E120: Panama Bartholomy and taking pollution out of buildings

Buildings account for a third of America's greenhouse gas emissions, yet until recently, we've been flatlined on progress. That's changing—fast. This week, Molly talks to Panama Bartholomy, founder of the Building Decarbonization Coalition, about how an unlikely alliance of utilities, manufacturers, installers, and nonprofits is transforming the way we heat, cool, and power our homes.

Panama explains how finding 80% common ground among competitors created unstoppable momentum—and how the U.S. just became the global leader in heat pump sales for the fourth year running.

We dive into:

• The coalition model: How businesses, government, and nonprofits work together through "shuttle diplomacy"
• Why buildings matter: They represent ~33% of U.S. emissions and are the largest source of air pollution in California's worst air basins
• The heat pump revolution: How the U.S. went from third place to global leader in just five years—heat pumps now outsell furnaces
• The gas infrastructure trap: Why we're spending $50 billion annually on aging pipes while gas bills rise twice as fast as electric rates
• Neighborhood-scale solutions: How utilities are offering $35,000 checks to electrify entire neighborhoods instead of replacing gas pipelines
• "Stove Gate" as a paradigm shift: How controversy over gas stove safety created "sticky facts" that changed public perception
• What "pollution" means: Why language matters—moving from "decarbonization" to a term everyone understands
• The path forward: Why installers are the real heroes, and what political will looks like in action
• Key stat: Space heating and water heating represent 90% of building emissions—and heat pumps can do both jobs 2-4x more efficiently than gas?

Links:

• Building Decarbonization Coalition: https://www.buildingdecarb.org/
• BDC's 2025 Wrapped Report: https://buildingdecarb.org/2025-wrapped-decarb-edition
• All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/
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