.png)
Who is Harry Boody?
Taking the HVAC industry by storm.
The journey that launched Energy Innovations and turned the status quo on its head.
To appreciate Harry's unusual story, it's worth noting his humble beginnings and the obstacles he's overcome.
Essentially, his life-changing career in HVAC was launched over outrage that his so-called “energy-efficient” house was not heating properly and was costing him a small fortune.
He bought the 1,800-square-foot house in the early 70's, and it came with a hefty monthly $180 heating bill.
Boody had done his due diligence in making the real estate purchase, so he was frustrated. His American dream had turned into a nightmare.
“I thought I would freeze to death the first winter in the house”
While he was confronting the HVAC company who had worked on his house about the issue, he encountered the builder of the home who confessed the industry had problems that needed addressing...
he told Boody he got what he paid for– he had a spec house, and it was built as one. If he wanted to be a change agent, Boody would have to become “the Ralph Nader of the industry.” It seemed a monumental task to the man who did not even know what a 2 x 4 was...
“My life changed that day. It was up to me to fix my house.”
Boody embarked on a two-year journey reading everything he could on energy efficiency– researching the industry nearly 14 hours a day.
He visited university libraries to dig deeper into energy studies, such as the Princeton University Project and the Twin Rivers Project.
He noticed the eye-catching energy savings and saw what was possible.
Light bulbs were going off.
His first “ah ha” moment came when he read about heat transfer and knew that the industry standards were not correct. He learned about the “Maximum Power Transfer Theorem” and that if he could match an energy source to design load, the result is maximum energy transference.
“It showed me that a home could use much less energy”
So little by little, he began tweaking his home’s ductwork and airflow. He eventually reduced his energy costs from
$5.79 to $1.19 a day (that's an 80% reduction).
After getting his HVAC license, Harry began sharing his knowledge with other homeowners.
Eventually offering a "Lifetime Performance Guarantee" for his work— after more than 40 years in the game, he hasn't had to pay one yet.
Making a name for himself.
Boody's methods and expertise are sought after by trade groups like ASHRAE, where he has presented on topics related to energy performances.
In 1997, he won two international awards— an industry first.
He came out on top for "outstanding energy management, indoor air quality, and mechanical design management technology" for the home of George and Sara House (former home of Vicks Vapor Rub tycoon, Lunsford Richardson) in the residential category.
Boody won second place in the industrial facility category for his designs of Dudley Products Inc., an 85,000 square foot office manufacturing space. The design reduced overall operating costs by 42 percent.
Then in 1998, he received the ASHRAE Technology Award for a residential student housing project in Greensboro, NC.
His other accomplishments include three Governor's Energy Achievement Awards.
