Energy Project Specialist

Interior Health is looking for an experienced Energy Project Specialist to join our team on a full time permanent basis.


What we offer:
-Employee & Family Assistance Program
-Employer paid training/education opportunities
-Employer paid vacation
-Employer paid insurance premiums
-Extended health & dental coverage
-Municipal Pension Plan
-Work-life balance

Salary Range:
Salary range for the position is $88,990 to $127,923. Interior Health establishes salaries within the minimum and maximum of the salary range based on consideration of the qualifications, experience of the applicant, and an internal equity review of the salaries of other employees.

About the job:
In accordance with the established vision and values of the organization, the Energy Project Specialist (EPS) provides technical leadership that enhances (quality and schedule) the planning and delivery of complex Capital Energy Projects, including energy conservation, energy efficiency, and decarbonization. These projects align with Interior Health’s strategic priorities by improving facilities equipment and systems, while reducing greenhouse-gas emissions across all Interior Health’s owned sites.

Reporting to the Senior Energy Manager and working closely with Interior Health facility operators and capital delivery project managers, the EPS will coordinate work and facilitate discussions with design consultants, contractors, equipment vendors, and P3 partners, to ensure that technical and design challenges are effectively communicated, managed, documented, and resolved in a timely manner.

This position focuses on defining Capital Energy Project performance requirements and project scopes of work, while supporting costing, design, commissioning, and performance verification. The EPS is responsible for reviewing project drawings/specifications, documenting options to inform decision making, and determining solutions to technical challenges related to significant energy consuming mechanical, electrical, and controls systems (boilers, water heaters, chillers, pumps, hydronic distribution, heat pumps, air handling units, heat recovery, fans, zone level ventilation, lighting, etc.). The EPS will ensure project performance is in alignment with the energy management program requirements and successful integration of the project within the existing facilities infrastructure.

The EPS provides the technical leadership required to ensure that multiple concurrent Capital Energy Projects are delivered within scope, cost, time, quality, and to the Owner’s satisfaction.

Typical duties and responsibilities:

• Provides technical leadership for retrofit Capital Energy Projects with budgets in the range of $1M to $5M per project and support within the Energy Management program, including energy studies, costing, planning, design, construction, commissioning, and performance verification.
• Provides training, process documentation, and expertise regarding capital energy retrofit project requirements, and technical system/design review to support Capital Projects and Capital Planning staff with Capital Energy Project planning and delivery.
• Works with Capital Procurement to update RFP specifications for Capital Energy Projects.
• Uses engineering calculations or simulation models to estimate the energy and demand impacts for each utility (electricity, gas, steam, etc.). If engineering support for the energy savings calculations is provided by another qualified in-house person or third-party consultant, the EPS will be responsible for providing the required data (e.g., equipment information, system requirements, etc.) to facilitate the calculations.
• Contributes to Energy Management team by participating in department meetings and strategic energy management initiatives, exchanging expertise, and supporting Energy Management staff.
• Works with other Energy Management staff as assigned, to contribute to / review guidelines, sequences of operation, specifications, and other Energy Management reports.
• Ensures alignment with the duties and goals, as listed in the BC Hydro Energy Specialist Agreement, and participates in quarterly meetings with BC Hydro to discuss the progress of various retrofit Capital Energy Projects.

• Provides direction for Capital Energy Projects by leading the advancement from conceptual Energy Studies to detailed, defined, and costed project scopes of work with clear performance requirements.
• Analyzes technical and situational information to determine potential impact on facilities, systems, and/or staff for projects impacting the site at a strategic level.
• Gathers information remotely and on site to clarify the Facility’s Owner’s Operating Requirements (OOR), including occupancy, system/environmental temperatures, air/hydronic flow rates, and implementation limitations.
• Prepares cost/benefit analyses, including all necessary analytical and presentation work.
• Participates in project steering committee meetings to establish critical project success factors.
• Procures, manages, supports and/or reviews energy studies, quantity surveying cost estimates, schematic designs and other preliminary planning documents as required to ensure that project scopes are clear, and budgets are reasonable.
• Verifies and/or applies for and secures incentives and rebates from utility partners and government for retrofit Capital Energy Projects.

• Provides technical expertise for Capital Energy Project design to ensure consistency with energy program, technical, scope of work, and facilities maintenance requirements.
• Acts as a liaison between consultants and internal clients (e.g., plant services, P3 operations) to ensure compliance with client requirements, applicable standards/guideline, and application of sound industry practices related to energy management.
• Reviews mechanical, electrical, and building HVAC automation/controls design submissions including drawings and specifications.
• Responds to project technical challenges by developing tactical plans that align with functional, facilities, and energy performance requirements, and then facilitating consultants and internal clients, providing training as required.
• Supports the design process to ensure projects meet objectives in a cost-effective and operationally efficient manner.

• Supports all stages of Capital Energy Project construction to ensure consistency with energy program, technical, scope of work, and facilities maintenance requirements.
• Supports the preparation of Request for Proposal or tender documents.
• Ensures contract documents reflect Capital Energy Project/program requirements.
• Reviews consultant/contractor technical documents and performs site inspections as required and/or requested by the project manager or energy manager.
• Provides technical expertise for operational commissioning and performance verification to ensure consistency with energy program, technical, scope of work, and facilities maintenance requirements.
• Participates in the development and implementation of commissioning plans.
• Supports/facilitates testing and equipment inspection processes.
• In addition to physical and functional verification, ensures that the commissioning process includes energy performance verification; confirms optimized sequences of operation, equipment parameters, thermal quality/operating setpoints, etc.
• Ensures orientation and training to facilities staff on new energy systems/equipment.

• Leads interdisciplinary teams, effectively coordinating and utilizing internal resources as well as the services of consultants, vendors, and contractors.

• Travels frequently to facilities throughout the Interior Health service area as required for scope of work development (e.g., system review/verification), and project delivery (e.g., commissioning).

• Develops and maintains positive working relationships with staff at all levels of the organization as well as representing Interior Health to key external business partners, including but not limited to other health authorities, provincial ministries, and utility providers.

• Identifies, communicates, and instructs others in the best practices, designs, technologies, sequences of operations, codes and standards, policies, and regulations related to mechanical and electrical building systems and energy management.

• Maintains industry leading knowledge of energy conservation, energy efficiency, and decarbonization equipment, system configurations, and technologies by liaising with other experts in the industry.

• In alignment with IH’s Occupational Health & Safety Program, employees shall adhere to all Occupational Health and Safety policies and procedures at all times and attend all required training. Employees are responsible to report any identified hazards, unsafe conditions or incidents to the manager or supervisor immediately.

• Performs other related duties as assigned or required.

Honouring Interior Health’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), and Pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preferential consideration and/or hiring will be given to qualified applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit).