Daran Wastchak is the President of Learning Edge, LLC, a firm based in Phoenix, Arizona which specializes in residential energy efficiency training and building science consulting for municipal building code officials, architects, engineers, home builders, trade contractors, home energy raters, residential home inspectors, and REALTORS.

Over the past 25 years, Daran has helped solve warranty issues for hundreds of homes that did not properly heat or cool, had high utility bills, poor indoor air quality, and/or were uncomfortable.  Additionally, he has trained thousands of individuals on the basics of building science, energy efficiency for buildings, energy efficiency programs, and the international energy conservation codes. 

Daran started his company D.R. Wastchak, LLC (DRW) in 1999 and sold the firm to three of his employees 19 years later, in 2018.  He and the D.R. Wastchak Team were a key implementer of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR for Homes program in the Phoenix market since 1996, also providing LEED for Homes, IECC and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit services for single and multi-family projects in the Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona markets. 

Through the end of 2017, D.R. Wastchak had labeled over 67,000 homes as ENERGY STAR and had been recognized for their achievements as a recipient of the EPA’s national “ENERGY STAR for Homes Partner of the Year” award as well as the “Spirit of Enterprise” award for business innovation from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. 

Articles written by Daran have appeared in Home Energy, Arizona New Homes & Lifestyles, and Arizona Builder magazines as well as the Arizona Journal of Real Estate and Business.  In addition to being a guest lecturer at Arizona State University, Scottsdale, Gateway, and Yavapai Community Colleges, and the Arizona School of Real Estate, Daran has given presentations at the annual conferences for the Energy and Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA), Affordable Comfort Institute, Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), USGBC Greenbuild, NAHB International Builders' Show, InterNACHI Inspection World, ICC Annual Meeting & Expo as well as locally for the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona Southwest Builders Show and the City of Scottsdale Green Buildings Lecture Series.

Daran is a past Board Member of the Energy and Environmental Building Alliance and the Residential Energy Services Network, including serving as RESNET Board Secretary and Vice President as well as Chairman of the Quality Assurance Committee and Strategic Positioning Taskforce.  Daran was a member of the Arizona Energy Code Advisory Commission from 2000 to 2007, serving as chairman of the Commission from 2004 to the conclusion of his term.  He served two terms on the Planning Commission for the Town of Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Daran has a Bachelor of Science degree from the Del E. Webb School of Construction at Arizona State University as well as a Master’s degree and PhD in Public Administration and Policy, also from ASU.