Evergreen Home Performance helps homeowners reduce their energy consumption and creates good jobs in the community. Our experienced team of Energy Advisors supports the work of four production and installation crews. Rest assured that every job at Evergreen comes with family-friendly wages, professional training, paid time off and retirement benefits. Interested in joining the Evergreen team? Check out the current openings on our Careers page or contact us directly!

Management Team

Richard Burbank, Evergreen Home Performance, Portland and Rockland Maine, Home Energy EfficiencyRichard Burbank, President

Richard founded Evergreen Home Performance in 2006 and serves as President and an Energy Advisor. Richard serves on the Board of Efficiency First, a national home performance contractor trade group, and actively advocates for federal and state energy efficiency policy.  

A Paris Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, Richard uses his prior career in fine cuisine and food service management to exceed customer expectations with exacting preparations and attention to customer service (insulating homes now, instead of people!). Richard is passionate about educating homeowners on energy efficiency and takes an active role in ongoing education and mentoring of the Evergreen staff. Richard enjoys spending time with his wife and Evergreen co-owner Sammy, and three children, Cecile, Levi, and Joshua. He fills in the balance of his time with organic gardening and playing accordion and concertina while singing sea shanties.  

Fun Fact: 

Richard’s efforts to insulate and improve his 1880s Rockland home were the inspiration for Evergreen Home Performance. Ten years later, in 2016, with the business thriving, Richard and his family relocated to Falmouth, Maine to better serve the Portland area.

Elise Brown, Executive Vice President of Evergreen Home Performance in Rockland, MaineElise Brown, Executive Vice President

Elise joined Evergreen in 2009 and became a partner in the business in January 2011, delighted to have finally found a business that shares her commitment to customer satisfaction, employee well-being, and environmental stewardship.

Elise is also the Emergency Management Director for Liberty, Maine and brings a broad background in public service, safety training, and management to Evergreen. She has been a professional firefighter, emergency medical technician, Fire Chief & Training Captain, and assistant director of a non-profit. At Evergreen, she focuses on marketing, human resources, and employee health & safety training programs. When not in the office making things hum, Elise can be found on her farm in Liberty, raising her children, Rose and Seth, as well as chickens, fruits, and vegetables alongside her partner, Martha Piscuskas.

Fun Fact:

Elise's 1830 brick farmhouse is heated by a woodstove, with a backup oil furnace. Evergreen's comprehensive energy upgrades made the house cozy and comfortable and transformed her typical wet Maine basement into clean, dry storage space for organic produce from her farm. Revision Energy recently installed a ground-mounted solar array and she is eager to convert from fossil fuels to all-electric over the next few years.

Brian Robinson, Energy Advisor & Vice President Evergreen Home Performance, Rockland MaineBrian Robinson, Vice President & Rockland-based Energy Advisor

Brian joined Evergreen in 2009 and serves as Vice President as well as being a certified Building Analyst and Energy Auditor.

Brian spent twenty years in his first career helping youth recognize and develop their potential through direct experiences in nature. Brian's passion is for helping homeowners create dramatically more comfortable and energy efficient homes with smaller carbon footprints. Homeowners appreciate that he provides them the diagnosis and solutions to inform their decisions on the best ways to improve comfort and efficiency in their homes. Outside of work Brian serves on Camden's Energy and Parks & Recreation Committees. He can often be found volunteering on the Ragged Mountain Ski Patrol at the Camden Snow Bowl and enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children, preferably in the outdoors.

Fun Fact:

Brian has undertaken major energy improvements in his Camden, Maine home, reducing air leakage by half and reducing energy consumption by 60%. In addition to fully insulating his basement, dense packing roof slopes with cellulose, and adding cellulose between the first and second floors, his home now features programmable thermostats, ultra low flow showerheads, solar hot water, and a high efficiency washing machine.

Brian Schortz, General Manager Evergreen Home Performance, Portland + Rockland MaineBrian Schortz, General Manager

Brian has been with Evergreen since 2008 and is passionate about working for an organization that makes a difference in the lives of its customers.

Brian brings 10+ years of corporate operational management, while working in food service with Sodexho. An active part of the Belfast, Maine community, Brian spends the majority of his time with his family, including his wife Lindsey, two children, Genevieve and Anna, as well as their two Labrador retrievers.

Fun Fact:

Brian lives in a classic Maine home: inefficient, cold, and damp, with tremendous untapped energy upgrades just waiting to be tackled. Strategic air sealing in his attic just whetted his appetite for a more comprehensive project in the future.

Bryan Pringle, Evergreen Home Performance, Energy Audits, Insulation, Basement WaterproofingBryan Pringle, Process/Continuous Improvement Manager

Bryan joined Evergreen as a technician in 2011 after being introduced to energy efficiency and building performance principles through coursework at SMCC.

Bryan has served in many different capacities at Evergreen since then, including as a project supervisor, window & door installer, energy advisor and regional production manager. Currently, as Evergreen's process/continuous improvement manager, Bryan is responsible for examining various workflows within the company and working with teams to make and standardize improvements. He is passionate about reducing the environmental impacts of human consumption, including the excess energy required to maintain comfort in many existing residential homes.

As a BPI Certified Building Analyst, Bryan is committed to helping Mainers lower their energy use while improving the comfort they experience year-round in their homes.

Fun Fact:

Bryan's home is an 1840s cape located in historic downtown Saco. Efficiency upgrades he's made include basement water management, encapsulation and insulation, as well as attic air sealing and insulation, which have dramatically improved the comfort and livability of the home. The upgrades have also reduced its energy consumption by nearly 50%. Heated primarily with wood pellets, supplemented by oil (blended with 20% biofuel), Bryan sources electricity through a community solar farm to power his home, including the heat pump water heater used to deliver hot water to the household.

In his free time, Bryan enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, running, biking and especially going on adventures of all types with his daughter.

Energy Advisors

Irene Flynn, Energy Advisor

Irene joined Evergreen Home Performance in 2023 and serves as an Energy Advisor in the Rockland, Maine office. Irene's career includes 10 years of working in land conservation throughout midcoast Maine, after which Irene pivoted into the energy conservation industry with Evergreen Home Performance. With a strong background in environmental science, Irene is motivated to help Mainers reduce their energy consumption. Interestingly, Irene was first an Evergreen customer before she came to work for the company. She now uses her previous experience as an Evergreen customer to help guide her day-to-day practice as an Evergreen Sales Advisor.

Fun Fact:

Irene's Rockland home was built around 1890. After the attic was buttoned up by Evergreen in 2022, the home now also features an insulated field stone foundation basement and is all-electric. A combination of home heat pumps and wood heat the home during winter, along with a heat pump hot water heater, all powered by solar.

When she's not at work, Irene enjoys rocking out with her children, maintaining a section of the Appalachian Trail, baking bread and cakes, vegetable gardening and joyfully tackling a never-ending list of DIY projects at home. Irene resides in Rockland with her young family and their big dopey dog Marge, and overly friendly cat Charn.

Tom Goodspeed, Energy Advisor, Evergreen Home Performance, Portland + Rockland Maine Tom Goodspeed, Energy Advisor

Following an extensive professional career in sales management and as an independent residential carpenter and remodeling contractor, Tom joined Evergreen Home Performance in 2022.Tom brings a wealth of home construction knowledge, as well as a solid understanding of the various types of homes that exist throughout Maine. A long-time advocate for home energy efficiency practices, as a BPI Certified Building Analyst, Tom brings decades of knowledge about the diverse nature of Maine home construction practices, both past and present.
Tom has a real knack for solving home performance mysteries by evaluating homes holistically and identifying previously "hidden" sources of energy leaks. With every project, Tom is focused on improving comfort and reducing energy costs for homeowners. A true Mainer, Tom was born in Portland and grew up in a nearby suburb. He's owned three homes during his lifetime and has meticulously tracked the energy consumption of each one with an ever-evolving Excel spreadsheet!

Fun Fact:

After working to help frame more than 40 homes throughout Maine, in 2019, Tom successfully built his own home in Bowdoinham, serving as the projects' full-time general contractor and carpenter. When he's not working, Tom and his partner chase around their 3-year-old son. Other passions include working outside around the house, hiking, camping, boating, and serving as the perpetually "on-call" resource for his family and friends for all things home-related!

Dave Holmes, Energy Advisor, Evergreen Home Performance | Maine Portland & Rockland MEDave Holmes, Energy Advisor

Dave joined Evergreen Home Performance in 2014. With a background in home construction, remodeling, and engineering, Dave started at Evergreen in October 2014 as an installation technician. He later became a project supervisor in early 2016 and assumed a lead position as a window and door installer in 2018. From 2019 to 2022 Dave left Evergreen to expand his home construction skills by working with a few independent contractors. He also ran his own home remodeling and renovation business during this time. He returned to Evergreen in 2023 and transitioned into a sales advisor role in 2024.
Dave, a Dale Carnegie leadership training graduate, enjoys meeting new and amazing people at their homes across Southern Maine to learn about their home energy concerns. He's dedicated to helping Mainers improve their energy efficiency and the comfort they experience in their homes.

Fun Fact:

With a lot of hard work and help from many friends, Dave has been able to significantly improve the performance of his 1998-built home in Gray since purchasing it back in 2017. Through air sealing and installing ample amounts of dense pack cellulose, mineral wool and continuous board insulation, the home now comfortably provides for Dave and his family. Outside of his work-life, Dave enjoys camping, skiing, grilling, swimming at Sebago Lake, gardening, woodworking, and voice acting. He resides in Gray with his wife, Stephanie, and their two boys.

Chris Kessler, Evergreen Home Performance | Energy Advisor, Portland Maine Chris Kessler, Energy Advisor

Joining Evergreen Home Performance in 2021 with a background in both public policy and energy efficiency, Chris brings a unique set of skills and expertise to the Evergreen team. As a BPI Certified Building Analyst since 2009, Chris has either conducted inspections or worked on the construction sites of literally thousands of homes across Maine. He uses this vast knowledge and first-hand experience to help guide his clients in making informed decisions about the most effective means of improving the energy efficiency of their homes and reducing their fossil fuel consumption. Although Chris's focus at Evergreen is primarily focused on improving the building envelope, he also has many years of experience in all aspects of home energy use, including HVAC and solar system design.

Fun Fact:

When he's not at work, Chris is known throughout Maine as Representative Christopher Kessler, currently serving his 6th year representing South Portland and Cape Elizabeth in the Maine Legislature. Closer to home, the 1960's era single story ranch he owns in South Portland now uses 70% less energy today than it did when he first purchased it in 2016.

Chris is a senior member of the Maine Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee, which oversees agencies such as Efficiency Maine and the Maine Public Utilities Commission, and is a voting member of the Maine Climate Council. In his spare time, Chris enjoys the finer things in life like spending time on the trail, paddling, biking, eating, drinking, and being merry with his friends and family. He and his family reside in South Portland.

Justin McEdward, Energy Advisor, Evergreen Home Performance, Portland + Rockland, MaineJustin McEdward, Energy Advisor

With a professional background in project management, sales and customer service, Justin joined Evergreen Home Performance in 2013 as a field technician. In 2015, he moved into the role of Energy Advisor. As a BPI Certified Building Analyst, Justin is able to effectively diagnose and recommend the most practical solutions to address the various home performance issues of his clients. A Dale Carnegie leadership training graduate, Justin is committed to helping Maine homeowners understand the benefits of having the right amount and type of insulation installed in their homes. He loves being able to help people in his own community be more comfortable in their homes while also reducing their carbon footprint and improving their air quality too.

Fun Fact:

Justin's Portland home is powered by 16 solar panels. Following significant insulation and air sealing upgrades to both the basement and attic, year-round comfort is maintained in the home with the use of several air-sourced heat pumps and a heat pump water heater. In his free time, Justin enjoys playing frisbee golf, hiking, mountain biking, reading, practicing mindfulness, and woodworking. He resides in Portland with his partner and their two kids.

Bruce MerrymanBruce Merryman, Energy Advisor

With a wealth of knowledge and expertise gained from working in residential and commercial building construction, Bruce joined Evergreen Home Performance in 2011 as an installation technician.Throughout his career, Bruce has been involved with nearly every aspect of the building construction trade. From seaside home renovations, framing to footing, drywall to door hanging, Bruce has served as an employee, business co-owner, and as a subcontractor on hundreds of construction sites across Maine. Serving as a project supervisor for over a decade, Bruce has developed and implemented numerous program, job site and workflow strategies that emphasize teamwork, communication and attention to detail.
As a BPI Certified Building Analyst and Energy Auditor, Bruce is committed to helping Mainers improve the energy efficiency and comfort experienced in their homes. Combining his many years of fieldwork and home performance knowledge, Bruce enjoys working with homeowners to learn about their goals, areas of concern and then discussing the best way to make improvements to help them reach those goals.

Fun Fact:

Bruce replaced the oil heater with a wood-burning masonry heater in his passive solar saltbox home, located in Topsham. His future plans include, among other things, installing a fresh air ventilation system that is similar to the one he installed in his previous home. When he's not working, Bruce enjoys being outdoors hiking, traveling, and cooking with his wood-fired ovens and grill.

Nate Spectre, Energy Advisor,  Evergreen Home Performance | Maine | Energy Audits | InsulationNate Spectre,

Following many years of working in building construction and home repair, Nate joined Evergreen Home Performance in 2010. Nate brings years of hands-on experience and practical working knowledge of home-building methods both past and present to his role as an Evergreen sales advisor. He grew up in midcoast Maine.
Nate is committed to helping Mainers improve the energy efficiency and comfort experienced in their homes. He is certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI) as a Building Analyst. When he's not at work, Nate enjoys spending time with his family and cycling on the beautiful back roads of Searsmont, where he lives with his wife, Kim.

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Blog

Improve Your Home’s Efficiency Before Heat Pumps! blog header image
Transcript:You may have heard that heat pumps offer immediate relief from high monthly heating and cooling costs here in Maine - but is that true for poorly insulated and leaky homes? Installing a... Read more

Case Studies

Matt and Christa knew that the home they had just purchased in the neighborhood they loved -- for the price they could afford -- was going to need a... Read More

Testimonial

Update 12/2018: Evergreen has completed Phase II of my house (insulating and installing air/moisture barrier on exterior walls, replacing old windows) and now that heating season is upon us, the... Read More

Rebekah W., Rockport