Meet Rohan, Senior Energy Engineer on our Audit team. After 5 years at Bright Power, Rohan’s technical expertise makes him a leader on our team whose experience both on-site and behind the desk is invaluable. By providing unique insights and innovative sustainability solutions, Rohan works to ensure that NYC’s buildings have clear pathways to increased energy efficient performance.
What was your experience before Bright Power?
After earning a degree in Energy Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, I started my career in energy policy consulting. While I enjoyed the high-level impact that I was making as a policy consultant, I wanted to gain experience on the technical side of engineering, so I was drawn to the hands-on role at Bright Power.
What does your day to day look like at Bright Power?
About 2-3 days per week, I work on-site in various buildings throughout New York City. When on-site, I document existing building equipment and perform tests to understand system performance. When I’m not on-site, I develop reports outlining the building and equipment conditions, summarizing the results of the on-site testing, and analyzing those results to determine what recommendations to make for building efficiency upgrades.
I also enjoy supporting the team by building out technical calculations, and templatizing my research to determine the most efficient solutions for clients. Often, Local Laws like Local Law 87 and available incentives will drive the recommendations that we provide to building staff, so I like to keep a pulse on the local incentives, too.
Can you tell us about a recent project that you enjoyed being part of?
Earlier this year, I worked on an energy audit at a property consisting of about one hundred 6-10-story buildings of about 12,000 apartments. The complex relied on its own single central high-pressure boiler plant network, and after completing comprehensive testing, the team and I analyzed the testing data and provided the property staff with various recommendations to improve building performance. A few of these recommendations included electrifying existing steam turbines, repurposing heat from the boiler, and implementing opportunities for solar. It’s been great to partner with the property team and now we’re continuing to develop an implementation plan utilizing green financing opportunities, tax incentives, and more to make these recommendations become a reality for them.
While the scale of this apartment complex might be unique, their story is not. Like many other multifamily buildings in NYC, the audit process is a significant step in developing a path to energy efficiency for each property’s unique priorities.
What do you like most about your job?
I find working in this multifamily sector very rewarding; being invited into tenants’ homes to help them have more control over the heating in their apartments feels good. I also really enjoy the technical, hands-on nature of my projects, and being able to see their direct impact benefiting NYC residents.
Beyond Bright Power
Outside of work, I like reading fantasy novels, going to indie movie theaters, and I’m a big Toronto sports fan, whether it’s the Raptors in basketball, or the Maple Leafs in hockey.