Company Overview
ESB was founded in 1994 with a focus on designing and developing energy efficient or low energy use buildings in the new construction, major renovation, and existing building markets. Our focus has kept us on the cutting edge of the building science, testing, modeling, and commissioning and design of the built environment. As we looked at the energy use in the built environment we have discovered that energy waste is the norm for our civilized society, which has positioned us to design for energy recycling and capture in the built environment through a number of technologies to further reduce the energy use of our client’s projects.
Through our design and building performance testing practices we have developed a design protocol that allows us to review a site, building, process, or city that offers options to reduce energy use and then incorporate energy recycling and capture stagiest that are cost effective to achieve truly certified energy efficiency through net zero energy use projects. Energy Efficiency targets are project dependent and benchmarked to international standards and protocols such as Energy Star, Passive House, and the International Energy Conservation Code which all require performance testing and modeling. When we use the label “net zero” we use the US Department of Energy definition which is prime energy use plus source energy use equals total energy use which is then offset to equal net zero. The term “net zero” when applied to a building almost has no definition because the term is used without a reference. We have tested and audited “Net Zero” projects that do not meet any of the market definitions of the term, which is why we are committed to public education and policy development.
We are the leader in cutting-edge renewable energy system design which is incorporated into all of our projects. From passive solar systems through active systems such as solar thermal, photovoltaic, small wind, heat recovery, biogas generation, fuel cells, and geothermal heating and cooling systems using waist water as our heat source.
