FOSSCoach

Brief Bio[]

My name is Eric. I am an Energy Analyst for commercial buildings in Portland, Oregon which means I run computer simulations of building energy use.

The software that is most commonly used for this type of work can be described as legacy at best (DOE2/eQUEST). It is not very modular or flexible which presents big problems when trying to model new system type (which is most of the time if you're trying to save energy). There is a new simulation engine (EnergyPlus) but the user interfaces that are available are high cost commercial software which is a tough sell when the industry standard is free.

Skills[]

  • Online: I've been using the net for about a decade - mostly just for research, surfing and email.
  • Open Source: I've helped a few students participate in the PHP project (even giving them extra credit for projects contributing to the project documentation.) I can talk about the experience of getting started and show people how the PHP community works and what the major tools are.
  • Programming: I've taken a C++ programming course about 5 years ago. I'm familiar with digital logic hex and other base number systems.
  • Teaching: I've tutored college level math including calculus and physics.

What I Hope To Learn at FOSSCoach[]

I'm interested in learning how to get an open source project started and manage it so that the building simulation community can have a free and open tool that is flexible and reliable.

Thanks

What I Hope To Share at FOSSCoach[]

I'm not sure.