---
title: "Meet Our EIP Team: Zoe Benson, Associate Program Manager"
description: Blog about EIP team member, Zoe Benson
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---
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# Meet Our EIP Team: Zoe Benson, Associate Program Manager
October 6, 2026
Posted by [EIP Content Team](https://energyinfrapartners.com/blog/author/eip-content-team)
Each EIPer brings a unique background, experience, and story to our organization. In our employee spotlight series, we’re shining a light on the people behind the scenes who make EIP a trusted partner in the energy industry.
In this employee Q&A, you’ll get to meet EIP Associate Program Manager, Zoe Benson. Zoe has extensive experience working with clients to develop customized sustainability planning solutions. At EIP, Zoe supports industrial and commercial customers implement energy saving measures.
#### ***What led you to this industry & role?***
> I started as a mechanical engineer working in product engineering. I was making automotive parts that go into millions of cars every year, which was very cool because you'd see cars on the road that you knew you had parts in. But I didn't feel like I was really making a difference.
>
> I feel like so many people get into engineering because you want to make a difference in the world. You want to solve problems. And I was solving problems, but I wasn't feeling super fulfilled so I ended up transitioning back into more sustainability-focused work.
>
> I worked as a sustainability consultant for a few years, doing all kinds of work. I worked with sustainability teams at companies and organizations all across New York State to help them make a plan for how they were going to become more sustainable. That could be in reducing their waste, gaining certifications, all different kinds of things. That was fun, but it was broad. I was working on so many different topics. When this opportunity at EIP came up to work exclusively on energy efficiency with companies, I was really excited about it, and happy to accept the role.
>
> I like doing this work because you're making a discernible impact. We are making measurable changes for these companies. We are reducing their energy usage and helping them solve a lot of problems that in some cases they've been thinking about for a very long time but haven't had the time or resources to address. We're able to help them work through their challenges and connect them to the right resources to assist them.
#### ***What is your program designed to do? Who is the program designed to help and what types of challenges do you come across?***
> Our program is a utility sponsored program where we help large energy users, such as commercial and industrial users, reduce their energy usage through strategic energy management. We're going in, doing a site visit to look at their equipment, and discussing their energy management processes, which means looking at their standard operating procedures, how they're scheduling things, and how they're purchasing equipment. We really take a holistic view of the organization.
>
> Then, we’re trying to identify opportunities for energy savings. We focus on low- and no-cost measures. With that, we might recommend potential scheduling changes using equipment that they already have. For example, if they already have a lighting control system, we might suggest making the schedule match what is actually happening in the building so you don't have lights on when no one's there.
>
> There are also behavioral changes we suggest, as we try to develop a culture of energy savings in these organizations through different measures. We work to get the whole team on board. We're really focused on helping these businesses and organizations save energy through a holistic approach.
#### ***Is there one specific behavioral change that you come across the most?***
> It really depends so much on the organization, but the biggest behavioral change is just getting people to devote time to energy savings. That's why we try to get companies to take a top-down approach. We try to have management explain their involvement in the process, publicly saying to the employees that this is important and we're actively trying to reduce energy usage.
>
> Since every company is different, we have to tailor our approach to them. In some cases, we have a facilities manager who is tasked with energy savings. That can be great for us because they're familiar with the large energy-using equipment in their facility. The only area where they typically lack oversight and data is production, so ideally, we try to work with a cross-functional team. We want finance involved. We want facilities. We want production. A sustainability manager can be a great champion of all of this, because they're used to changes that require a lot of cross-functional work and the difficulties that come with that. A facilities team might not be used to working across different departments and getting buy-in from all of them.
#### ***How do you explain your role to someone who is unfamiliar with the energy industry?***
> As a coach, we are a resource for our customers. The coach's job is really to work with the customer to identify what their needs are, identify roadblocks to projects that they want to implement, and to help give them the tools to make those projects happen. That can mean connecting them to rebates from the utility so that they can get more funding for implementation. It can mean that we're collaborating with NYSERDA programs for support. In some cases, we can connect them to funding for studies that will help them better understand a larger problem that's outside the scope of our program. And it could also mean helping with the behavioral side or getting organizational buy-in.
>
> In a lot of cases, if we're recommending a change, we can also do energy calculations to justify that change. If we can get enough information from them, we can do a calculation to say you could save this much energy per year. Then we can also look at the financials with them. For this change, you could save this much energy per year, which is this much money per year. And this change may qualify for rebates, so you could potentially get this much money back from the utility if you were to do it. We help customers build that business case that they are lacking the time, knowledge, and resources to build. Then customers can bring it to management to get approval.
>
> You can definitely see the participants that really engage with us and take the recommendations seriously. They keep saving money year over year and they keep implementing more energy efficiency changes. Even if it's a very slow process and they're implementing small changes, you see the impact.
#### ***What part of your personality do you think helps you do your work so well?***
> I love solving problems. My mom always tells a story from when I was in high school and home for the summer. We were supposed to be mowing the lawn that day, but the lawnmower broke. My mom came home and I had the lawnmower in like a million pieces all over our driveway. She said, "What are you doing? We could get someone else to fix it." And I said, "No, I got it. We just have to get one part." She went inside and I got it back together and then it worked. I just really love getting to the root cause of why something isn't working. **I love this job because we work with companies to help them figure out where in their processes they can save energy without compromising quality or production.**
#### ***Do you have hobbies or personal interests that you think make you better at your job?***
> I love crafting. I recently got back into crochet, which I hadn't done in almost 20 years. I really like the similar problem solving. Trying to figure out how to fix it and make it look right is very fun.
>
> I also just love being outside. I love hiking. Before my previous job, I actually hiked the whole Appalachian Trail. At our office, we try to take breaks and go on walks instead of sitting in a conference room for a catch-up meeting. Taking that time away helps me come back with a fresh mind.
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