Energy Efficiency

Research on buildings is currently focused on big data and heat transfer problems in building science. We are working to understand key characteristics of building performance, including thermal solar systems, photovoltaics, passive cooling, and innovative HVAC methods. Student researchers are building experimental systems and evaluating data collected.

Another group of undergraduate students is working on zero energy buildings of the future as part of the DOE zero energy homes challenge. This project is exploring how to incorporate energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environment strategies for residential buildings.

Prior work

At the Pacific Northwest National laboratory I supported several large Department of Energy projects focused on building energy efficiency and renewable energy.

  • National account manager and technical lead for a $3 million project to improve energy efficiency in buildings via the Commercial Buildings Partnership with industry. The role included coordination with senior executives in seven large businesses (The Home Depot, Bank of America, GSA, Fort Bragg, and Regency Partners). Results include aiding in design of buildings which saved between 30-50% more than ASHRAE 90.1-2004.
  • Managed a software team to develop the Building America Solution Center. Key contributions included developing the user interface, including the building science explorer to capture data for this industry in new ways.
  • Managed a $1.5 million project to develop the REScheck and COMcheck software for building energy efficiency for two years. Led a team of more than 10 other scientists and engineers. The software products have received numerous awards, including the Federal Laboratory Consortium Award and the Streamlining the Nation’s Building Regulatory Process Achievement Award. The software products have been featured in several national publications, including Professional Builder Magazine, Journal of Light Construction, Energy Design Update, and Home Energy Magazine.
  • Managed the computation resources of a linux cluster for large scale analysis on GridWise (smart electricity grid). Included user management, programming, development of web-based interfaces, and patching.