EESI Members
Energy Efficient Schools Council
A twelve (12) member body that includes the commissioners of education, environment and conservation, and economic and community development or their designees; three (3) members appointed by the Governor; three (3) members appointed by the speaker of the senate; and, three (3) members appointed by the house of representatives pursuant to the provisions of T.C.A. § 49-17-103.
The Energy Efficient Schools Council (“Council”), created by the Energy Efficient Schools Act (2008), carries out the obligations proscribed in Tennessee Code Annotated, sec. 49-17-101, et seq., including the following:
1. Approve the design and technology guidelines as established by the technical advisory committee;
2. Award grants or loans to school systems for qualifying capital outlay projects, including projects where a provider has warranted predetermined energy us objectives under the criteria established by the technical advisory committee and approved by the council;
3. Cause to be conducted verification of energy efficiencies achieved using the methodologies established by the technical advisory committee;
4. To the extent feasible, establish and support ongoing energy management programs; and
5. Establish compensation for members of the technical advisory committee, unless otherwise prohibited by law.
Council Members
Brooxie Carlton, President, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Rural Development, Department of Economic & Community Development
Matt Stennett, Vice President, Vice President Engineering, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas
Gary Anderson, Secretary, Executive Director COVID Response, Williamson County Schools
Molly Cripps, Assistant Commissioner, Department of Environment & Conservation
Allen Foster, Mayor, Cumberland County
Cynthia Herron, TVA
Bill Byford, Department of Education, Assistant Commissioner, District Operations
Terry Sharp, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Bob Turner, City Administrator, Somerville, TN
Frank Wagster, TLM Associates
Brandon Williams, CTE Supervisor, Hawkins County
Tommy Yeager, SVP M J Harris
Technical Advisory Committee
A seven (7) member body that includes two Ex-Officio members representing Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Tennessee Valley Authority, and five (5) engineers and architects chosen by the Council pursuant to the provisions of T.C.A. § 49-17-103. The Technical Advisory Committee members serve at the pleasure of the Council and provide technical resources including:
1. Establish Energy efficient design and technology guidelines for all kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) school facilities, including, but not limited to, lighting and HVAC guidelines, as well as establishing criteria whereby projects that have been warranted for a predetermined energy use shall be eligible;
2. Establish methodology guidelines for post-audit verification of energy efficiencies achieved, if any by qualifying capital outlay projects awarded by the council;
3. Establish guidelines for commissioning verification controls to monitor on an ongoing basis the efficiency and effectiveness of qualifying capital outlay projects awarded by the council, including recommendations for utilization of energy managers where feasible; and
4. Any additional duties required by the council in furtherance of the council’s goals.
Committee Members
George (Clay) Hoover, PE, Program Manager - EnergyRight® Solutions for Business and Industry
Lee Baker, Tennessee Valley Public Power Association
Terry Townsend, PE, LEED AP, President, Townsend Engineering
Kim Shinn, PE, LEED AP, Director of Sustainable Design, TLC Engineering for Architecture
James Hastings, Founding Principal & Architect, Hastings Architecture Associates
Terry Sharp, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Building Technologies Research and Integration Center
EESI Staff
EESI is an efficient organization. Every dollar of the original funding has gone directly to Tennessee’s public school districts and 100% of the administrative cost have been covered through interest earned on low-interest loans and treasury fund balances. As of June 2017, total administrative cost for all EESI’s programs have been less than 2.5% of the total allocation. EESI services 65 loans with ending balances totaling $ 47,502,166.92.
EESI’s staff develop and deliver the EESC Annual Program Plan and work with the TAC to set strategic goals and energy efficiency standards for program funding. Additionally, the staff provides technical assistance to public schools and local governing bodies by assisting with implementation of their energy efficient policies or programs.
Paul Cross
Executive Director
Andrew Johnson Tower, 10th Floor
710 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37243
C (615) 585-1167
Paul.Cross@tn.gov
Scott A. Slusher, PEM
Deputy Director
Energy Services Consultant
Andrew Johnson Tower, 10th Floor
710 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37243
Scott.S.Slusher@tn.gov
Barbara Floyd, Executive Assistant
Andrew Johnson Tower, 10th Floor
710 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37243
Barbara.Floyd@tn.gov