Meet the team
We are a certified home performance contractor (Lic # 932241) that treats a house as a completely integrated system. Instead of focusing on a single home component, we consider how all components work together more efficiently to provide an optimal in-home environment. We start with our comprehensive energy audit, which combines building science and modern technology to evaluate the energy efficiency of your home. Our detailed report addresses your concerns and prioritizes the recommended retrofits. We are a verified contractor with the California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) and with the Home Performance with Energy Star Program. We are also licensed to make all the remediation’s saving you 20% to 50% off your energy bills all while making your home energy efficient, healthier, more comfortable and lowering your carbon foot print.
Who is who
Dan Thomsen, President and Founder
Dan Thomsen, president and founder of The Building Doctors, is a life long environmentalist, which started in the Boy Scouts, where he achieved his Eagle Scout. Dan received a Bachelor of Science from the College of Agriculture and Forestry at West Virginia University and a Master of Science from the School of Forestry at North Carolina State University. He is a member, verified contractor and instructor with the California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA), a certified Building Analyst Professional (ID# CAN09313), with the Building Performance Institute (BPI) a certified Green Building Professional with Build It Green, EPA Certified Lead Renovator and a founding member of Efficiency First, a National, not-for-profit trade association for the home performance workforce dedicated to increasing the efficiency of homes (where he is on the Board of Directors, National Membership Chair and Chair of the Southern California Chapter). Dan is also certified though California Home Energy Efficiency Rating Services (CHEERS) ID #CCN82918240 as an existing home rater and specializes in Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEM’s). Dan has completed the course with The Infrared Training Center for Infrared imaging for home inspectors, energy audits, and disaster restoration contractors. He has received a certificate of appreciation from The City of Los Angeles for his volunteer work with planting drought tolerant gardens and has an active Real Estate license.
Dan has made multiple trips (as recent as May 2010) to Washington DC lobbying for Clean Energy and pushing for Energy Efficiency standards and home owner rebates with the Congress and the Senate as well as a meeting at the White House with Energy Secretary Chu and Commerce Secretary Locke. On a State level, Dan is on committees working with the California Public Utility Commission helping to set standards and incentives for up coming Home Performance Programs.
Andrea Robinson, Sustainability Specialist
Andrea Robinson is our Sustainability Specialist. In 2007 and 2008, Andrea served as the first-ever Director of Sustainability & Greening for the 2008 Democratic National Convention held in Denver, Colorado. Andrea was responsible for designing, managing, implementing, measuring and messaging the comprehensive sustainability efforts and carbon footprint for the Convention.
In 2007, Robinson managed the greening of the New York, Shanghai and Johannesburg venues for Vice-President Al Gore’s Live Earth concerts for a Climate in Crisis. Andrea acted as Live Earth’s International NGO Liaison: single-handedly building and managing relationships with over 650 non-governmental, intergovernmental and civil society organizations around the world. Using her experience working for environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, Andrea joined these international grassroots organizations together in an unprecedented collaboration towards solving the global climate crisis. Andrea was also a contributing author to the “Live Earth Greening Guidelines” and the “Live Earth Green Artists Handbook.”
Over the course of her more than two decades in the environmental field, Andrea has championed renewable energy and energy efficiency policy, conservation and land use issues, endangered species and habitat protection, and created numerous waste diversion and resource recovery programs. She has contributed her time and expertise to The Clinton Global Initiative, The Producers Guild of America, Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference and the environmental campaigns of Obama/ Biden, Kerry/ Edwards, Gore/ Lieberman and Representative Jerry McNerney (CA). In 2006, she worked with Madeline Albright on environmental messaging for Proposition 87, California’s alternative energy initiative. She has consulted with John Picard on corporate sustainability and green building projects, and is currently collaborating with environmental pioneers Paul Hawken and Janine Benyus at the Biomimicry Ventures Group.
She received her degree in Environmental Science from University of California at Santa Barbara with an honors thesis on Biodiversity and the United Nations Earth Summit.
For more information about Andrea Robinson please go to: www.arcsustainability.com
Rob Acero, LEED Accredited Professional
Rob Acero is a (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) who has worked in construction project management since the mid 90’s – ranging from commercial interiors, to hospitals, to condominiums and apartments. Rob now works as a consultant for people seeking LEED certification for their homes. Too often the indoor environment is overlooked at the expense of the homeowner’s health, comfort and utility costs. The services that The Building Doctors provide significantly improve the indoor environment, and many of these services apply toward LEED”. Rob is a member of the U.S Green Building Council. For more information on LEED, please visit: www.usgbc.org
Mark Hensley, Building Analyst
Mark Hensley is a fourth generation Californian, born and raised in the West LA area. Mark has enjoyed the outdoors for as long as he can remember taking his first solo back packing trip to the Sierras at thirteen and shortly thereafter a solo adventure through Europe for the summer. As a father of two, Mark is an avid mountain biker and back packer that is dedicated to sharing his passion for the outdoors to his kids.
Mark studied Business Management and Geology at Santa Monica College as well as Sound Engineering at Sound Master School of Recording Arts. He spent the 80’s in the music industry recording and touring with rock bands.
The 90’s found Mark as a founding member and Vice President of Operations and Research & Development of Cool Zone Products and Promotions in San Diego. Mark was responsible for the design and implementation of Cool Zone’s side line cooling systems for NFL & NCAA football. He created patented cooling systems for outdoor and industrial settings for clients such as; The Coca-Cola Company, ALCOA, General Motors and Kaiser Steel and he holds three U.S. and Foreign Patents for the technologies used. Mark managed over 30 representative organizations for the domestic and international industrial sales division. Non-industrial projects included creating custom cooling systems for the 1994 World Cup Soccer, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games (ACOG) and Six Flag Theme parks across the country.
Mark and his wife Anna returned to Los Angeles and he began his next career in the Home Remodeling business working as a Construction Coordinator for a high end remodeling contractor and new home builder. He utilized his management and building skills on difficult projects including hillside builds, retaining walls and building basements under existing homes. Mark holds a General Contractor B License. Mark has studied Photovoltaic Design and Installation as well as Energy Efficiency. The desire to be involved with an industry that helps the environment as well as his neighbors has Mark pursuing his certification as a Building Performance Institute certified Building Analyst and Envelope Specialist and HERS Rater.
Judy Rachel, Building Analyst
Judy is a Home Energy Rater certified by CHEERS, the California Home Energy Rating System. She has completed the Home Performance with Energy Star course with the California Building Performance Contractors Association and passed her Building Performance Institute Building Analyst exam. She does diagnostic testing and inspections for residential and small commercial buildings to ensure compliance with California’s Energy Code. She qualifies homes for energy efficient mortgages and does Home Performance evaluations. Judy is certified by Build It Green as a GreenPoint rater (Number 2008-118) for new construction and a Certified Green Building Professional. Judy, also, provides Green Living consultations and workshops. She, also, heads up the non-profit corporation, Eco-Home Network.
Jennifer Gooding, Public Relations
While its most typical to hear of people moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment business, Jennifer Gooding moved to Los Angeles in her early twenties to pursue her dream of working at a prominent animal welfare organization. After four years with the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles (two spent running a pet adoption center, two in PR) she finished her degree at Pepperdine University in Public Relations and Nonprofit Management.
Since then, Jennifer has worked independently in Public Relations and Marketing, predominately representing clients in the sustainability space. She loves working independently because, in her words, “the best work stems from true passion for your client’s business. I’ve been blessed to work with people that are creating necessary change in the world. And I never have to go to sleep at night knowing I compromised my own values representing a company I don’t believe in.”
Her passion for sustainable living is shared with others each month during an event she runs in Los Angeles, called EcoTuesday. EcoTuesday provides a structured environment where sustainable business leaders network with one another and gain insight from industry thought–leaders and trendsetters.
Lauren Alpert, Website/Graphic Consultant
Lauren Alpert is a Los Angeles-based art director/graphic designer with over 14 years experience designing everything from print ads, press kits and pole banners to websites, logos and invites.
A Connecticut native, Lauren studied at Boston University before moving to the fast-paced advertising-world of New York City, where she created ads for The Budget Gourmet, KFC, The U.S. Postal Service, Pam Cooking Spray and Chef Boyardee. After a brief stint in the big apple, Lauren was off to the city of angels, where she has worked with clients such as ABC Family Channel, ABC Kids, Beverly Hills and Buena Park Chamber of Commerce, Fox Kids Network, Knott’s Berry Farm, Bill Maher, McDonald’s, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Nestle USA,
NFL Network, Paul Mitchell Systems, Inc, Saban Entertainment, Soak City WaterParks, The Wayne Brady Show and Vanguard Telecom, Inc.
To see some of her work, visit: www.laurenalpert.com
Joe Rice, Intern
Joe Rice is The Building Doctor’s intern. He graduated with honors from the University of Southern California in August 2009 with his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Minor in Entrepreneurship. Joe is a LEEP accredited professional, and for a young age has a wealth of experience from interning in the past with Rongoe Engineers, Hayde Construction, and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Joe’s extracurricular activities include Students in free Enterprise, Marshall Green Business Association, Innovation Driven Entrepreneur Association, and the Duke Durham Neighborhood Partnership. We are glad to welcome Joe aboard.
Please take a moment and view our website on the next few pages and feel free to use our site as a resource for information and support for making important decisions about your home.
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*** Please note we are not Medical Doctors but are experts in our field and have the most up-to-date and current knowledge and accreditations.***
For more information, call 1-877-411-BLDG (2534) or email us at info@thebuildingdoctors.com
