Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar

Design, develop, or evaluate energy-related projects or programs to reduce energy costs or improve energy efficiency during the designing, building, or remodeling stages of construction. May specialize in electrical systems; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; green buildings; lighting; air quality; or energy procurement.

What They Do

Energy engineers work to make buildings, facilities, and industrial processes more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable. They analyze how energy is used in existing structures or operations, identifying wasteful practices and recommending improvements. A typical day might involve conducting energy audits, reviewing building plans to suggest efficiency upgrades, or evaluating HVAC and lighting systems for optimization opportunities. They run calculations and simulations to predict energy savings, prepare detailed reports for clients, and sometimes oversee the installation of new energy-efficient equipment. Many specialize in particular areas like renewable energy integration, building automation systems, or industrial process optimization.

Programs That Prepare You

College programs linked to this occupation, ranked by graduate earnings

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)University of California-Berkeley, CA

Engineering-Related Fields(doctoral)George Washington University, DC

Engineering(masters)Northwestern University, IL

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)Carnegie Mellon University, PA

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)Stanford University, CA

Systems Engineering(masters)Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA

Engineering-Related Fields(masters)Northwestern University, IL

Engineering(masters)University of California-San Diego, CA

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(bachelors)Carnegie Mellon University, PA

Chemical Engineering(doctoral)Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(bachelors)University of California-Berkeley, CA

Engineering(masters)University of California-Los Angeles, CA

Systems Engineering(masters)Johns Hopkins University, MD

Engineering-Related Fields(masters)Stanford University, CA

Engineering-Related Fields(masters)Wayne State University, MI

Engineering-Related Fields(masters)Washington State University, WA

Engineering-Related Fields(masters)George Washington University, DC

Systems Engineering(masters)Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA

Systems Engineering(masters)Boston University, MA

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)University of Southern California, CA

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)Johns Hopkins University, MD

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)Columbia University in the City of New York, NY

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering(masters)University of Washington-Bothell Campus, WA

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