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About Us

Our Vision

“We want to become North America’s leading provider of sustainable, solar-active buildings skins by driving the transition toward zero-energy, energy self-sustainable buildings.”

Buildings are responsible for nearly half of America’s CO2 emissions, producing most of their carbon footprint through heating and cooling. Clearly, we must reduce and ultimately phase out buildings’ CO2 emissions by transforming the way they are designed, built and operated. As building operations become more energy efficient the role of the embodied carbon becomes increasingly more crucial. Thus in order to reach the emission reduction targets set by the Paris Agreement by 2050 it is imperative to address and reduce embodied carbon as well.

We believe that the building skin, the building’s largest “organ”, needs to an interactive, breathing membrane that can absorb and mitigate ambient energy to convert into usable energy to heat, cool and electrify buildings.

It is our mission to provide low-tech, resource efficient solutions through smart design and material choices that promote energy efficiency and renewable energy production through solar interaction.

Team

SAF Systems pursues a cooperative partnership with all participants in the building process. Specialty solutions and requirements are provided with the help or our network of industry partners and experts in the respective fields.

Eric Nelson, Founder and CEO

Before becoming an architect and energy expert Eric Nelson was a marine scientist and used to work for the U. S. Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.) where he studied extensively the impact of hurricanes on the U.S. coastline. While studying natural climatic disasters he began to understand the human influence in the frequency and severeness of such event. With that realization he decided to go back to school and get a Masters degree in Architecture developing a new passion for sustainable architecture. After graduating and working for a little while in the U.S. he very quickly realised that the U.S. did not have the open mindset for sustainable architecture back then and decided therefore to return to Switzerland where he worked with some pioneering architects in sustainable building practices. There he was exposed to slew of new ideas, concepts and technologies. After working for some time with other “solar architects” he decided to start his own architecture office with focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. He is now offering his wealth of ideas and experience back to the U.S. looking to spawn collaboration, know-how and technology exchange between the old and the new world.

“As an architect and a scientist I understand the impact of mankind on nature.”

Jean Howard, Regional Director Northeast (New York) & Business Development Advisor

Jean Howard has worked with startup and early stage businesses for the last 10 years, reviving a floundering entrepreneurship center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and subsequently developing an entrepreneurship program at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business. She has had several businesses of her own including a magazine and a non-profit consulting business, worked for NYSERDA in community outreach, launched the Solarize Troy campaign and currently serves on several non-profit boards. As a Realtor, Jean encourages green living and making choices in homes, which have a reduced carbon footprint. Jean founded the 501C3 called 21C4E – 21st century citizens advancing Education, Environment, Economic mobility, and Empowerment. She holds a BA in Geology, and an MBA from The Johnson School of Business at Cornell University.

Fabian R. Lemann, Regional Director Northwest (Vancouver, BC)

Fabian Lemann is a Director for the Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vancouver, BC. His interest in renewable energy and green building was influenced by his father Martin, a mechanical engineer and pioneer in waste management.

After a mechanical apprenticeship, he worked for several companies in Sales and Marketing. Before his new role as a project & team manager for one of the largest IT outsourcing company, Fabian finished a leadership / management degree in Zurich. After visiting the Olympic Games 2010 in Vancouver and a trip around the globe, he calls Vancouver home since summer 2014. Fabian is an active member of the SAF-USA team since 2016, representing the company in Canada & the North American West Coast.

Partners

Our network of experts

SAF Systems collaborates with leaders and pioneers in the European and American sustainability community to offer premium cross-cultural solutions tailored to the North-Amercian market. We work closely with local professionals in order to adapt European solutions to the North American building culture.

Greenlantern Group: Ralph Meima is a strong advocate for renewable energies in the State of Vermont.

PreCraft Inc. specializes in the integrated delivery of high performance pilot projects and is proud to be among a small community of specifiers who see the benefit of SAF® and stand ready to partner with and prove out their technical applications in the northeast.

“My goal is to design and craft a legacy of high- performance, classic buildings that will serve many future generations.” Eli Gould, Founder of Precraft

Opportunities

Cofounder: We are searching for an experienced entrepreneur who is well versed and connected in the sustainable building industry to join our team and take on a leading role with a financial stake in our venture.
Demonstration Projects: We are looking for lighthouse projects with demonstration character to build our portfolio of proof-of-concepts that may also qualify for funding (grants).
Strategic Partnership: We are looking for strategic partners to expand our sales channels as well as skilled installation crews to become part of our SAF certified installers.