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August 26, 2026: The Human Side of Heat Pumps: Behavioral Insights for Customers and Contractors

Jamie Ptacek
August 26, 2026

'Buildings Don’t Decarbonize Themselves, People Do’ is a Clean Energy Transition Institute webinar series highlighting how the social and behavioral sciences are essential to achieving building decarbonization goals.

The second webinar in the series, 'The Human Side of Heat Pumps: Behavioral Insights for Customers and Contractors,' provided two parallel perspectives on the heat pump journey–that of a customer and a contractor. Four core questions were answered from both perspectives based on social and behavioral science research informed by the technical specificities of heat pumps. The questions included:

  1. What are heat pumps and why should I care?
  2. Will they work in my/this house?
  3. What will it cost/how much should I charge?
  4. How do I get one?

CETI Research Director Dr. Stacia Dreyer will moderate the discussion with presentations from Dr. Sarah Outcault (Market Transformation Research Director at the UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute and Western Cooling Efficiency Center) and Dr. Jen Loomis (Market Research & Evaluation Senior Manager at Resource Innovations/California Market Transformation Administrator).

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Jamie Ptacek

Director of Operations and Communications
Jamie joined CETI in November 2023 as Communications Manager and was promoted to Director of Operations and Communications in November 2025. She leads all internal and external communications efforts–including the production of reports, webinars, newsletters, blogs, infographics, and development materials–and manages the organization's operational and administrative functions. She also tracks climate and clean energy policy in the four Northwest states and is the lead project manager for CETI's Decarbonization Forums. Jamie spent the past decade working for several nonprofit organizations on campaigns to address issues at the intersection of climate change and social justice on the local, state, and national levels. She has worked as a campaign manager, organizer, and communications specialist with the Sunrise Movement, Citizen’s Climate Lobby, Futurewise, and Disability Rights Washington.
FULL BIO & OTHER POSTS

August 26, 2026: The Human Side of Heat Pumps: Behavioral Insights for Customers and Contractors

Jamie Ptacek
August 26, 2026
Vernon Air Conditioning

'Buildings Don’t Decarbonize Themselves, People Do’ is a Clean Energy Transition Institute webinar series highlighting how the social and behavioral sciences are essential to achieving building decarbonization goals.

The second webinar in the series, 'The Human Side of Heat Pumps: Behavioral Insights for Customers and Contractors,' provided two parallel perspectives on the heat pump journey–that of a customer and a contractor. Four core questions were answered from both perspectives based on social and behavioral science research informed by the technical specificities of heat pumps. The questions included:

  1. What are heat pumps and why should I care?
  2. Will they work in my/this house?
  3. What will it cost/how much should I charge?
  4. How do I get one?

CETI Research Director Dr. Stacia Dreyer will moderate the discussion with presentations from Dr. Sarah Outcault (Market Transformation Research Director at the UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute and Western Cooling Efficiency Center) and Dr. Jen Loomis (Market Research & Evaluation Senior Manager at Resource Innovations/California Market Transformation Administrator).

Jamie Ptacek

Director of Operations and Communications
Jamie joined CETI in November 2023 as Communications Manager and was promoted to Director of Operations and Communications in November 2025. She leads all internal and external communications efforts–including the production of reports, webinars, newsletters, blogs, infographics, and development materials–and manages the organization's operational and administrative functions. She also tracks climate and clean energy policy in the four Northwest states and is the lead project manager for CETI's Decarbonization Forums. Jamie spent the past decade working for several nonprofit organizations on campaigns to address issues at the intersection of climate change and social justice on the local, state, and national levels. She has worked as a campaign manager, organizer, and communications specialist with the Sunrise Movement, Citizen’s Climate Lobby, Futurewise, and Disability Rights Washington.
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