Alan Pears is one of Australia's leading energy efficiency experts. He has worked in the sustainable energy and environment fields since the late 1970s, and been an expert adviser to federal, state and local governments across Australia, as well as community groups and the private sector.
He is a regular commentator on everything from power-saving fridges to big-picture energy policy on radio, TV, newspapers and online, including appearances on ABC TV shows The New Inventors, Difference of Opinion and 4 Corners.
Recent work has included being a member of the Independent Assessment Panel for Energy Efficiency Information Grants scheme for the federal Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (2012-13); being a judge of the Energy Efficiency Council Awards and RMIT Green Innovators awards (2013-14); co-authoring extensive industry energy information resources for the federal government's Energy Efficiency Exchange website; and being a consultant and adviser to Energy Efficiency Opportunities program for the Department of Industry.
He is on a federal government advisory committee on energy efficiency in training and education; a member of RMIT Sustainability Committee; a member of the Board for the Voluntary Carbon Markets Association; and a member of the Advisory Board for the Climate Alliance.
Until 2012 he was the Associate Director, RMIT Centre for Design. He was a part-time senior lecturer in environment and planning until mid-2015, and is now a Senior Industry Fellow.
While working for the Victorian government in the 1980s, he helped develop and implement programs such as the Home Energy Advisory Service, public information and education, appliance energy labelling and mandatory building insulation regulations. He has maintained an active involvement in these areas.
Since 1991, Alan has been co-director of Sustainable Solutions, an environmental consultancy, and has been involved in building energy and environmental rating and regulation, green building projects, educational software, green appliance development, industrial and business energy and environmental management, and policy analysis.
