CollinsCEA

Nick is an expert in energy efficiency program design, implementation, and evaluation. He has expertise in the measurement and analysis of carbon reduction and energy efficiency measures. Nick is nationally recognized for his work energy use and efficiency opportunities in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). 

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Nick started CollinsCEA to provide consulting, engineering, and advising expertise in the energy and CEA fields, focusing on technical analysis for energy and resource conservation, carbon reduction, energy technology assessment, implementation of renewable energy systems, development and application of energy modeling and simulation methodologies, and comprehensive feasibility assessment of energy efficiency opportunities in commercial and industrial (C&I) and CEA facilities.

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Recent accomplishments include our partnership started in 2022 with the State of Maine to build and maintain a database of all state buildings in order to track and analyze energy use, ultimately helping to identify decarbonization efforts in support of Maine Won't Wait; and Nick's work with the Efficiency Maine Trust Commercial and Industrial Prescriptive Program. Contributing to this program since 2021, Nick has provided a variety of technical and engineering support services for new and existing prescriptive measures. Find more details on current projects here.

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Career History

Nick began his engineering career in commercial construction after graduating from the University of Maine's School of Engineering in 2002. He worked on substantial projects at Logan Airport and Gillette Stadium before finding his niche in the marriage of historic renovation and green building practices in the Portland, Maine area. Nick managed projects at the Victoria Mansion and Maine Historical Society as well as a two year, career milestone project overseeing the renovation and expansion of the Bowdoin Art Museum in Brunswick in 2008.

 

Nick followed his interest in the growing energy engineering field to a new position at Energy & Resource Solutions (ERS) in 2009, where he spent over a decade providing engineering and technical support services to clients such as the Efficiency Maine Trust, Boulder County, Massachusetts Mass Saves, NYSERDA, and National Grid. Nick went on to lead the Maine office as their Regional Director and was responsible for client and staff management, budget and team performance, and business strategy and development. While at ERS, Nick developed and led the internal controlled environment agriculture (CEA) group, which quickly became recognized as the national leader in energy use and efficiency opportunities in CEA facilities. 

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Nick's longest running project at ERS was the Efficiency Maine Trust Large Commercial and Industrial Custom Project, a team Nick joined in 2009 and directly managed for the firm from 2019-2021. Other highlights at ERS included primary research and authorship of the Cannabis Cultivation Facility ISP Study for Massachusetts Mass Saves; project management and technical lead for Boulder County, CO's Cannabis Cultivators Energy Assessments; leading three consecutive impact evaluations for NYSERDA's Industrial Process Efficiency program; and technical assistance to National Grid on energy use and efficiency opportunities in CEA facilities. See Nick's detailed resume here. 

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Publications & Presentations

Nick maintains an active interest in contributing to the technical knowledge in the field through industry studies, delivering trainings, and speaking engagements. A detailed list of publications and presentations are found here.