Earlier this year, I was honored to be selected for the Association of Energy Engineers’ Young Energy Professional of the Year Canada Region Award. In September, I flew down to Atlanta, USA, to receive the award in person, which was a memorable experience.
Association of Energy Engineers is a non-profit professional society founded in 1977. It promotes scientific and education interests in the energy industry. It gives away awards in many categories which are broadly divided into two sections, International and Regional. For its Regional Young Energy Professional of the Year Award the following is the criteria and is not specific to that year but looks at overall career trajectory:
Since this award reflects my overall career journey, I thought I’d share my professional summary here as well.
“Currently I am working as the Corporate Energy Manager for the Township of Langley, BC, Canada, where I oversee energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions across municipal facilities. I hold certifications as a Certified Energy Manager (C.E.M), Certified Energy Auditor (C.E.A), Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (C.M.V.P), and Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM). I earned a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from India and a Master of Engineering Leadership in Clean Energy Engineering from UBC. I also hold a certificate in Thermal Power Plant Technology and speak English, Hindi, Telugu, and Urdu.
At Township of Langley, I lead energy reduction projects in public buildings, including community centers, swimming pools, ice arenas, curling rinks, fire halls and office buildings, with a focus on lighting, HVAC, and controls. Previously, I worked at CBRE Ltd., where I managed energy and GHG emissions for over 1,800 properties across BC as part of the Province’s Climate Action Plan.
Before CBRE, I was a Business Energy Advisor at GreenStep Solutions, implementing programs for FortisBC, BC Hydro, and the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. My work supported hundreds of businesses in reducing emissions and earned me recognition as one of Efficiency Canada’s Our Human Energy Champions (Link).
I began my career in India at Jindal Power and Sembcorp Gayatri Power, contributing to turbine commissioning and operational efficiency in large thermal power plants.
My passions include heritage buildings and sustainability. In 2018, during a visit to my hometown in India, I encountered a dilapidated stepwell, a traditional sustainable water management system. Moved by its neglected state, I wrote about it on my blog, which caught the attention of a water activist, Mrs Kalpana Ramesh, who then collaborated with various agencies to restore it. Today, it stands as a tourist attraction and a beacon for water conservation. I also mentor new immigrants entering the energy efficiency industry in Canada and in my leisure time, I enjoy traveling, reading, and blogging about my adventures, including book reviews.”
I am happy to be working in the area of energy efficiency and hope to keep making meaningful impactful Inshallah!