NOTE
You’re Already Designing (You Just Don’t Know It)
In the course of our work, energy engineers regularly assess existing building systems and make recommendations for improvements—whether it’s upgrading HVAC equipment for better efficiency, retrofitting lighting systems, or optimizing controls for energy savings. However, many energy engineers may not realize that when they develop these recommendations, they are inherently engaging in the engineering design process.
Whether suggesting a boiler replacement, proposing a new air handler configuration, or recommending electrical system upgrades, energy engineers are essentially working through design phases—often without the formal structure or terminology used by traditional MEP design firms and the wider AEC industry.
As an energy engineer making technology recommendations, you are performing some level of design work regardless of whether you work at a traditional design firm. Your recommendations don’t exist in isolation; they must integrate with the broader building systems and follow the same progression from concept to implementation
Energy engineers often don’t realize they’re operating at the intersection of two industries: the utility/energy efficiency program world and the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry.
If you’re working as a utility program engineer, facilities manager, or energy consultant, you might think you’re not doing “real” engineering design work. But the moment you’re discussing projects with architects, mechanical engineers, contractors, or building owners, you’re speaking - or trying to speak - the language of the AEC industry.
The challenge is that most energy engineers never receive formal training in how the AEC industry structures its work. You might be asking contractors for cost estimates, reviewing design documents, or coordinating project timelines without understanding the standard frameworks that everyone else is using.
The AEC industry operates with well-established phases for both design and construction. These phases define what deliverables look like, what level of detail is expected, and when certain decisions need to be made. When you don’t know these phases, you can’t clearly communicate what you need or when you need it.
Understanding these industry-standard phases will help you:
- Request the right information at the right time
- Set appropriate expectations with project teams
- Communicate more effectively with architects, engineers, and contractors
- Better understand project costs and timelines
- Position yourself as a credible partner in the project process
You don’t need to become an architect or general contractor, but knowing the basic framework they all work within will make you significantly more effective in your role.