Gretchen (Heberling) Schimelpfenig Biography
Professional engineer (PE) focused on resource efficiency in controlled environment agriculture
I am focused on mitigating climate change at an industrial and international level, specializing in the transformation of cannabis cultivation & production facilities. I apply my background in MEP and building envelope commissioning, high performance lighting, HVAC, and dehumidification systems, electric utilities, energy efficiency program development, implementation, measurement & verification, and evaluation, sustainable building design and construction approaches for new and existing buildings, industrialized and prefabricated construction, and lean project management.
I live in the Burlington VT area, but travel extensively for work.
Milestones
I have always enjoyed interdisciplinary experiences. Efforts preceding 2015 use my maiden name, Gretchen Heberling.
- Senior Energy Engineer, Energy Resources Integration LLC (based in San Francisco), starting July 2022, working in sustainable facility design and construction for controlled environment agriculture and industrial markets.
- Technical and Operations Director, Resource Innovation Institute (based in Portland), starting December 2019, working to transform the controlled environment agriculture market through our USDA Conservation Innovation Grant, and PowerScore platform; providing benchmarking platforms for cultivators and supply chain professionals.
- Energy Services Engineer for Burlington Electric July 2018 - June 2020, responsible for delivering energy services to commercial and industrial customers.
- Civil Engineer for CX Associates, Burlington, January 2017 - July 2018, responsible for commissioning services, specializing in lighting systems, and overall energy savings; rectified building systems, controls, and occupant comfort issues. Performed desk reviews for Con Edison's C&I energy efficiency programs; Project Engineer for the Burlington 2030 District, in partnership with the Vermont Green Building Network.
- Professional Engineers license received, state of California, license C 86962, in December 2016. Licensed in Vermont in June 2019, as Civil PE.
- Awarded sterling silver belt buckle for my contributions to the Contra Costa – Moraga 230 kV Reconductoring project (Dec 2015), as Associate at Exponent.
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) published my research paper on geothermal energy technology and policy in America and Iceland (Feb 2015) Link to paper here. (GBIG research here)
- Blogs and technical briefs published by the USGBC on LEED v4, hydroelectric energy, geothermal infrastructure, and green buildings in Iceland (2014-2015). Published GBC Blogs Here
- Schneider Fellow (previously known as MAP Sustainable Energy Fellow) at the USGBC Research department in Washington, D.C., 2014 (press release here) Final Report on Geothermal Energy in the U.S.
- Elop*6 and Engineers for Sustainable World Team member, Participant in Stanford Graduate Summer Institute “Energy @ Stanford & SLAC”, 2013-2014
- Project consultant for Parkwood Technology Centre project in Cape Town, South Africa with Stanford Engineers for a Sustainable World, Construction for Change (2014 - Present)
- Milton F. Lunch Graduate Fellow, NSPE & Victor O. Schinnerer, 2013 (press release) (final report) (interactive presentation)
- Awards Chair, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, 2011-2012 (Women in Engineering release) and President, Mortar Board Senior Honors Society, 2011 (press release)