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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I want to share some happy news with our community! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This year, a team of eQUEST/doe2-centric volunteers joined forces to participate in the Lowdown Showdown building energy simulation competition. After months of coordination and outstanding efforts from everyone involved, we presented our efforts towards the close of the SIMbuild 2016 conference in a condensed 15 minute presentation. The audience/judges together voted and determined that, once again, the team representing our platform deserved an award! This year we took home the “<b><u>Best Teamwork</u></b>” award. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All the participating teams presented very interesting and divergent takes on tackling the same challenge: Pushing an outpatient healthcare facility in Omaha, Nebraska down to a source EUI of Zero. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We had 17 active participants (many are recognizable active participants here on the lists), making us one of the larger teams this year:<o:p></o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:none'><tr style='height:29.25pt'><td style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#A8D08D;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:29.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>NAME (alphabetical)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td><td style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-left:none;background:#A8D08D;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:29.25pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>AFFILIATION<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Arunabha Sau<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Independent Contractor<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>David Griffin II<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Arch|Nexus<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Drew Morrison<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Seventhwave<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Greg Hildner<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Schneider-Electric<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Greg Swiss<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Cyclone Energy Group<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Iyabo lawal<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Texas A&M<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Jeremy Lerond<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Madison Engineering PS<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Joe Huang<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>White Box Technologies, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Kevin Madison<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Madison Engineering PS<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Manalee Jayant Nabar<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Bright Power, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Matt Garlick<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>TBC, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Mrigesh Roy<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Beyond Efficiency Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Nick Caton<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Schneider-Electric<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Russell Knudson<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Strang Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Samuel Mason<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Encompass Energy LLC<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Sasikant Suddapalli<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>University of Florida<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td nowrap valign=bottom style='border:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-top:none;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Surabhi Joshi<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;border-right:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;background:#E2EFD9;padding:0in 2.25pt 0in 2.25pt;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>NORESCO<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here is a recent article published by IBPSA-USA covering the results:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.ibpsa.us/news/review-lowdown-showdown-simbuild-2016">http://www.ibpsa.us/news/review-lowdown-showdown-simbuild-2016</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here is another writeup on ASHRAE’s conference website – here you can find/download a copy of our team poster:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.ashrae.org/membership--conferences/conferences/ashrae-conferences/2016-ashrae-lowdown-showdown-results/best-teamwork">https://www.ashrae.org/membership--conferences/conferences/ashrae-conferences/2016-ashrae-lowdown-showdown-results/best-teamwork</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Finally, here is a link to a page containing more of the details/context for the Lowdown Showdown event, if anyone is curious to learn more:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.ashrae.org/membership--conferences/conferences/ashrae-conferences/2016-ashrae-lowdown-showdown">https://www.ashrae.org/membership--conferences/conferences/ashrae-conferences/2016-ashrae-lowdown-showdown</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Great work to everyone involved!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>~Nick<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#3A7A46'><img border=0 width=722 height=9 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D1FD20.CE31B540"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#3A7A46'>Nick Caton, P.E.</span></b><span style='color:#3A7A46'><o:p></o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=724 style='width:543.0pt;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=230 valign=top style='width:172.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#626469'> Senior Energy Engineer</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><br></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#626469'> Energy and Sustainability Services</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><br></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#626469'> Schneider Electric</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=291 valign=top style='width:218.3pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#57B069'>D </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#626469'>913.564.6361 </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><br></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#57B069'>M </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#626469'>785.410.3317 </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><br></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#57B069'>E </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:nicholas.caton@schneider-electric.com"><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#626469'>nicholas.caton@schneider-electric.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><br></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#57B069'>F </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#626469'>913.564.6380</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=203 valign=top style='width:152.4pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#626469'>15200 Santa Fe Trail Drive<br>Suite 204<br>Lenexa, KS 66219<br>United States</span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr style='height:4.0pt'><td width=724 colspan=3 valign=top style='width:543.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:4.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-line-height-alt:4.0pt'><span style='color:#3A7A46'><img border=0 width=722 height=49 id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.png@01D1FD20.CE31B540" alt="cid:image001.png@01D189AB.58634A10"></span><span style='color:#3A7A46'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>