NESEA

The 2011 Professional Leadership Award

Presented to

Joe Lstiburek and Betsy Pettit

Decades ago, Joe was the loudmouthed obnoxious Canadian who knew every answer and we didn’t know anything.  He made us think, he yelled and cursed at us, he told off color jokes in his sessions. Nothing much has changed since then, except he married Betsy.

Together they have toned down Joe’s rhetoric, and given thoughtful common sense recommendations to tens of thousands of people across the country.  They’ve helped to change the homebuilding industry while teaching basic principles of building science to communities outside of homebuilders. They have also developed an incredibly helpful website that puts many of their research publications from the field downloadable for free.

As great as Joe thinks he is, Betsy defines the adage that behind every great man is a great woman.  Without her, Joe and Building Science Corporation would be a significantly smaller player in the market. Betsy chaired NESEA’s BuildingEnergy10, and she and Joe were even married at an earlier BuildingEnergy Conference.  Now that shows dedication to the flock.