Employee Spotlight

Michael McKiernan, P.E., LEED AP, CxA

Why did you choose engineering as a career path?
As a kid I was interested in the early manned space program and like a lot of other kids I decided that I wanted to be an astronaut. Everything that I learned indicated that engineering was the way to reach that goal. So I decided that I wanted to be an engineer. Although I never became an astronaut, I did become an engineer.

Where and when did you get your degree and in what discipline?
My degree from Purdue University was in Interdisciplinary Engineering with an emphasis on Power Engineering (mechanical and steam generation). I completed my degree from Purdue in 1981.

How long have you worked at Applied?
I started working at Applied in December 1999. I have been here a little over 11 years.

What is your specialty? Field of expertise?
I specialize in two things: building HVAC systems and building commissioning. I started focusing on building commissioning in 2001 when a client asked if I would commission some HVAC systems for their project.

What type of projects do you find to be the most challenging? What types are the most rewarding?
Building projects are the most challenging; they are most interesting in the early stages of design during the Schematic Design and Design Development phases. The challenge is in getting the design to fit to the project shape and budget.

Commissioning projects are also interesting; each commissioning project is still unique. Additionally, commissioning is a design learning tool since you can see and evaluate how others designed things. This broadens your experience.

What do you enjoy most about your job and working at Applied?
At Applied we are given quite a bit of freedom as to how we do the work and when we do the work, as long as we are mindful that our work and completion of projects meets the goals of the business. The owners are also willing to listen to new ideas regarding business opportunities and they are willing to let you try something new. For example, Applied didn’t provide commissioning services until we were approached by a client and asked to perform them. Applied selected me to lead the project, which was a learning experience. We have been performing commissioning services ever since.

I also enjoy working at Applied because you get to work with people that come from a very broad background of knowledge of different types of engineering and engineering systems.

Do you have any hobbies or outside interests?
I enjoy traveling with my wife. We have traveled to Canada, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the northeast portion of the US. Chicago is a favorite spot of ours, and we are thinking about heading to the west coast to see Washington, Oregon, and Vancouver. We like to make a list of things to see when we travel, but we don’t have a rigid schedule; there are no specific timeframes or deadlines when I am on vacation.

Is there anything else about yourself that most co-workers and client contacts don’t know?
My father was in the Air Force when I was growing up, so I moved around quite a bit. I joined the Air Force myself for 3 years; I lived on an island in Alaska for a year and then lived for 18 months in Italy. While in Italy I was able to travel all over Europe, which made staying on a tiny island in Alaska for one year worth it.