About the Author

Site author, Howard Holmes, recently completed building a new home that uses an energy monitoring system and a home automation system.  Interest in applying this technology to make personal living more energy efficient, coupled with a background in industrial metering, spawned the idea to develop this website. The goal is to create an information source and product portal to help the homeowner reduce their utility bills.  By applying the energy conservation knowledge gained over the years, he sheds a practical light on how to take advantage of this emerging metering technology.

Howard Holmes, Site Developer

A few short paragraphs on his prior experience...

Metering Backgound
Owner of UtilEcon Services, LLC, an energy consulting firm that has designed and installed power monitoring systems in a wide range of manufacturing plants.  Some installations included power factor correction equipment, as well.  Prior to this, energy efficient after-market devices were tested on HVAC equipment using data loggers.

Utility Bill Analysis Background
Performed hundreds of utility billing audits for manufacturers, commercial business, hospitals and government institutions.  Developed a computerized auditing system that reconciled up to four years of billing history to the penny, graphed trends, performed rate comparisons and flagged anomalies.

Industrial Background
Spent fifteen years working for large manufacting companies in the aerospace, nuclear, tire, water purification and plastics industry.  Positions included draftsman, robotic tool designer, industrial engineer and manager of industrial engineering and scheduling.

Education
Earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) through the American Inventory and Production Control Society (APICS).  Holds a Commercial-Instrument pilots license and is certified to instruct in single engine airplanes and hot air balloons.