Hawaiʻi Off Grid architect joins Rotary Club of Kīhei-Wailea tomorrow

The Rotary Club of Kīhei-Wailea will host guest speaker David Sellers, principal architect at Hawai‘i Off Grid Architecture and Engineering, at its May 21, 2025 meeting. Sellers will present on Surf Block ICCF (Insulated Composite Concrete Form) technology and the firm’s off-grid architectural innovations.

Hawai‘i Off Grid brings more than 60 years of combined experience in architecture and engineering, with a specialized focus on off-grid water, wastewater and energy systems for remote and underserved communities. The firm dedicates 30% of its work to community-based projects, including major efforts in disaster relief housing and sustainable development.

Following the 2023 Lahaina wildfires, Hawai‘i Off Grid partnered with Family Life Center to support its ‘Ohana Hope Village project, providing architectural design, renewable energy systems and financial assistance to build temporary housing for displaced residents.

Sellers, who also serves as president of AIA Maui, has more than two decades of experience in energy systems and off-grid technology. Raised by a mechanic and trained in architecture at Texas A&M and the Technical University of Delft, Sellers began his career working as an engineer on commercial fishing boats in Alaska. His early exposure to off-grid systems—including generators, batteries and wastewater solutions—set the foundation for a career in sustainable infrastructure.

After moving to Hawai‘i, he worked with The Nature Conservancy’s Palmyra Atoll program, leading the transition of the atoll’s research station to a renewable microgrid, saving more than $1 million annually and reducing reliance on diesel.

Sellers co-founded Hawai‘i Off Grid in 2015 with civil engineer Jacob Freeman and retired architect Rick McGovern, building upon McGovern’s 18-year practice.

The event will take place on Wednesday, May 21 at 11:45 a.m. at Kīhei Lutheran Church, 220 Moi Place in North Kīhei. To attend, RSVP by emailing Judy Gray at rckwJudy@gmail.com.