Origins of 7group

The original seven partners were:

John Boecker, architect

Scot Horst, materials expert

Tom Keiter, filmmaker

Andy Lau, engineer, professor and modeling expert

Marcus Sheffer, energy expert

Brian Toevs, HVAC designer

Alan Barak, lawyer and social fundraiser

Prior to forming 7group the original partners brought divergent but complimentary skills and experiences to the partnership.

Alan – was a lawyer by training.  He has an amazing ability to be a catalyst and convener to jumpstart worthwhile enterprises. He was actively involved in the central Pennsylvania region in assisting non-profits and institutions by bringing consultants and funding together to promote greener buildings. P.S. – Alan left 7group to become the Assistant Attorney General in Saipan and is currently Assistant General Counsel at the Washington, DC Department of Energy & Environment.

John – had worked in Connecticut, LA, Pittsburgh, and the Harrisburg area (for 14 years at the time of 7group’s founding) as an award-winning design architect focused on aesthetics and beauty. P.S. He experienced a bit of an epiphany in 1996 when he realized that focusing primarily on the aesthetics of building was leading to making decisions that deeply affected our environment in multiple negative ways . . . and that by expanding his and his teams’ focus and attention to addressing our larger ecology, even more beauty emerges.

Scot – was a classically trained opera performer. He also had been designing and making custom furniture for clients in New York City. He formed his own company in 1992 making VegTables and establishing his knowledge of green materials. P.S. – Scot later became the Senior Vice President at USGBC in charge of the LEED Green Building Rating System and is now the CEO of ARC Skoru.

Tom – was a Professor at Penn State who had founded and owned an award-winning film making company in State College, working for a wide range of national and international clients. P.S. – Tom worked at Penn State Public Broadcasting and continues to make films as a collaborator in storyshop films.

Marcus – has an environmental studies degree and a passion for developing solutions to environmental issues.  For 12 years he had worked for the Pennsylvania Energy Office (PEO) and had formed his own energy consulting firm, Energy Opportunities (EO) in 1993. Marcus and Andy had been working together on solar energy and energy efficient buildings since 1984. P.S. – more of the same with a deeper environmental focus.

Andy – had been working on solar energy and energy efficient buildings since 1977. Andy was a professor of engineering at Penn State Harrisburg and worked on projects with the PEO and on energy modeling of several buildings with EO. P.S. – Andy is an engineering professor at Penn State University Park teaching first-year design and sustainability.

Brian – a former student of Andy’s, began his career in HVAC design in 1987 and was always interested in “sustainability”. Brian had started his own mechanical engineering and design firm, BETA Engineers in 1997. P.S. – Brian’s firm transitioned their work into the then emerging field of building commissioning.

7group Creation Story

On December 12, 1996 a meeting was convened to discuss the possibility of greening the upcoming Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) South Central Regional Office Building (SCROB) in Harrisburg. Alan Barak was promoting green building in the Commonwealth under a grant from the Heinz Endowments.  He had a personal connection with the sister of the developer charged with building the project, so he was able to arrange the meeting. He then contacted Steve Lee, an architectural professor from Carnegie Mellon University, and Marcus Sheffer, an energy/environmental consultant, to arrange for them to assist him in pitching this new idea to the project team. John Boecker as the project architect, was also in attendance. The outcome ostensibly appeared somewhat predictable, since greening the project seemed to align with DEP’s mission, but Jim Toothaker, DEP’s Director of Building Systems and the person in charge of the project for DEP, responded by crossing his arms during most of the meeting clearly expressing his skepticism. However, Jim knew common sense when he heard it, and so he made the visionary call to “go green” . . . and 7group was born. The project ended up being one of the first 12 LEED Certified projects in the world.

From this origin, additional future partners in 7group worked on the SCROB project including Scot Horst, joined the team as the “green materials guy”; his research and skill resulted in his installation of green materials materials primarily in the lobby. Tom Keiter joined the team and was charged with producing a video about the project entitled Pennsylvania’s First Green Building.  The SCROB project was followed in succession by the PA DEP Cambria Office Building project in Ebensburg, PA. John was once again the project architect, Scot served as the green materials consultant, Tom made another series of videos, Marcus served as the energy consultant and brought in Andy Lau to do the project energy modeling. Andy in turn introduced us to Brian Toevs, who did the building commissioning.

More DEP projects followed and the future 7group partners began working together more and more frequently. Business relationships soon became personal friendships.  Once again serving as a catalyst and convener, Alan brought us together (over a beer at the picnic table in his backyard) and suggested we form a business partnership.

We all said “Of course, why not?”.

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