HDR has hired Josh Greenfield, PE, as the Director of High Performance Design. In this newly created position, Greenfield will apply his nearly 16 years of experience in energy consulting and sustainable design to spearhead the firm’s 100 percent energy modeling initiative. This effort includes high performance system thinking and visioning with project teams, firm-wide energy modeling leadership and coordination, and the creation of tools and training for the energy analysis group.

Greenfield joins HDR from Primera Engineers. He is a licensed professional mechanical engineer, LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP BD+C & O+M), Building Energy Modeling Professional (ASHRAE BEMP) and Certified Energy Manager (CEM)., He is based in the firm’s Chicago, Ill., office, but is engaging colleagues around the world to implement building physics education, improving the performance of design projects and ensuring that an integrated design process is occurring on all projects.

“If I can take a building, and without negatively impacting the operation, not only make it easier to operate, but also better to maintain, more sustainable, reduce peak demand and directly save large quantities of energy, that motivates me the most,” Greenfield said. “Energy efficiency and sustainability will triumph if we are proactive in how we consume natural resources and plan for the future, and I want to contribute my part towards the goal.”

Among his many accomplishments, Greenfield worked on one of the largest LEED Platinum-certified projects in Mexico City, designed the first solar ventilation wall system in the city of Chicago and presented on numerous sustainability and energy topics at various conferences. He’s also contributed to the development of new building codes and ordinances, including serving on the International Code Council (ICC) Sustainable Building Technology Committee (SBTC) that developed the first International Green Construction Code (IgCC) that debuted in March 2012.

Greenfield has received numerous awards celebrating his contributions, including the 2014 Building Design + Construction 40 Under 40 Award, 2013 ENR-Midwest 20 Under 40 Award and 2012 Consulting-Specifying Engineer 40 Under 40 Award.