Project Testing Group
The Project Testing Group (PTG) is a group of experts engaged in testing and assessing pellet stoves for the Pellet Stove Design Challenge. The PTG uses a variety of different instruments in different settings to test and assess pellet stoves, including dilution tunnels, Testo and Wohler gas analyzers and Condars. The PTG has tested to ASTM E2779 and a modified ASTM E2779 that takes 4.5 hours instead of 7 hours to run.
The Testing Group has been involved in testing at an EPA accredited test lab, the Brookhaven National Laboratory and in a more real world testing environment in Takoma Park, MD.
Dr. Butcher received his Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1987. He is a Research Engineer at the Senior Scientist level and Head of the Energy Conversion Group at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY. His long-standing research interests include advanced concepts for building heating and cooling and the application of conventional and biofuels in stationary combustion applications. He has been a part-time lecturer at Stony Brook University since 2008 and acts as a mentor at BNL in programs for visiting engineering students.
Gabriella holds a BS in Environmental, Soil, and Water Science from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where she also earned a minor in Sustainability. While pursuing her degree, she undertook an additional course of study in environmental practices, and obtained the Environmental Professional Intern certification from the Institute of Professional Environmental Practice. Gabriella also interned with the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, designing the GreeNWAy Initiative, a green rating system for local businesses that utilize sustainability practices. She also worked at the University of Arkansas Research and Extension Center in the Soybean Breeding department and provided technology support for the college of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences.
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Norbert Senf has been building masonry heaters since 1979. He joined early efforts to write codes and standards, and was a founding member of the Masonry Heater Association of North America (MHA). As the need to measure masonry heater performance and emissions became evident, he worked through MHA to develop in-house testing expertise and build a database on PM emissions performance. He hopes that the recent development of simpler testing technology will accelerate the search for the cleanest ways to burn cordwood.
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Rebecca Trojanowski received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is now currently working towards here Ph.D. She is an Associate Staff Engineer in the Energy Conversion Group at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY. Her interests focus primarily on technical solutions to advance building energy systems, fossil fuel reduction, and emissions. Some of her research and development areas include advanced HVAC concepts, biofuels, solid fuels, air pollution, combustion and system concepts.
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Scott is the founder and owner of Pelletstoveservice.com, New England's largest independent service provider for all pellet and multi-fuel burning appliances. The company has customers base in all 6 New England States with thousands of service calls performed each year. In a niche service market dominated by hearth supply equipment dealers and chimney sweeps, Scott's company is unique; they have a working knowledge of more than 200 different product models dating back to 1982 when the first pellet stove was invented.
Scott is an NFI Pellet Specialist and holds a Solid Fuel Construction Supervisor license in Massachusetts. He has been a guest speaker at the Heating the Northeast conferences in Manchester, NH and Saratoga, NY, and at numerous manufacturer sponsored events and seminars.
Scott has a small farm in Rehoboth, MA with his wife Holly, two kids Noah and Isabelle, a dog, two cats and a whole mess of chickens.