David B. Goldstein
About David
David B. Goldstein championed energy efficiency and climate action over a distinguished career that spanned continents, disciplines, and decades. He worked at NRDC for more than 40 years, helped pass federal energy efficiency legislation, and helped create the New Buildings Institute. Among these many contributions to the field of energy efficiency, he co-founded the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) in 1996 to address what he saw as an economy riddled with market failures that waste energy, destroying business opportunity and environmental quality. He was a guiding force for IMT, even as our work changed and expanded. He served on IMT’s Board of Directors until his passing in 2024.
David was consistently recognized for being both brilliant and prolific. In addition to many other accolades, David was awarded a 2002 MacArthur Foundation Award, sometimes referred to as a “genius award” for his energy efficiency work. In 2007, David published Saving Energy, Growing Jobs, which addresses the myth that environmental protection and economic vitality are incompatible.
In addition, David was an extraordinary mentor and advocate for young professionals entering the field. He consistently encouraged the next generation of leaders to find their place and contribute to a shared vision of a prosperous and sustainable built environment.
David was a passionate visionary. He saw the world as it was, and he envisioned how it could be much better in terms of energy efficiency, building codes, and building performance policies.
Sarah Lyons
Sarah Lyons is IMT’s inaugural David B. Goldstein Fellow. She supports research and outreach for a variety of projects related to improving building performance.
Sarah graduated from Northwestern University in June 2026 with a B.A. in environmental sciences and political science. While at Northwestern, she worked as a research assistant studying how the built environment, especially access to green space, affects well-being. She also led a student organization focused on promoting environmental political participation and community engagement among Northwestern students. As a policy research intern with Run on Climate, she collaborated with community groups and municipal governments to advance building performance standards and active transportation infrastructure. This experience sparked her interest in helping cities develop ambitious climate policy and drive the clean energy transition.
Meet the inaugural David B. Goldstein Fellow: Sarah Lyons