Energy Engineer

The 900+ positions of the Facilities Division service the students and staff of the University's teaching, research/administrative space and 2,240 acres of infrastructure. The Facilities Division provides design and building services, maintenance, custodial, landscape, solid waste removal, utility, mail, and motor pool services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The goal is to deliver cost effective services to the University, ensure completed projects and maintenance that conform to codes and regulations, while minimizing University liabilities and disruptions caused by the maintenance, repair, building, and equipment modifications to the University.

Campus Operations & Maintenance, one of 4 departments within the Facilities Division includes:

• Building Maintenance & Operations

• Energy Management

• Utilities & Engineering

• Landscape Maintenance & Operations

• Environmental Services

• Housekeeping

The importance of energy management has continued to grow over the past two decades. We now have 5 central energy plants that provide thermal utilities to most of our buildings. We have progressed to generating electricity along with our steam and own and manage all of our electrical sub-stations. We recently built a new 24 ton/hr thermal energy storage tank and are working on advanced planning for solar energy and battery storage technologies. We have employed advanced energy purchasing strategies to purchase both hedge (future or "strip") and prompt natural gas. Utility distribution systems are far more robust and dependable. All of these efforts have substantially improved our overall efficiency. This enterprise has advanced to require even more focused attention.

NC State Energy Management's (EM) mission is to cost-effectively manage energy resources purchased and consumed by the university across approximately 16 million gross square feet. This unit tracks energy and water consumption, always seeking more efficient ways to use the minimum possible energy while maintaining comfort level for building occupants and enabling the university to achieve its mission. Energy conservation strategies are successfully reducing campus energy use while enabling the university to progress toward its goal of a 40% energy use reduction per gross square foot by 2025 (as compared to the 2002 baseline). We currently have a staff of 9, including this posted position, often support internships, and are growing.

Essential Job Duties

The energy engineer will assess commercial building systems for energy reduction and cost savings through:

• Proper Operation & Controls

• System Maintenance & Best Practices

• Fault Detection & Diagnostics

• Application of State of the Art Technologies

Key responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to:

Energy Audits:

The Energy Engineer will support the energy audit Program manager to complete commercial building energy audits following ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 211 -Standard for Commercial Building Energy Audits. This position will work with the Energy Data Analyst to determine building audit priorities, appropriate audit level to complete within those buildings and establish clear goals for execution. Audit results will determine a list of recommended energy conservation measures to implement, their associated energy savings potential, cost of implementation and return on investment.

Retro-Commissioning (RetroCx):

The Energy Engineer is a subject matter expert for BAS and RetroCx. The Energy Engineer works closely with the departments Energy Project Manager and Building Maintenance & Operations Controls and RetroCx staff to develop projects that increase the control, efficiency, and operational flexibility of BAS across the campus.

Capital Project Planning:

Evaluate new construction & major renovation and supporting infrastructure designs to reduce energy costs or improve energy efficiency. The Energy Engineer will participate in review of capital project designs and act as liaison between Energy Management and the Design & Construction Department staff.

• Ensures energy efficiency standards are incorporated and maintained in the universities design and construction guidelines.

• Ensures new capital & renovation project scopes include energy reduction goals supporting overall campus energy reduction goals.

• Ensures energy efficiency guidelines are enforced.

Building Energy Modeling:

The Energy engineer works with Design & Construction Services contracting design and commissioning consultants for compliance of Performance Standards for Sustainable, Energy-Efficient Public Buildings. Responsibility will determine whether the performance standards are met for major facility construction and renovation projects and reports are properly submitted to authority having jurisdiction. Experience with The State Construction Office pre-approved energy modeling simulation software preferred: "DOE-2", "Blast", "EnergyPlus", "eQUEST", "EnergyPro", Carrier's "Hourly Analysis Program (HAP)", and Trane's "Trace".

Engineering Support

• Project Work:

The Energy Engineer supports all of Campus Operations & Maintenance with energy related project work across the campus.

Communication & Outreach:

The Energy Engineer must have the ability to communicate in written and oral form, detailed, clear, and concise complex technical energy engineering information. Provide consultation as an expert involving energy reduction project/program scopes of work and conduct effective presentations to large groups, with varying backgrounds.

Other Responsibilities

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in the Engineering discipline related to the area of assignment; or and equivalent combination of training and experience. Some positions may require licensure by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Other Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of energy systems on a large University campus

• Professional passion in sustainability and reducing energy usage

• The ability to direct and guide a group or team through task completion to attain energy management goals

• Excellent customer service skills and ability to work effectively with various personality types

• Strong listener that can tactfully express ideas or opinions to resolve issues and maintain professional working relationships in difficult situations related to budget and scope priorities on campus.

• Excellent analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and ability to produce results independently. A high attention to detail and accuracy

• Knowledge of both sides of the utility meters as well as understanding electrical, natural gas, fuel oil, water, and sewer rate structures

• Knowledge of energy engineering economic evaluation methods to conduct cost benefit analysis prioritizing proposed energy conservation measures and total project budgets

• Knowledge and experience in budgeting, financial management, estimating, scheduling, planning, and project management

• Familiar with design & construction guidelines creating standards for improved energy efficiency

• Ability to keep up with current standards, best practices, statutes, codes, and regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Work history in one of the following fields: energy services, utilities or engineering consulting

• Proven experience in an industrial or higher education utility/energy management program

• Completion of energy efficiency training and certification such as Association of Energy Engineers. Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Energy Management Training (CEMT), Certified Energy Auditor (CEA); NCSU Energy Diploma Series. Professional Energy Manager (PEM); or USGBC Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design professional

• Preference given to candidates with PE or Certified Energy Manager credentials and experience in a university or campus setting

• Familiarity with building automation system Schneider Electric (Struxureware Enterprise Server) and Johnson Controls (JCI) (Metasys ADX Server) platforms preferred.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

• Valid driver's license

• North Carolina driver's license within 60 days of hire.

Valid NC Driver's License required Yes Commercial Driver's License required No