"She's got academic chops (former professor of energy innovation at Case Western Reserve University, author on dozens of energy-related research papers) and government chops (chief scientist and manager of the Emerging Technologies Division at the US Department of Energy) and business chops (technical adviser for Bill Gate's Breakthrough Energy Ventures and co-founder of a start-up focused on building efficiency).

"Just as importantly, she's got practical home-heating chops: When she moved to Hanover she looked at the proposed HVAC design for new her house and made some big revisions.

"So what's the answer?

"'There's no doubt,' Abramson said. 'Whenever you set the thermostat lower, you are saving energy — no matter what.'"