Aaron Michels

Director of Operations, Energy Resources Group, Inc., St. Louis, MO.

At ERG, Aaron Michels leads energy audits, retro-commissioning, and decarbonization planning. He helps building owners identify practical, cost-effective strategies that reduce energy waste and emissions while improving building performance.

Aaron began working in energy efficiency while still in high school, assisting with building energy audits and developing calculators for alternative-energy applications. After pursuing environmental work in several fields, he returned to St. Louis and rejoined ERG in 2013.

Since then, Aaron has worked extensively in building energy modeling, utility analysis, measurement and verification, and the development of energy-auditing and analytical tools. He is particularly experienced in applying ASHRAE Standard 62.1 to evaluate ventilation requirements and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary airflow and energy use without compromising indoor environmental quality.

Aaron is also actively involved in St. Louis building-energy policy. Since 2018, he has participated as a stakeholder in the city’s Building Energy Improvement Board, Building Energy Awareness (Benchmarking), and Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) programs. He advises building owners on BEPS compliance and long-term strategies for reducing energy use and carbon emissions.

His background extends beyond building performance to sustainable agriculture, organics recycling, ecovillage development, alternative fuels, ecotourism, native gardening, and permaculture. This broad experience informs a systems-oriented approach to energy and environmental work.

Education

Princeton University
Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2000

Professional Credentials and Memberships

• Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Association of Energy Engineers
• Advocacy Committee Chair, Missouri Gateway Green Building Council
• Member, ASHRAE

Areas of Specialty

• ASHRAE Level II energy audits
• Retro-commissioning and monitoring-based commissioning
• Decarbonization and energy master planning
• Building energy modeling
• Building loads and ventilation analysis
• Utility analysis and measurement and verification
• Building Energy Performance Standards compliance
• Energy-auditing tools, databases, and data visualization