Dave Pearson has been involved in innovation since high school when he swapped the CFC working fluid in a domestic refrigeration with a hydrocarbon- a solution now used by over 80% of new product in Europe. After graduating from The University of Strathclyde in Mechanical Engineering with European Studies and Business Management he join Howden Compressors in his native Glasgow engaged in compressor development then contract management. Star Refrigeration, where he had worked during summer vacations, offered an opportunity to work in industrial refrigeration and he undertook a part-time M.B.A. at The University of Strathclyde. His masters dissertation titled “Innovation and New Product Development” provided an insight into the non-technical aspects of innovation. A move to a new acquisition in the Star business afforded a more rounded insight into business management but a return to the main group as Director of Innovation was where this all came together. Tasked with evolving a mature business, he led the team into Renewables and specifically large heat pumps with notable project successes across Europe, most notably in 2010 in Drammen with the deployment of the world’s first and still largest 90C ammonia heatpump sourcing heat from a salt water fjord. The successful delivery of zero emissions and 85% lower CO2 impact led the business to establish Star Renewable Energy to further the market innovation. During this period Dave has served on the board of Scottish Renewables, is Chair of CeeD-Scotland (a business to business knowledge sharing platform), represented the heat pump industry on the board of the RHC-ETIP and is current Chair of the RHC platform. The RHC platform bring cross-sector insight to the challenge of 100% Renewable Heating and Cooling, and recently published their vision for 2050 to fully exploit known solutions for cities, districts, individual buildings and industry but further augment these with continued Research and Innovation whilst helping identify/resolve legislative and policy pathway barriers.
Dave has recently converted his 1950s built home to a vertical bore ground source heatpump and has ordered his first EV.