MEMBER PROFILE - Greenlink Energy Solutions

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Greenlink Energy Solutions

Greenlink Energy Solutions helps businesses and homeowners in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin maximize their energy systems to improve health, comfort and efficiency. Headquartered in Rockford, the company has more than 50 employees and satellite locations in Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee.

“I felt a company that could offer energy-saving solutions to homeowners was not only viable, it was necessary,” said Austin Carr, owner and founder of Greenlink. “As it turns out, I was right. People are genuinely interested in addressing their homes’ energy issues.”

It runs in the family

Growing up in Rockford, Carr was introduced to energy efficiency, heating and cooling at a very early age. His dad owned Carr’s Refrigeration, and both his father and grandfather are experienced heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) contractors.

Carr founded Greenlink Energy Solutions in 2010 after serving at Fort Hood as a sergeant in the U.S. Army for four years, including a tour in Iraq. Trained and certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI), Carr and his team complete hundreds of energy assessments and solar installations each year.

Helping homeowners

Greenlink’s mission is to be a fiduciary for customers when it comes to all things energy related. For example, their first priority when taking on a client is to make energy-efficient repairs before proposing upgrades to renewable sources of energy.

“This helps achieve the greatest cost savings,” Carr said.

According to Greenlink’s website, about 90 percent of all houses don’t have enough insulation. Over time, insulation settles and becomes less effective. By adding insulation, Greenlink can quickly and cost-effectively make a home more energy efficient and comfortable. They even offer “green” insulation made out of recycled paper.

“The biggest and most hidden problems in homes are found in the attic because people don’t see what’s up there and are unaware,” Carr said. “There can be inadequate insulation and ventilation problems that cause moisture and mold to collect. A lot of times, people don’t even realize they have a problem.”

During the pandemic, Greenlink saw demand for its services grow.

“We really didn’t anticipate an increase in business, but since 2020 we’ve helped a lot of people improve their indoor air quality and energy savings,” Carr said. “With so many people staying in and working from home, we saw comfort and air quality become more important than cost savings for homeowners seeking energy efficient upgrades.”

Going solar

Greenlink opened its solar division in 2018.

“As part of our 360° approach, we’re interested in more than just the energy you consume,” Carr said. “As a solar company, we offer services to help our customers produce power for themselves.”

According to Carr, demand for renewable energy has grown as tax rebates and other incentives have made the technology more affordable.

In addition to solar, other renewable energy sources include biomass, geothermal and wind systems.

For more information about Greenlink, visit https://usgreenlink.com/.