Rebecca Heilig joins Earth Advantage

Welcome Rebecca, we’re excited to have you join the management team at Earth Advantage. Tell us why you wanted to work with us at Earth Advantage.

Thank you! I’m excited to be here! Throughout my career, I have always been intrigued by the work Earth Advantage was performing and the impact you all were making in the market. My experience with energy compliance and above code programs with national homebuilders has provided me a perspective to understand some of the challenges the home building industry faces in our country today. In my time here at EA I am looking to leverage what I learned to help create a more cost effective and cleaner built environment. Juggling the desired outcomes for each type of organization in the building ecosystem will be the greatest challenge, but I believe EA has a unique position in the market to facilitate change. 

You were previously living in Southern California before returning to Bridgetown, can you share with us what led you to SoCal and why you chose to return to Oregon at this point in your life.

Shhhhh! Don’t say that too loudly. My heart never left Portland when surfing drove me to seek out warmer water. After I married and we had our daughter the draw of family brought me back to Portland. 

You’ve joined Earth Advantage at an exciting and challenging time. What about your new role as Director of Carbon-free Construction are you most excited about?

Being a change agent. You can either stick your head in the sand or face the music that we need change how we address our built environment if we want to preserve our natural resources for future generations. I’m excited to collaborate with professionals inside and outside of EA, locally and nationally, all working towards the same outcome. We are louder and more effective together.

What is your favorite thing about living in the Pacific Northwest?

Banana Slugs. I freakin’ love those things. Other than that, I love everything about the PNW natural environment, the abundance of like-minded people, my family, my friends.

In terms of the future of decarbonized homes, what are some key things you would like to see come to fruition?

It’s going to take alignment of various initiatives to succeed including trades and builder education, real estate & lending education, manufacturing availability, municipal and utility partners, and financial opportunities. But I think the key in all of this is an open mind able to rethink the status quo, and to accept that current solutions may not be viable in the future.

It’s hard to believe it has been two whole years of the COVID-19 pandemic with Omicron now bringing a new wave of infections. What do you look forward to most when the pandemic is finally under control and things return to greater normalcy?

Live music. I miss that feeling in my soul.