Workshop Speakers

At the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project Workshop, participants will tap into the collective knowledge of regional experts and innovators in the ductless heat pump community to learn from each other, accelerate innovation and advance the adoption of ductless heat pumps throughout the Northwest.  

Jeff Harris
General Session: The Evolution of the Ductless Heat Pump Market

Jeff Harris is the Director of Emerging Technologies for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), where he manages efforts to build a “pipeline” of commercially available energy efficiency technologies for the region. Jeff began his career with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) where he helped launch the new residential construction program and corresponding energy codes effort. On the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Jeff contributed to the Third and Fourth Power Plans for the region. He helped NEEA get off the ground and eventually joined as a full-time staff member, managing their new product development group. While at NEEA, Jeff has also played a key role in developing its commercial, residential and industrial sector market transformation strategies and evaluation methods.

Over the span of his career, Jeff has also been a leading advocate for building operation efficiency and commissioning, helping to found the Northwest Building Commissioning Collaborative, an organization that was a forerunner to the International Building Commissioning Association. Jeff also helped found and is on the Board of Directors of the New Buildings Institute (NBI), a non-profit organization that supports emerging technologies and improved codes and standards for commercial buildings. Jeff holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma State University.

Jeff Pratt
Session: Dual Benefits to the Single Zone Application

Jeff Pratt is a nationally recognized expert in residential energy efficiency with decades of experience in building science, technologies, energy efficiency markets and programs. Jeff played a key role in development of the Northwest Ductless Heat Pump Pilot Project (over 13,000 DHP installations and counting), and he continues to provides manufacturers and utilities principal-level consulting on ductless heat pump programs. Along with wife Jan, he established Home Energy Sciences, Inc., a heating and cooling contracting company specializing in ductless heat pumps. They have developed The Heat Pump Store to provide a place where consumers can see, hear and become informed about the most exciting residential technology to come around in years.

Frank Sweedman
Session: Dual Benefits to the Single Zone Application

Frank Sweedman is the President and Owner of Formula Fabrication Inc., located in Libby, Montana. In the face of a small town inundated with economical depression and cold weather climates, Frank’s company has outperformed and outsold every HVAC company in the state of Montana, receiving “Contractor of the Year” 2009 & 2010 by the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project.

Mattias Järvegren
Session: Dual Benefits to the Single Zone Application

Mattias Järvegren is a Utility Services Advisor II for Clallam County PUD. He has a degree in Energy Management from the Northwest Energy Education Institute at Lane Community College. Mattias has been working for Clallam County PUD for the past six years and currently serves as the lead for residential, commercial and industrial energy efficiency efforts. Mattias has been involved in 1,200 residential energy efficiency projects in Clallam County PUD’s service territory. These projects include, among other things, the implementation of a Clallam County PUD district wide manufactured home duct sealing, PTCS and ductless heat pump program as well as commercial and industrial lighting retrofits, generating a combined savings of 13,000,000 kWh for Clallam County PUD and its customers – enough electricity to power 800 homes for one full year.

David Baylon
Session: Ductless Heat Pump Performance Results

David Baylon is the Principal and President of Ecotope. He has been active in the field of energy conservation and energy efficiency since 1975. He has authored or co-authored many of the key studies that have informed the Pacific Northwest's approach to energy conservation in both the residential and commercial building sectors. Since 1987, Mr. Baylon has managed and co-authored several reviews of energy codes and standards in the Pacific Northwest. This work has included the Ductless Heat Pump Impact and Process Evaluation, the Residential Building Stock Assessment, reviews of residential energy codes for the Bonneville Power Administration, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, the State of Oregon, and for various jurisdictions in the State of Washington.

Poppy Storm
Session: Ductless Heat Pump Performance Results

Poppy Storm is a Project Manager, Ecotope, Inc. Poppy has experience managing budgets, schedules, project communication, field studies, utility coordination, and report development. Current and recent projects include: Ductless Heat Pump Impact and Process Evaluation; Residential Building Stock Assessment; Small and Rural Utilities Technical Needs Assessment; and a summary report of energy efficiency potential in the Pacific Northwest. Ms. Storm has an interdisciplinary background in climate change, adaptive leadership, sustainable business practices, and green marketing. She also has more than 10 years’ experience managing, writing, and editing technical reports and strategic marketing materials.

DuWayne Dunham
Session: Financing Solutions to Cost Hurdles

In addition to his role as the Customer Accounts Representative Team Leader at Clark Public Utilities, DuWayne Dunham is certified as a residential and small commercial energy auditor and inspector, an ENERGY STAR Homes verifier, a PTCS home and duct leakage inspector and has building operator certification. DuWayne has worked at the utility for 16 years, including nine years in the energy conservation department. He is responsible for all program offerings at the utility, including the Ductless Heat Pump program, and is a member of BOMA, NWPPA, NEEA and the APPA.

Jason Thorson
Session: Financing Solutions to Cost Hurdles

As a Program Associate at Fluid Market Strategies, Jason Thorson facilitates implementation of the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project. By planning program activities, managing partner relationships and developing Project resources, Jason supports the program's goal of increasing consumer awareness of ductless heat pumps as an energy efficiency measure. Jason has played an integral role in the Project, developing partnerships with financial institutions to increase ductless heat pump sales in the Northwest by educating contractors and providing consumers with financing needs access to attractive loan products.

Holly West
Session: Financing Solutions to Cost Hurdles

Holly West is the Store Manager for the Twin Lakes Umpqua Bank location based in Federal Way, Washington. Umpqua Bank provides banking and financial services to retail and commercial banking customers throughout Oregon, Washington, Northern California and Nevada. She has been actively involved in GreenStreet Lending since its roll out in Washington State in the beginning of 2010. Holly has over 10 years of banking experience managing numerous stores and being instrumental in rolling out various sales and service initiatives.

April Armstrong
Session: What We’ve Learned from the Marketplace

April Armstrong, a Project Analyst with Research Into Action in Portland, Oregon, has been evaluating energy efficiency programs for almost three years and researching Ductless Heat Pumps since 2008, when the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project began. Ms. Armstrong supports research projects with survey design, in-depth interviewing, secondary source research and data analysis. She has helped perform a verification audit of a utility energy efficiency program, created a call list and conducted surveys for an evaluation of a utility energy efficiency program, contributed to design and CATI programming and assisted with secondary research. Ms. Armstrong earned her M.S. and B.S. in Sociology from Portland State University.

Mark Jerome
Session: Ductless Heat Pump Applications and Technology Advancements

Mark Jerome of KAM Energy in Roseburg, Oregon has been in the HVAC industry for 27 years, during which he has installed and serviced over 300 ductless heat pumps throughout the Pacific Northwest region. Mark was a speaker for the “Thousand Homes Challenge” on the topic of ductless heat pumps in May of 2011. He is currently the technical speaker for the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project’s best practices webinar.

Michael Deloria
Session: Ductless Heat Pump Applications and Technology Advancements

After initially going to school in environmental engineering, Michael Deloria decided to change paths and headed into the HVAC industry. He started with Area Heating and Cooling, Inc. in 1996 and spent his first 10 years there working on high end custom home installations in both new construction and existing homes. In the last six years, his focus has been new technology, building science, indoor air quality and more efficient designs in new construction. Michael is currently the sales manager and oversees all new construction designs and estimates. He is a PTCS Master Technician, Certified in Duct Design, a Top Gun Installer, a Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes Verifier in Washington and Oregon, and CFC Certified.

Charlie Stephens
Session: Ductless Heat Pump Applications and Technology Advancements

Charlie joined NEEA in July 2010 as a Senior Codes & Standards Engineer, representing the energy efficiency interests of NEEA’s funders in federal and state energy efficiency standards processes and helping to align the work of the Emerging Technologies and Sector Initiatives with the region’s codes and standards objectives. Charlie worked as a consultant for architects and project owners building high performance and net zero energy homes. He has also worked for the Oregon Department of Energy, focusing on residential energy efficiency, new technology development, sustainable building and community development and energy policy for the State of Oregon. He is also a past member of the U.S. Secretary of Energy’s Advisory Committee on Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards.

Dennis Rominger
Session: Marketing and Selling Ductless Systems

Dennis is the program manager for Puget Sound Energy’s single-family existing residential space and water heating efficiency measures. His role is to develop and manage cost-effective incentive programs for both electric and natural gas customers. Dennis works closely with manufacturers, distributors and contractors, continually supporting these integral trade allies as they provide PSE customers quality products, installations and services within the energy efficiency retrofit programs. Dennis started with PSE in 2009, with previous project management construction experience in both residential and commercial construction. Dennis has a B.S. in Construction Management from the University of Washington.

Alexis Allan
Session: Marketing and Selling Ductless Systems

Alexis Allan is the Group Product Manager for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. As the Group Product Manager, Alexis is responsible for developing and managing NEEA market transformation initiatives that accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient products within the Northwest. She brings extensive experience in program management, sustainable business practices and market intervention strategies, having successfully managed the NW Ductless Heat Pump Project for NEEA over the previous three years.

Prior to joining NEEA, she managed commercial solid waste and recycling programs for local governments throughout the Portland Metropolitan region, partnering with local organizations to provide businesses tools and expertise in developing holistic sustainability and environmental programs. Alexis holds her MPA from Portland State University and her BA from the University of Oregon.

Thomas Anreise
Session: Does Sizing Matter

An accomplished trainer and building science specialist, Thomas Anreise has used his experience in home building and home performance diagnostics to bring his expertise to a variety of audiences in both field and classroom settings. Thomas also has extensive experience with advanced energy modeling and residential load calculations. He currently works on the Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes training and technical team, working closely with program partners, builders and subcontractors to identify technically sound and cost-effective methods for meeting prescriptive program requirements and disseminate this knowledge via online, field, and classroom training sessions.

Bruce Manclark
Session: Does Sizing Matter

Bruce Manclark brings nationally recognized leadership in residential energy efficiency technical training, conservation program implementation and contractor relation management. Since 1986 he has owned Delta-T, Inc., an energy services company specializing in delivering energy conservation services, implementing residential energy conservation programs, performing energy audits and inspections and delivering technical training to energy auditors, inspectors, HVAC contractors and community college students. Bruce has consulted on a number of residential programs including the Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes program, the PTCS (Performance Tested Comfort Systems) heat pump program and number of utility conservation and weatherization programs.