Building a More Efficient Granite State with Margaret Dillon

Some people study building science. Some stumble into it through construction. But Margaret Dillon? She feels it.

“It’s in my DNA to think about how buildings think,” she says with a laugh. Raised in a 150-year-old New Jersey farmhouse that her great-grandfather expanded, Dillon grew up exploring its nooks, crannies, and all the changes made as the family adapted the house through all the historic events of the 20th century adaptations. That early curiosity led her to a lifelong passion: helping buildings—and the people who depend on them—adapt for a more efficient, carbon neutral and more resilient future in the 21st century.

Margaret Dillon, Founder of S.E.E.D.S

From Farmhouse Roots to Founding S.E.E.D.S.

Margaret Dillon is the founder and sole proprietor of S.E.E.D.S. (Sustainable Energy Education & Demonstration Services), a consulting practice she launched in 2006 to bridge the gap between building performance and energy efficiency across New Hampshire.

With a master’s degree in environmental science and a deep interest in sustainable infrastructure, Dillon dove right into the work, serving as a carpenter and later as the Executive Director for a local nonprofit focused on affordable housing. In that role, she managed historic residential buildings and raised funds to improve their energy performance.

What she saw, time and time again, was a fragmented approach: contractors focusing on quick fixes, not long-term impact. She knew there had to be a better way.

“I wanted to look at the full picture,” she explains. So she stepped down from her ED role, retrained as a certified building and energy consultant, and founded S.E.E.D.S. to offer a more comprehensive, science-based strategy for improving buildings—from moisture management to energy upgrades and lowering their carbon footprint.

Building for the Long Run 

Headed into the heart of the building (photo credit: Margaret Dillon)

Today, Dillon works with architects, engineers, municipal boards, and building owners across New Hampshire. Her specialty? Diagnosing inefficiencies in everything from schools and libraries to town halls and homes, and helping those buildings work better, for longer.

At the heart of her work is a deep understanding of building science: how moisture travels, heat transfer, how air moves—and how to control it all. “Managing moisture is key to energy efficiency,” she says. “That’s the piece people used to ignore, but it’s foundational.”

Her audits often recommend:

• Air-sealing ceilings and insulating foundations to stop heat loss at the source

• Managing moisture through effective drainage, sealing dirt floors, and adding ventilation as necessary 

• Integrating efficient systems like LED lighting and heat pumps after improving the building envelope

  
  

She works closely with NHSaves to help clients tap into available funding for these improvements. And while upfront costs can cause hesitation, especially for older or historic buildings, Dillon helps clients see the long-term value, and walks them through it step by step.

Working Across Sectors 

Dillon’s approach isn’t just technical, it’s collaborative. “Every audit is like a conversation,” she says. “Everyone brings their own perspective, and my goal is to help weave those into a plan that makes sense for that specific place.” 

She spends hours emailing back and forth with selectboards, energy committees, and building managers—answering questions, clarifying cost-benefit breakdowns, and offering guidance. After sending completed reports with recommendations, she offers Zoom meetings to allow real-time dialogue and hands-on discussion of each building’s unique challenges and opportunities.

Her favorite moment? When someone on the other side of the call starts to see their building in a new light.

“Everyone lives or works in a building,” she says. “When you connect the dots between their own lived experience and building science, it clicks. That’s how change starts.”

Over three decades, Dillon has seen real progress. Many architects are integrating energy efficiency into designs from day one. Heat pumps and LED lighting have become more accessible investments. Homeowners are starting to value long-term building health over short-term payback.

But there’s still work to do, especially in making the language of energy accessible.

“Energy reports can be overwhelming,” she says. “I spend a lot of time trying to help people understand the steps and how they can get from A to B. Laying out that roadmap matters.”

That’s where her unique blend of technical precision, intuition, and deep empathy comes in. Whether mentoring a new building science professional or advising a small town on their library retrofit, Dillon brings the same commitment: making New Hampshire’s buildings more efficient, more resilient, and more livable—for the long haul.

“We need to adapt our lifestyles and our buildings to meet the challenges ahead,” Dillon says. “That’s what I want to help people do. Create a path. Because even if they don’t know the destination yet, they need to know there’s a way forward.”

-----

If you are interested in learning more about Margaret's work, please reach out to her at mdillon@myfairpoint.net. To speak with experts on energy audits and learn moreways you can save, head to nhsaves.com