Nearly 30 years before September 11th 2001, the oil embargo of ’73 – ’74 temporarily moved energy “center stage” on America’s agenda. It was an exciting time to work toward making our country less reliant on imported, insecure energy sources. This is the era and environment in which KernelGreen began his working career.
Energy Efficiency Planning started in the mid-1970’s as a venture to solve the problem of residential energy inefficiencies and resulting high utility bills — electrical as well as fossil fuels. As it grew, EEP expanded into larger, more complex structures, encompassing all the elements relevant to conserving energy in buildings: the envelope, mechanical & electrical systems including lighting, controls, user psychology and operations and maintenance patterns, as well as the impact of varying energy unit costs and utility rate structures.
Jumping right in and starting a consulting business, Kernel used his background in Physics to first analyze existing energy use in buildings and then prepare detailed reports on how users could make their structures more energy efficient. This involved getting into the nitty-gritty of energy accounting through analysis of existing consumption records, as well as on-site testing with equipment like combustion analysis gear — to precisely determine the operation efficiency of oil and gas boilers and furnaces.
In 1979 Kernel wrote a brief article about the nearly 75% reduction in electrical consumption he achieved at his own residence. New Shelter Magazine –a publication of Rodale Press– published an article based on Kernel’s experience and methods. This piece describes how a single family residence can be run on just 250 KWH/month through minor equipment changes coupled with a motivated and informed family of users.
After several years developing EEP’s energy auditing and building energy retrofit consulting business, Kernel was asked to be Coordinator for the Yorktown Central School District’s Energy program. He also taught a 3 credit “Principles of Energy Conservation” undergraduate level course at The College of New Rochelle.
The range of EEP’s consulting on building energy efficiency expanded from residential to commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities. He worked extensively under the Federal Energy Grants program to provide studies to schools, libraries, and municipal buildings of all types. He maintained long-term contractual relationships with several medium sized corporations, charged with managing the energy use of their facilities. These included The Greenwich Office Park — a 24-acre, 435,000 square-foot Class A office park complex located in Greenwich, CT — and Contractor’s Register.
The late ’70’s – early ’80’s found Kernel involved with a unique building project, “Energy I” . This single family residence in Greenwich, CT was a demonstration of passive solar design (including “Beadwall” movable insulation treatment by Zomeworks), a drain-down domestic solar hot water system, a “Clivus Multrum” composting toilet, and an array of other sustainable living features. Kernel gave educational tours of this facility.
During this time frame, Engineering News Record included information about EEP’s “non-engineer” approach to building energy conservation consulting in a feature article they published about the industry.
Also in the early 1980’s Kernel began what would become a 10 year role as president of the board of directors of CECI — a not-for-profit fuel-oil cooperative based in Northern Westchester County, New York. This coincided with completing a Mechanical Engineering degree and suspending his EEP business to take on an engineering position at IBM in June, 1984 (the “year of our Ford” — thanks, Mr. Orwell :-).
In his eight years with IBM, Kernel worked both at their mainframe logic chip manufacturing facility at East Fishkill, NY as well as the Thomas J. Watson Research Facility in Yorktown Heights, NY. His specialty was semi-conductor clean-room design and fast track construction. He earned a Professional Engineer’s license at this time.
Starting as a “Senior Associate Engineer” with IBM, Kernel advanced rapidly to Staff Engineer. Because of his expertise in hi-tech, fast-track construction design and management, in 1989 he was selected for a special assignment at the T.J. Watson Research Center. His successful work there on a project important to IBM’s overall semi-conductor strategy led to his being given an “IBM Research Division Award.”
After more than 6 years with “Big Blue,” Kernel was beginning to get anxious to get back to the real world beyond the cozy corporate existence. So, late in 1991, he negotiated an arrangement whereby he would take a management assignment at the research center for 18 months, after which, he would be granted a year’s leave of absence to live in Ireland.
So, Kernel’s “corporate phase” ended in April, 1992 when he relocated to Galway, Ireland.