Founded in 1979 by Taghi Alereza and Donald Dohrmann, ADM Associates was established to meet the growing need for energy research grounded in both engineering and economic principles. Under their leadership, ADM became a nationally recognized firm in the field of energy program evaluation, serving utilities, public agencies, and other organizations with rigor, innovation, and impact.

ADM joined Qualus in July 2025, bringing more than four decades of technical leadership and pioneering accomplishments to the nation’s foremost power solutions firm.

The team’s legacy includes several major contributions to the energy research and evaluation field, such as:

• Developing a simplified energy calculation method for the Department of Energy’s original Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS), including the Variable Base Degree Method (VBDM), later cited in the ASHRAE Handbook – Fundamentals.

• Creating the first hourly simulation modeling software compatible with microcomputers, as well as a DOE-2 pre-processor that laid the foundation for eQUEST.

• Designing and implementing the earliest demand control ventilation (DCV) strategies and identifying learning thermostats as a novel energy-saving technology.

• Pioneering duct leakage testing protocols and conducting large-scale training of HVAC technicians, which helped drive widespread adoption of duct testing and repair.

Building on this foundation, the group continues to lead in the development of industry best practices. Now as part of Qualus, the team offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy services, with deep expertise in:

• Energy efficiency program evaluation;
• Demand response program evaluation;
• Process evaluation;
• Data science;
• Behavioral program evaluation;
• Planning and regulatory support;
• Concurrent evaluation;
• Monitoring and measurement; and
• Emerging technology evaluation.

Our team of engineers, social science researchers, and analysts regularly present their work at leading industry conferences, including the International Energy Program Evaluation Conference (IEPEC). As part of Qualus, the team remains committed to the high-quality, impact-driven work that has defined its legacy since 1979.