Career Highlights

  1.    Expert consultant in Energy Management.  Advises large building and plant owners, energy service companies, utilities, and government policy makers on engineering and business issues associated with managing utility costs.  Work has focussed on the Energy Services Contracting industry in North America and emerging economies.

  2.    Key leader in establishing and developing a successful Energy Services Contractor from 1985 to 1989.  Managed many aspects of this startup business as it grew to become the market leader.  Focussed on engineering management and project control.

  3.    Expert in interpreting energy consumption patterns and determining the energy savings of facilities. Work has included state of the art reviews for government and utility clients as well as active participation on ASHRAE and U.S. DOE committees drafting standards for measurement and verification of utility savings.   Wrote and delivered a training course in this area for the Association of Energy Engineers.

 4.    Directed the development, enhancement, and application of software tools for managing utility costs and energy retrofit projects.

5.       Personally engineered and managed successful energy management programs realizing annual savings of millions of dollars.

6.       Special expertise in the trading of Emission Reduction Credits through active participation in an Ontario demonstration project.

 

Employment

Oil Industry (1972-78) - Engineer, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto (5 yrs)

Engineering Interface Ltd (1978-1984) - Engineer, becoming Principal (6 yrs)

Rose Technology Group Ltd (1984-1989) - Co-founder and Vice President (5 yrs)

Self-employed (1989-present) – Independent consultant in:

·        energy performance contracting,

·        energy savings verification,

·        indoor air quality management (until 1999)

·        emission reduction trading.

Skills

Design and management of energy management programs and businesses

Communicating with all levels in an organization: “from Boiler Room to Board Room”

Thorough and analytical presentation of facts

Confidential treatment for all clients

Technical:       Energy record analysis for assessing savings potential and proving savings

Mechanical systems diagnostics

EPC Project/risk management

Voluntary Industry Support Activities

American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers:

GPC14P - Committee drafting consensus Guideline on measuring energy savings

TC9.6 - Systems Energy Utilization committee

International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) - an international standard developed by the United States Department of Energy.  Immediate past co-chair of the Technical Committee for 2001 edition.

Pilot Emission Reduction Trading demonstration program in Ontario (PERT) - various subcommittees

Speeches and articles in various journals regarding energy performance contracting, measuring energy savings, and the interaction of energy management and indoor air quality.

  Other Related Memberships:

         Association of Energy Engineers

         Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance
 

Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) Consulting

Typical Projects

For Facility Owners (Private and Public):

Decisions of EPC vs Do-It-Yourself  - assessing the potential, and needs for help

           - setting project objectives

RFP and contract preparation, ESCO selection criteria

Bid evaluation and recommendation

Management guidance for negotiating and administering contract

Evaluation of Feasibility Study

Verification of savings claims from ESCOs

EPC related dispute resolution

For Public Bodies: (Utilities, Government Departments, World Bank)

Wrote a manual for facility owners on managing an Energy Performance Contract.

Wrote a technical guide for co-ordinating EPC and indoor air quality objectives.

Survey of training needs of ESCOs

Developed details of utility DSM programs for EPC

Trained utility customer representatives about the role of EPC

Reviewed ESCO applications for funding under utility DSM programs

Assisted in developing ESCOs in the Peoples Republic Of China, Poland, Croatia, Thailand, Honduras and Brazil

Developed an ESCO management manual

Developed an ESCO business plan complete with financial modelling

Assisted utilities in reviewing barriers to energy efficiency in the design of new buildings

Reviewed opportunities for application of EPC concepts in industrial plants

Revised contract and RFP for Federal Buildings Initiative

Planning assistance for city wide EPC demonstration project

Expert witness in litigations over performance contracting matters

Prepared several performance reporting Guidelines for projects demonstrating new greenhouse gas management methods, or sponsored by utility DSM programs.

 

Other Projects

Review of ESCO applications for savings insurance

Preparation of training materials for Canadian, American and Mexican ESCOs

Preparation and delivery of training on Energy Savings Measurement and Verification

Employment  Details  

Current Businesses Founded and Owned by John Cowan:

Cowan Quality Buildings, Toronto  (since 1989)

Consulting firm helping commercial and institutional buildings become more energy efficient, while ensuring quality indoor environments.

Environmental Interface Limited, Toronto  (since 1996)

Specialist management consulting firm aimed at helping industrial plants reduce their environmental impacts by effective energy management and emission trading.

The Energy Services Consortium, Toronto (since 1998)

Joint venture of specialist consultants providing energy performance contracting guidance to institutional investors, governments and firms in emerging economies.

Kaladar Enersave Management Inc, Ottawa  (since 1998)

Co-founder of this consulting firm providing energy management process guidance for institutional building managers in Canada.

 

1984-1989  Rose Technology Group Ltd, Toronto, Vice President

Founding partner of this leading Energy Services Company.  A variety of senior management objectives were met in developing this consulting firm from nothing into an industry leading design-build contractor.

1978-1984  Engineering Interface Ltd, Toronto, Principal

An energy management consulting engineering firm.  Beginning as a junior engineer, rapidly developed to become a Principal and Assistant Director of Engineering in the Operations Division.  Focussed on retrofit design and management and savings measurement.

  1974-1978  Trans-Northern Pipe Line Co. Ltd, Toronto, Engineer 

Hydraulic and metering engineering to improve pipeline efficiency.

  1972-1974  Imperial Oil Enterprises Ltd,  Edmonton - Drilling Engineer in training.  Calgary - Engineer in training, pipeline and oil field automation installation, supervision, and commissioning.

   

FORMAL  EDUCATION  SUMMARY

  1981    M.B.A. York University - Part time studies focusing on Finance, Accounting, and Economics

1972    Honours B.A.Sc., Mechanical Engineering,  University of Toronto

1968    Ontario Scholar and Science Medal, Grade 13, Upper Canada College, Toronto First Prize, Metro Toronto Science Fair  

 

SKILLS

Energy management strategic guidance and business planning for North Americans and clients in emerging economies

Energy savings measurement techniques and verification of claims for energy savings and emission reductions.

Mechanical and lighting system retrofit design for improved energy efficiency.

Energy Performance Contract risk management

Effective communication throughout an organization: “Boiler Room or Board Room”

Thorough and analytical presentation of facts

Confidential treatment for all clients

 

 

MAJOR CLIENTS

 

The Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company of Canada

British Columbia Ministry of Education, Victoria

Canadian International Development Agency, Hull

Centennial College, Toronto

Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Ottawa

City of Kingston, Parks and Recreation

City of Toronto, Planning and Development Department

Enbridge Consumers Gas, Toronto

Environment Canada, Hull

Department of National Defence, Ottawa, Toronto

Defence Construction Canada Limited, Ottawa

Hastings County Board of Education, Belleville

Highmark Properties, Toronto

Metropolitan Toronto School Board

Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto

Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa

Ontario Power Generation, Toronto, formerly Ontario Hydro

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, Guelph

Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, Toronto

Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, Toronto

Ontario Management Board Secretariat, Toronto, London

Public Works Canada, Facilities Maintenance, National and Ontario Region

Queensway Carleton Hospital, Ottawa

Saskatchewan Department of Government Services, Regina

Scarborough Board of Education, Toronto

Slough Estates Canada Ltd, Toronto

Toronto Housing Company Inc, Toronto

Union Gas, Toronto

United States Department of Energy

University Health Network, formerly The Toronto Hospital

West Park Hospital, Toronto

World Bank, Washington