SPARK

Discoveries, innovations, and insights that illuminate the future of the built environment

Intern Q&A: Lexie Bright

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How would you describe what you are doing at McKinstry in 50 words or less?

I interact with, benchmark, and analyze energy data. I’m learning how to upload facility condition assessment files into an Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) data base. I’ve been enjoying learning from and connecting with the Energy and Technical Services team!

What has McKinstry been successful in with tackling the challenge of COVID-19 from a company and an intern perspective (i.e. measures taken company wide and measures taken within the BLUE Program)

McKinstry has done an excellent job connecting us despite the virtual nature of this work. Very helpful resources have been provided left and right throughout the B.L.U.E. program. I enjoyed hearing McKinstry’s higher management make a statement on the Black Lives Matter movement. I also appreciated the weekly intern social events. A huge thanks to Bri Kastning (Employee Development Program Manager) who has remarkably guided this internship! McKinstry provides a special atmosphere that encourages growth and enthusiasm despite the challenges presented by COVID-19; the company has also been very clear on required health precautions when employees partake in non-virtual work. If working for McKinstry has been this great of an experience virtually, I can only imagine the bounty of fun it would be to work with these awesome people in person!

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Lexie Bright: Getting to know me & my journey to McKinstry’s B.L.U.E. Program

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Hello, my name is Lexie Bright, I’m a 23-year-old recent graduate from Western Washington University. I majored in Energy Policy and Management with a minor in Economics. I’m currently a Technical Services Intern with the Energy Management and Technical Services team at McKinstry based in Seattle, WA.

I was raised in the beautiful foothills of Issaquah, WA. Growing up, I had no awareness of conservation, where my water came from, what electricity was or why it mattered to know. As I became more educated about Climate Change and the reality of how our modern lives are made possible through exploiting the Earth, I couldn’t believe it. I began focusing on how I could educate and influence as many people as possible about environmental realities, hoping to inform and even convert them into environmental activists.

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A smart, comprehensive approach to a clean energy future

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Jeff Hughes (left) is McKinstry’s Director of Renewable Energy Services.

The clean energy revolution is here, RIGHT NOW! Right-sized, clean, and resilient power generation is the exciting new norm and the future we are building together. Renewable energy has seen tremendous growth in recent years, and widespread adoption has been enjoyed throughout the country in all major market sectors.

This year in the United States alone, 24 gigawatts (GW) of new electricity generation capacity will come online, 66 percent of which will be provided by solar PV, wind, other renewables, or battery energy storage. Eight GW of capacity will be retired, the majority of which is from fossil fuel sources. While this represents significant progress, renewable energy (including hydropower) accounts for just under 20 percent of the overall U.S. energy mix, underscoring the tremendous challenge in front of us—to achieve a 100-percent, clean energy future.

This data shows we’re chasing a moving target—a growing target that still adds eight GW of fossil fuel capacity every year. For us to achieve the future we desire, we must think holistically and with resolute purpose. By adding solar and renewable energy to our electricity grid, we are all helping bring clean energy to our communities but only addressing part of the problem: we are ignoring our energy use and we are ignoring our behavior toward energy.

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Energy Action Month spotlight: Adam Klein

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This week’s Energy Action Month employee spotlight is on Adam Klein, program manager for McKinstry! Starting in 2016, Adam took the initiative—along with Daniel Shaw, a Portland-based energy engineer—to obtain ENERGY STAR certifications for McKinstry-owned office buildings in Seattle and Portland.

Compared with their peers, an ENERGY STAR-certified office building uses (on average) 35 percent less energy, generates 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, costs $0.54 less per square foot to operate and has higher rental & occupancy rates. Adam joined McKinstry as an intern more than 12 years ago. Today, he is the program manager for McKinstry’s Technical Services Western Washington Annuity.

Q: Tell me about your role as an annuity program manager. What does a typical day look like?
A: As a program manager, my typical day involves going over client utility billing and Building Automation System interval data to review where successful low/no cost improvements have been made and to make new recommendations. Often there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work required to gather and update information to keep a steady stream of data coming.

Q: I understand you received some good news earlier this year about our 2018 ENERGY STAR scores for our office buildings in Seattle and Portland, right?
A: To be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification, a building must earn an ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher, indicating that it performs better than at least 75 percent of similar buildings nationwide. The most recent work was completed this spring, and I’m happy to say that McKinstry achieved an ENERGY STAR score of 92 for the 220 S. Dawson Street office building in Seattle and a score of 96 for the 5005 3rd Ave. S. office building in Seattle. Our Portland office building received an 88. The EPA-run certification is rated on a 100-point scale. I’m proud of our scores and grateful for the Workspace Solutions Team and other internal partners who help make it happen.

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