_Last updated Dec 21, 2025_ (This is my individual view and isn't an official statement from the company.) I'm an design engineer at a design-build firm. This means that we cover everything from need-finding and equipment calculations to construction management and coordinating contractors. We are both a design company and a general contractor. The company I work for is called [Ecosystem](https://ecosystem-energy.com/). The mission of the company is to increase energy efficiency in buildings. We mostly work in complex, ambitious retrofits. The company was founded in Canada but has projects all over the U.S. Many of our projects involve use of emerging technologies. I work out of the U.S. headquarters in New York; our office is right by NY Penn Station. People often ask me what I actually do on a day-to-day basis. It depends on project needs -- my manager unleashes me on tasks based on where labor is most needed. I have recently been working on **redesigning a library at a small liberal arts college that is working on becoming carbon-neutral.** (Last updated Dec 21, 2025) Engineers on the design side typically see projects from the later stages of sales through years after construction: 1. running various financial calculations to figure out a reasonable scope for project, and whether it even makes sense for the client; 2. inspecting sites to understand how the building works; 1. comparing how it is designed to be used vs. how it is actually used; 2. talking to stakeholders (maintenance staff, building owners, tenants, students, and employees) about their likes and dislikes for the building; 3. brainstorming ways to lower the building's carbon footprint; 4. calculating dynamic loads, particularly of the thermo- and fluid varieties; 5. sizing equipment and calling vendors to try to purchase it; 6. drafting and annotating engineering drawings; 7. collaborating with construction managers on choosing subcontractors and coordinating tradespeople; 8. making presentations and communicating with clients; 9. and, most importantly, writing down everything I do, especially Excel calculations, in a way that can be understood by other people. If you're interested in hearing more, or if it sounds like an exciting career, feel free to send me an email.