GLASE Consortium Announces New Executive Director: Gretchen Schimelpfenig

The Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering consortium prepares for growth and resilience

[Ithaca, New York] – The Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE) consortium is thrilled to introduce Gretchen Schimelpfenig as their new Executive Director. With an impressive background in Civil Engineering and extensive experience in the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry, Gretchen brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her new role.

Ms. Schimelpfenig’s educational journey includes an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Stanford University in 2014 and a B.S. in Architectural Engineering from the University of Wyoming in 2012. As a licensed Civil Professional Engineer in California and Vermont, she has demonstrated her commitment to innovation and sustainability.

At GLASE, Gretchen will spearhead collaborative efforts with academics and industry stakeholders to drive groundbreaking advancements in greenhouse technology and systems. Her primary focus will be on reducing the environmental impact and increasing the profitability of the CEA industry by pioneering and commercializing emerging solutions.

In addition to her role at GLASE, Gretchen currently serves as a senior engineer at Energy Resources Integration (ERI), where she assists greenhouse growers and indoor farmers across the country in implementing cost-effective energy management strategies to maximize efficiency. Her expertise in this field is further highlighted by her previous position as the Technical Director of Resource Innovation Institute (RII). As the author of RII’s Lighting, HVAC, and Facility Design & Construction Best Practices Guides for CEA in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Gretchen has already made significant contributions to the industry.

“I firmly believe in a carbon-neutral and climate-smart future for controlled environment agriculture. High-performance systems are the key to increasing greenhouse energy productivity,” says Gretchen Schimelpfenig, PE.

As the new Executive Director, Gretchen Schimelpfenig will lead GLASE in forging new partnerships, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, and driving the adoption of cutting-edge solutions across the industry. Joining GLASE as a member means becoming part of a visionary community dedicated to transforming the future of controlled environment agriculture.
To learn more about GLASE and how to become a member, visit www.glase.org.

About GLASE

The Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE) consortium is a public-private collaboration that stands at the forefront of LED systems engineering, plant photobiology and physiology, and greenhouse environmental controls. Committed to pioneering and commercializing breakthrough greenhouse technology, GLASE brings together a diverse range of stakeholders in the controlled environment agriculture industry. For more information, visit https://glase.org/membership/.

About ERI

Energy Resources Integration (ERI) is a clean energy consulting firm developing a sustainable future for our planet through cost-effective energy management. Since 2011, ERI’s team of professional engineers has supported over 20 utilities across 8 states and worked with hundreds of agricultural, industrial, and commercial businesses as an energy advisor to support and accomplish sustainability goals. ERI executes strategies for businesses to foster a clean energy future. For more information, visit https://www.eripacific.com/contact-us/.