Chris Calwell

I focus on transformative changes to how and why we use energy. The constraints climate places on our fossil fuel use are fundamental and absolute, so I seek opportunities to utterly break our reliance on them through zero net energy buildings, renewable energy sources, efficient plug loads, and electric transportation options. In practice, this means finding alternatives to energy efficiency business as usual -- new ways of measuring and specifying product energy consumption and performance, promoting and incentivizing the best performers, and ensuring products operate as efficiently as intended.

I worked on climate change and energy efficiency technology and policy issues at NRDC's San Francisco office from 1988 to 1995. I then moved to Durango, CO and co-founded Ecos Consulting in 1997, growing the firm from 4 to 180 employees when we sold it to Advantage IQ (now Ecova) in 2009. SInce that time, I have focused on designing and building my own ZNE home, investing in promising clean technologies, blogging about electric vehicles, teaching classes on zero net energy homes, and conducting research into energy efficient lighting and plug loads.