Our Philosophy
Super-efficient buildings are critical to ensuring we hand off a planet ready to embrace future generations. When focusing on efficiency, it's important not to get blinded by isolated components and neglect the ultimate goal of optimizing the entire system--from the building to the site, community and beyond. After all, elements of a building are only as efficient as the larger systems they comprise.
Yet a truly successful building--one that's loved and stands the test of time--transcends efficiency. It is healthy, comfortable and filled with natural light; it feels good and improves people’s well-being. It has thoughtfully designed spaces that are smart and functional. It considers and connects to the community.
Efficiency is vital, but without these intangible and "beyond the lot line" human elements a building will not endure (so much for efficiency!). Buildings are for people, and they must be loved to endure. This is the premise of our philosophy and approach.
- Katy Hollbacher, Founder and Principal of Beyond Efficiency
Team
Katy Hollbacher, P.E., Principal + Founder
Katy x founded Beyond Efficiency in 2009 to provide technical consulting services for high-performance building projects, something that was sorely lacking in the marketplace. She has 15 years experience in the A/E/C and green building industries and is passionate about educating clients and team members on building science and best practices.
Prior to founding Beyond Efficiency, Katy spent five years managing Build It Green's suite of technical information programs, including the Ask an Expert green building hotline and Best Builders technical assistance program. She was also an engineer at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, a national consulting firm specializing in the forensic investigation and repair of modern and historic structures. At home in the field as well as the office, Katy has pounded nails, hung drywall, and pulled wires on various construction projects.
She has presented for a broad range of clients including AIA, PG&E, ACI, West Coast Green, Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), and NARI as well as various public agencies, USGBC and Passive House chapters. Katy was a founding board member of the non-profit Passive House California and holds a Master of Science in Civil/Structural Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Theo, Zen Master (2001-2014)
In Memoriam
Theo was with Beyond Efficiency since before its beginning. After spending a year in the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley in Hailey, Idaho, Katy brought him home to Wyoming in 2003, where he spent many months hanging out at a jobsite--the perfect place for a dog learning to be house trained. There, and later at Build It Green, and then at Beyond Efficiency, Theo's primary responsibility was office morale booster.
Theo believed that sun feels good and reminded us of the importance of bringing the outside in. And of getting outside to breathe fresh air, explore interesting scents, and run free through the woods and waves. In a nutshell, to enjoy every moment. Humans could learn a lot from wise old dogs.
Theo had a pure and gentle soul and made me a better person. I will miss you dearly, my sweet Theo.
Lizzie Adams, Sustainability Engineer
Lizzie contributes her diverse technical expertise and project management skills to Beyond Efficiency. She believes strongly that design simplicity, technical excellence, and ambitious goals are essential for achieving high-performance buildings. Lizzie is currently undertaking an intensive year-long class on retro-commissioning to augment her existing experience in HVAC design. This unique program is very hands-on and requires that each participant retro-commission an existing building.
Before joining Beyond Efficiency, Lizzie applied her skills to high-performance commercial, educational and industrial buildings at Umow Lai, a leading multi-disciplinary firm in Australia. There she specialized in passive building and HVAC design, dynamic energy modeling, energy generation and stormwater systems, sustainability master planning, and life-cycle analyses.
Lizzie’s education and background is in chemical engineering, where she researched critical fluids, designed small-scale control systems, applied computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to heterogeneous chemical reactions, and silver-plated photovoltaic panels. Lizzie holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University.
Jen Love, Sustainability Engineer
Jen holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Clemson University and has technical expertise in many facets of green building, from stormwater management and rainwater harvesting to indoor air quality and materials. She is especially interested in water conservation and quality and was involved in Water-Energy Nexus research at a prior job.
Prior to coming on board with Beyond Efficiency, Jen worked on educational programs for the Pacific Energy Center for four years. She also worked at Build It Green, where she counseled building professionals through the Best Builders program, answered hundreds of Ask an Expert hotline questions, and contributed to the development of the now far-reaching GreenPoint Rated program over her four-year tenure.
Partners
Beyond Efficiency partners with mechanical engineers, HERS Raters, commissioning agents, and other specialists to provide convenient one-stop service for your green building project. Professionals we regularly work with include:
- JTec (mechanical engineer in Jackson, WY)
- e3NorCal
- Gilleran Energy Management
- Home Energy Services
- Sage Green Development
