At Paladino, we make your building designs more sustainable, healthy, and resilient – and then we maintain them through an expert commissioning team. Meet the newest member of this team, Senior Commissioning Engineer Brad Greeff. Brad joined Paladino in June, and his background in mechanical engineering and a passion for sustainability makes him a perfect addition.
Tell us about your background and what led you to Paladino.
I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2006 with a degree in mechanical engineering. I’ve been on commissioning teams for the last ten years, and Paladino’s charter brought me to Paladino. The Culture Charter was different from any other I’ve seen. Paladino has the wisdom to focus on its employees as much as its clients. Clients naturally reap the benefits when employees are engaged and rewarded. Brad Pease sent the charter to me, and its foundation of trust, honesty, and respect really intrigued me.
Across all teams, the company leaders recognize that we are professionals with a common goal. They give them space to let them do what they do best. When we’re given a little bit a freedom, we will rise to the occasion.
Where do you find inspiration in your work?
One of the things I like is being part of the bigger picture. In other words, I like to live in a community that I helped create. It’s fun to be around the buildings that I helped to improve. When I walk by a building and I know what my team did, I feel a sense of pride and joy – it’s a fantastic feeling.
We interact with all levels of the project team, assisting architects, contractors, and project managers. Project teams have a lot going on, and getting everyone together can be a victory in itself. I enjoy smoothing the coordination across these broader teams.
What direction do you think green building is headed? Where do you see the industry in ten years?
Green buildings are going to start heading into big data. Building portfolios are going to get the analytics attention that every other industry is getting. Trend logs will be more prevalent; energy metering will see improvements; and maybe we’ll start to capture data that may seem unimportant today. In this data-driven world, people will find a use for it.
People will get more creative and start to reach back and retrofit the data in older buildings. Analytics will infiltrate older buildings in a new way that we may not even be able to imagine. This retrofitting concept is important because it’s a big piece of the market, and there is no avoiding the work that needs to be done.
What is the one thing that people don’t understand about Cx that they should know?
A lot of people look at Cx agents as if we’re the bad guys looking to call them out – there is often a negative connotation. I strive to relay that we are there to make sure the project is optimized and that we are all one team. We are here to help create a great project that everyone will be proud to put on their resume. We are trying to make every client, designer, contractor, and subcontractor look good!
What role does sustainability play in your life outside of work? What does it mean to you?
I’m proud to announce that I’ve sold my car! Paladino offers great transportation benefits to encourage employees to use mass transit or other sustainable transit options. It’s always been something I wanted to do but couldn’t. Paladino’s employee benefits were able to make that dream come true for me. I feel more lightweight, in-tune with my work, and connected to my community.
What is one positive impact you feel sustainability will support in the world?
Buildings are such immense energy users that directly affect global warming. All around us we see water shortages, forest fires, bigger hurricanes. People are realizing that the climate is changing, and they want to do something. I think that concern will translate into more interest in sustainable construction.
What do you do in your leisure time?
Photography, 3D printing, biking, and home automation. I was buying home automation gadgets long before they were popular. I also enjoy being on the homeowner association of my condominium where I’m able to help guide our 1974 building into the future. Some of the projects I’ve led are occupancy sensor LED lighting in the parking garage and LED light giveaways at the front desk.
What are three things you can’t live without?
Friends and family, my camera, and at least one big multi-city trip a year.
What are you most proud of?
I’d say I’m most proud of my relationships – with family, friends, colleagues, and even my neighbors.
Is there anything else that you’d like to know about Brad? Ask away in the comments section below!