January Climate Leader: John Semmelhack
Meet our first climate leader of 2020: John Semmelhack! John has been helping homeowners with their energy efficiency, comfort, health, and climate action goals since 2008. He is a Certified Passive House Consultant, a member of the Passive House Institute U.S. (PHIUS) Technical Committee, and is a PHIUS Trainer for the Certified Passive House Consultant and PHIUS+ Rater training programs. He sits on the boards of the Passive House Alliance U.S. (PHAUS) and the Passive House Alliance U.S. – Capital Chapter. John is also a certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rater, a Technical Advisor to builders in the EarthCraft House Virginia green building program, and a BPI-certified Building Analyst.
1. How did you get involved in environmental stewardship within the business framework?
My first business, Think Little, works with our customers to help make better buildings with respect to energy efficiency, comfort, durability and health. Environmental stewardship has been at the core of what we do since we started in 2008.
2. What are you hopeful about right now?
Energy efficiency, solar power, and wind power are the biggest shining stars right now.
3. What is one thing that is holding the state or local business community back from greater progress on implementing climate solutions?
Lack of strong local and state binding policies and incentives that provide direction for businesses to act and plan upon.
4. What is a climate action personally or professionally that you are proud of?
Personally - our very efficient, all-electric, solar-powered home…and our new electric car that replaced our gasoline-powered minivan.
Professionally - there’s so much great work that we’ve been a part of. We’re currently consulting on a pair of very exciting, local, affordable housing developments that should break ground in 2020: one with Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA), and the other with the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA). In terms of recent past projects: in conjunction with Think Little, my sister company, Comparetto Comfort Solutions, has recently completed several “electrification” projects for clients, where we’ve replaced fossil fuel furnaces and water heaters with efficient, electric heat pumps...often in tandem with insulation and air-tightness improvements.
5. What is one thing a business can do today to help reduce climate pollution?
There are so many to choose from to get started! Here are a few to start: 1) Turn off any unnecessary “always on” devices outside of business hours, 2) Switch to LED lighting, 3) When it’s time replace a gas furnace or water heater, replace them with efficient heat pumps!
6. This is challenging work. What is your favorite way to recharge and rejuvenate?
Bike rides and hikes.