PHILOSOPHY:
The following quote by Dr. T.H. Harris provides a simple summation of my philosophy towards energy engineering, as well as life in general. I "borrowed" this quote for my high school senior yearbook page and have lived by it ever since:

"The problems of the world essentially are the problems of individuals. If individuals can change, then the course of the world can change. This is a hope worth sustaining."

I have focused my career on helping others to make appropriate energy choices. Appropriate energy choices provide compelling energy, economic, and environmental benefits. These choices are also essential to the development of a sustainable economy and environment for ourselves and our children.

Unfortunately, the level of quality information and assistance required to thoroughly appreciate the benefits of many essential energy alternatives is difficult to impossible to find. This seriously cripples efforts by energy professionals, consumers and other decision makers in making appropriate choices. If quality information and assistance were more widely available, the pace of change to a more sustainable and appropriate use of energy would quicken.

This has been the basis behind my energy engineering work since it began in 1979 and the development of "The Energy Guy" Web Site in 1998. This site is intended to be a networking point, through which decision makers and energy professionals can obtain quality information, assistance, and link to one another.

These web pages also benefit me with my work in the energy field. For individual projects, it is generally best to obtain the application assistance services of a local expert who is familiar with locally available materials, expertise, and costs.

Information on my background follows......

EDUCATION:

B.S. in Environmental Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 1979. Concentrations: Solar Energy and AC&R (Air Conditioning & Refrigeration.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION:

Superior Accomplishment Award - 2001.
California State Energy Commission

In recognition of outstanding performance and contribution to the Peak Load Reduction Team in developing and managing the Cool Roof Rebate Program, a requirement of AB970 which was passed by the California State Legislature in September of 2000 to help reduce peak electricity demand.

Superior Accomplishment Award - 1999.
California State Energy Commission

In recognition of outstanding performance and contribution to the Sustainable Buildings Task Force, a multiagency, interdisciplinary group comprised of representatives from various State departments with specific fiscal, construction, and environmental policy expertise.

WORK HISTORY (abridged version):

Download Complete Resume

July 1997 - Present
* Energy consulting and design/build services, President of Sustainable Energy Group, Inc. (SEG was incorporated in September 2004. Formerly d.b.a. The Energy Guy; it grew into a group).

* Provide comprehensive energy, economic, system design/specification and design/build services. Projects include energy efficiency and renewable energy based electric and thermal systems for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Design/build projects typically involve working in a design team format throughout the design, implementation and commissioning process. The energy technologies involved include, but are not limited to, sustainable design (building envelope layout, material alternatives, etc), photovoltaic and hydroelectric power generation, HVAC (Heating, ventilating and air conditioning), lighting systems & controls, manufacturing processes, and transportation systems.

* Development and maintenance of "The Energy Guy" Web Site. The web site is intended as a resource for "everyone" interested in sustainable energy, from energy professionals to the general public. See www.TheEnergyGuy.com for more information, as the site is updated frequently

September 1998 - July 2002
Energy Specialist and Mechanical Engineer with the Non-Residential Efficiency Services Group within the Energy Efficiency Division of the California Energy Commission. Responsibilities include:

Efficiency Program - Development and Management:

- Development, implemention and management of California's Cool Roof Rebate Program, a requirement of AB970 which was passed by the California State Legislature in September of 2000 to help reduce peak electricity demand. The program, the first of its kind in the nation, saved almost 20 MW of peak electricity demand - enough power to serve about 20,000 homes.

Contract Management:
For a complete list of past contract projects, click here.

Most recent contract management projects:
* The Energy Management Training Program.

* PIER (Public Interest Energy Research) Program contract with Davis Energy Group, to improve the efficiency and lower the cost of their indirect-direct evaporative air conditioning design.

* PIER (Public Interest Energy Research) Program contract with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL), to measure the peak electricity demand reduction achieved from a subset of non-residential buildings participating in the Cool Communities Grant Program. The measured savings will be used to develop functions for the DOE-2 building simulation model to improve its prediction capabilities for cool roof performance (it can underpredict cooling savings by as much as a factor of two). The improved model will then be used to better estimate the actual savings resulting from the grant program. It will also greatly improve future efforts in modeling the impacts of cool roofs.

Other:

* Engineering evaluations of projects within programs such as the Energy Partnership Program and Bright Schools Program. Click here for a comprehensive index of all Commission programs and funding.

* Co-author of "A Market Assessment Report For Energy Efficiency in California Schools." Jan, 2001.

* Co-author of "Steps To A Successful Energy Retrofit," the latest in a series of energy handbooks that have proven to be very popular downloads from the Energy Commission web site. Apr, 2001.

* Participant in the non-residential energy efficiency market transformation group, working on market transformation activities for energy efficiency in schools.

* Participant in the State of California's Green Building Task Force. Received the Superior Accomplishment Award in recognition of outstanding performance and contribution to the California Energy Commission (1999).

* Participant in the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, or CHPS.

* Technical evaluation of end-use energy technologies, specializing in advanced efficiency and renewables.

* Market transformation activity for solar water heating technologies in California in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CAL-SEIA).

* Established partnership for market transformation activity regarding solar buildings in California between the California Energy Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy.

* Contribute to a variety of energy education materials and programs.

* Provide input to a wide variety of energy policy and planning activities.

* Provide assistance to the general public on energy related issues (Click here to send email).

August 1993 - June 1997
Energy specialist and mechanical engineer with the Technology Assessment and Market Development Group in the Research and Development Office at the California Energy Commission. Responsible for technical assistance in the Opportunity Technologies Commercialization (OTCOM) Program. Responsibilities included Commission lead for the Solar Water Heating Collaborative, development of a wide range of solar fact sheets and technical assistance materials, and technical consultant regarding most "end use" energy technologies. Contract management included: development of a solar domestic hot water test facility in Sacramento; a cooling technology demonstration project investigating the impact of building orientation, evaporative cooling, ground source heat pumps, and light colored roof coatings for multi-family buildings; a comparative energy and economic evaluation of OTCOM technologies including evaporative cooling, high performance walls, passive solar design, ground source heat pumps, daylighting and thermal energy storage; and development of a passive solar design assistance training program.

November 1990 - August 1993
Energy Specialist with the Residential Group at the California Energy Commission. Responsible for technical assistance in the development of the new residential energy standards for California. Responsibilities included: update of the CALRES2 residential building compliance program code and user manual for the 1992 residential standards; development of an appendix of default construction assemblies U-values for roofs, walls and floors for the residential manual; coordination and technical write-up for energy standard changes including the rating & labeling of duct insulation R-value; contributions to the new Residential Manual chapter on Energy Efficient Design; contract manager for ongoing Residential Energy Measurement and Monitoring contracts; headed public workshops and developed the revisions associated with the Residential Alternative Calculation Methods (ACM) approval manual (the guide to the rules required of computer programs certified for residential building code energy analysis).

January 1985 - November 1990
Principal Mechanical Engineer and sole proprietor of Darby Energy Engineering. Responsible for management and the technical direction of residential and commercial mechanical system design and California State Title-24 calculations. Mechanical system design included HVAC, plumbing, and alternative energy systems design and construction supervision. Worked closely with other design and construction professionals, establishing long term working relationships to achieve field-sensible engineering solutions. Specialized in providing solutions based on the energy & economic analysis of solar, conservation and alternative energy systems for residential and small commercial buildings.

December 1979 - December 1985
David Wright Associates (Environmental Architecture), Nevada City CA; Developed and administered in-house Mechanical Engineering services. California State Title-24 work also involved significant assistance to local building departments in understanding the regulations during implementation periods. Served as the energy consultant on projects spread across the U.S. and abroad.

May 1978 - November 1979
California Energy Commission, Solar Office, sponsored research project entitled "Passive Solar Handbook For California"; Provided technical assistance to Philip W. B. Niles, the developer of the "CALPAS" computer simulation program, in formulating performance charts for the handbook. Technical assistance involved thousands of computer simulation "sensitivity" analyses, data reduction and generation of camera ready performance charts for all generic passive solar system types.


LICENSING:
Licensed Mechanical Engineer #21982 in California (since 1983). Previously licensed as Mechanical Engineer #23071 in Arizona (1989), Mechanical Engineer #14663 in Oregon (1989).

PROFESSIONAL
MEMBERSHIPS:
National Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC): served a two year term from 1994-1996 and a one year term from 1996-1997 as one of nine board members as well as Chairman of the Standards Committee.

Currently a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and the Sustainable Buildings Industries Council (SBIC).

Past member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), and served a term as Vice President, and another term as President, of the Foothill Solar Exchange, a solar advocacy group made up of Sierra Foothill area building professionals.

OTHER INFORMATION (Avail. upon request):
1) Publications I have authored and/or contributed to
2) Professional references
3) Speaking engagement history
4) Meeting facilitation training and experience
5) In-house computing hardware/software capabilities
6) Video-conferencing-ready (over the internet) and conference calling capabilities