David Vernon

Co-Director of Engineering

David Vernon

David has a B.S. in Materials Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Madison, M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California Davis with a focus on energy systems. David is Co-Director of Engineering for the UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute and for the Western Cooling Efficiency Center. David’s research focuses on cost optimal pathways to achieve zero net energy buildings, indoor air quality, sustainable energy systems, and developing tools to overcome market barriers that prevent adoption of efficient energy solutions. Previously David was a professor in the Environmental Resources Engineering Department at Humboldt State University with teaching and research in sustainable energy science and technology. Past work includes research, development, and commercialization of fuel cells and hydrogen production technologies, as well as waste heat recovery, and waste resources utilization through work at the Schatz Energy Research Center, UC Davis, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Polyfuel a startup spinoff from SRI, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and W.L. Gore and Associates.