Erik Ruoff

Biography

 As a lifelong environmentalist I struggled to figure out how to have the most beneficial impact. I left school on the path for a career in environmental law, but became disenchanted by what I saw as the available options in the field. Too many positions in environmental law were struggling to make change, or worse, working for the wrong side. While I contemplated a career change (and chased the perfect ski day), I started working on single-family residential construction projects where I held every position from laborer to team leader. My 'ah-ha' moment came while working on a project in Colorado that had a motivated homeowner who was interested in energy efficient design. There I realized that sustainable design presented the perfect opportunity to merge my educational background in environmental theory and my experiential expertise in building construction. Working in sustainable design provides the opportunity to make real measurable environmental impacts in a sector that consumes huge amounts of energy and resources. I connected with Chris in late 2005 and became The Green Engineer's first employee in 2006.

Research Interest

   Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Green Chemistry, Green Engineering, Chemical Engineering, paper & textile.