Samuel Borgeson

Sam holds a PhD in Energy and Resources and M.S. degrees in Building Science and Energy and Resources form UC Berkeley. He hopes to improve our understanding of the interface between built and natural environments and is interested in developing effective technical, economic, and policy tools to support the widespread delivery of low impact buildings. For his dissertation work, Sam developed statistical tools to extract and understand patterns in hourly energy consumption provided by smart meters. These tools support more effective targeting and messaging around energy efficiency programs and stand to lower costs while improving program outcomes. For his Building Science thesis, Sam developed computer models to assess the potential for climate-responsive, low energy cooling strategies in commercial buildings to displace conventional HVAC systems. His research focused on natural ventilation, radiant cooling, and the challenges associated with hybrid manual and automated building controls. Through the Energy and Resources Group and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Sam examined achievable reductions in emissions from buildings using models that track building features, floor space, and equipment as they change over time under varying technology and policy scenarios. Sam was also co-recipient of a Green Initiative Fund grant to support his work as a Berkeley Institute of the Environment Fellow designing and building interactive web-based systems to track and visualize campus resource use in support of mitigation goals, research, and education. Sam holds a B.A. in Physics from Wesleyan University. In 2000, he co-founded Carbon Five, a San Francisco based software consulting firm. He left his position as a managing partner to pursue his passion for reducing the environmental impacts of our built environment full time.