Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
Architecture and Engineering
Most of the time is spent finding where buildings waste energy and what would cut that waste as they are designed, built, or remodeled. Energy audits, consumption tracking, HVAC and daylighting inspections, and checks of bills and meter readings all feed that picture. Recommendations go to clients or colleagues, sometimes with advice on climate control, lighting, air quality, energy modeling, or how energy is bought. Engineering software is used to plot and interpret the data. It suits people who like tracing how buildings use energy and turning those numbers into concrete design or operating changes.
Typical education: Bachelor’s Degree (4-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$122'930
Median Wage Market Position
$122'930
What you might do
- Recommend changes that cut a building's energy use
- Audit sites to find waste and savings
- Inspect HVAC and lighting for wasted energy
- Review how much energy a site uses
- Advise clients on climate control and energy audits
- Match energy bills to meter readings
Skills that matter
- Conducting building energy audits
- Tracking energy consumption over time
- Inspecting HVAC and lighting systems
- Advising clients on climate control
- Graphing energy data with engineering software
- Checking energy bills against meters
AI & the future of this role
Building energy modeling and efficiency calculations could shift toward automated tools, speeding routine design options. Site assessment, systems integration for HVAC and lighting, and cost-sustainability trade-offs still rely on practical engineering judgment.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details