Sam is Managing Director of Buildings and joined the Fresh Energy team in 2024. Through high-impact integrated solutions, Sam steers Fresh Energy’s work to transition away from fossil fuels in Minnesota’s building sector and dramatically reduce carbon emissions from the state’s built environment.
Sam graduated from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee with a B.A. in Global Studies-Cities. With interdisciplinary work experience ranging from fuel cell research, building energy systems, urban programs, and sustainable building design and construction. Sam brings a broad background and pragmatic technical approach founded in boots on the ground construction and implementation of applied building decarbonization strategies.
Sam comes to Fresh Energy after 12 years of owning and operating a sustainable design+build firm focused on low-carbon materials and novel building systems. Delving into all aspects of building sustainability, Sam’s efforts have been focused on how to cost-effectively decarbonize buildings through innovative design, materials, and building energy systems. Intrinsic to his work has been the development of cost-effective, low carbon framing systems, construction for deconstruction, low carbon materials, graywater recovery, passive solar design, and design in balance with natural forest ecologies.
When Sam is not engaged in decarbonization work he enjoys cooking and international cuisine, looking for wildflowers, traveling, learning about other cultures and languages, and spending time in the woods and on the water.
Sam’s interest in policy came from the realization that the best decarbonization solutions are cost-effective, profitable, and need to be scaled in a way that equitably benefits all communities to avert the worst effects of climate change.
Sam Friesen
Managing Director, Buildings