, she has a strong passion for social and environmental sustainability, resilient infrastructure and renewable energy. Sarah holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia and an MS in Sustainability Management from American University in Washington, DC.
How did you get involved and passionate about the environment?
As a child growing up in Haiti, I witnessed firsthand the lack of proper infrastructure that caused devastating impacts on the population. Feeling a strong sense of wanting to make a positive impact within my community, I developed an interest in the health of the environment, sustainability and renewable energy as an alternative but progressive way to bring change to my home country. This passion stayed with me the whole time I was growing up so much so that I chose sustainability as my academic path forward. I pursued a BS in Civil Engineering with a focus on Water and Environmental Resources, and then went on to obtain a Master's Degree in Sustainability Management, both degrees of which I have applied to my roles and initiatives at HADPRE Inc. and Sigora Solar.
Tell us what exciting work Sigora Solar is doing to advance climate solutions?
Sigora has lot of exciting initiatives we are rolling out to help mitigate the effects of climate change. We recently rolled out a plan to “green” our fleet, starting with the purchase of two Teslas. These electric vehicles are a great addition to our fleet, as well a way to energize the team since top performers get to ride in style for a year. Over the next 5 years, we will transition the rest of our vehicles to hybrid and electric models.
We also recently joined the Green Business Alliance, an organization led by Community Climate Collaborative comprised of 16 forward-thinking businesses that have pledged to significantly reduce their carbon emissions by 45% by 2025. As Sigora Solar’s Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Director, I am leading our company’s role in these climate initiatives while supporting the community and industry as a whole.
What are you hopeful about right now?
As someone who has always had passion for the environment and concerns over the effects of climate change, I am incredibly hopeful now that climate action is becoming more mainstream. Education on the topic is more abundant than ever before, and the masses are becoming more aware of the devastating impacts of using fossil fuels. This is helping to enable more meaningful change as we race against time to ensure that we mitigate the harmful effects of carbon emissions.
What is one thing that you think is holding the state or local business community back from greater progress on implementing climate solutions?
There are currently not enough policies at the state and local levels to support and enable businesses to implement forward-thinking solutions. We need stronger incentives and capabilities that will allow more business owners to make meaningful changes in how they operate. This is to ensure more businesses are setting a good example by not only promoting the importance of clean energy, but also to ensure a significant reduction of harmful emissions.
What is a climate action personally or professionally that you are proud of?
I am extremely proud of Sigora’s fleet transition plan as a part of our larger 5-year sustainability strategy plan. Not only is this a significant step forward in reducing our company emissions, but it is also setting an example for our employees and our customers. The possibilities are endless when transitioning to a cleaner, greener operation and I am honored to be able to lead this effort on behalf of our company brand.
This is challenging work. What is your favorite way to recharge and rejuvenate?
When I am not working to advance our progress in the industry, I enjoy spending time with my family and loved ones. In a pre-pandemic world, I also did a lot of traveling and exploring of new places and cultures.