Honoring Dan Wildenhaus

Dan Wildenhaus supported utility companies, Raters, builders, tradespeople, and home certification programs nationwide, but especially those in the Northwest.

Having spent the first half of his career working on job sites in the Seattle area, Dan used his hands-on experience and eager, can-do attitude to help builders, Raters, contractors, and more improve their practices. He was heavily involved in the residential new construction energy efficiency programs that the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) developed, including the regional Northwest version of the ENERGY STAR® program. Not only was he part of the original team when NEEA launched BetterBuiltNW in 2017, he was integral to the resource center’s development, which wouldn’t be where it is today without him.

A skilled communicator

Dan was well known for his can’t-miss trainings and conference sessions, spreading the word about energy efficiency in a way that helped make complicated concepts easier to understand. His grasp of the contractor perspective was invaluable to the programs he worked on and he always kept that perspective in mind. “His enthusiasm was contagious,” said Shaun Hassel, workforce training manager at Earth Advantage and close friend. “It allowed him to connect with a diverse group of professionals, but especially with contractors.”

Matt Christie, a director at TRC who worked with Dan over the last 10 years said, “Dan recognized the need for different communication styles depending on the audience. He could bring these good ideas about sustainability, comfort, and cost reductions to contractors who were new to building science, and help them understand how they are a critical component of moving the market toward better buildings.”

No matter who the audience was, Dan knew what to say to make things click. “He could translate building science speak into something familiar and interesting,” said colleague Christopher Dymond, senior project manager at NEEA. “That’s not easy. This skill, combined with his candor, allowed him to truly connect with those he trained.”

“Dan was experienced enough to interpret what someone was struggling with,” said Hassel. “He was honest, engaging, realistic, and all the things that were required to be good at what he did.”

Making building science fun

Dan’s passion for building science was apparent in his presentations. “He was unwilling to compromise having fun just because he was at a geeky tech conference,” said Dymond. “He thought this work was fun, and he wanted to help others see it that way, too.”

In some ways, Dan was as much an entertainer at conferences as he was a subject matter expert. “He’d always get dressed up with a little extra edge of visual flair,” said Christie. “There was a gregariousness, an openness to him,” he continued. “You wanted to be at the same conference session as him, even if you didn't know or work with him.”

Collaborator, colleague, and friend

Dan always had time and insight to offer. His expertise made him someone Christie would often turn to for vetting information. “I would hear something from my team or contractors, and my immediate instinct would be to send an email to Dan. Because we have a lot of experts trying to do the same thing, he’d want to make sure that we super geeks were collaborating and talking to each other. You know, a rising tide raises all ships. I'm going to miss him a lot.”

His kind and boisterous personality and wardrobe choices, made Dan a joy to be around. “He did not shy away from being colorful and spiffed up; that was just the way he rolled,” said Christie. Whether you wanted fine-dining recommendations or a lesson in professional wrestling history, he was the go-to guy. “Dan was an encyclopedia,” said Hassel. “His capacity for life was substantial.”

Dan will be missed by the building science community. See the list of BetterBuiltNW resources below that Dan helped develop.