Faces of Fairbanks – get to know Jim McGillicuddy, Project Manager

Jim McGillicuddy joined the New England project management team this summer and is working out of our headquarters in Hingham, MA. With a background in both energy and project management, Jim jumped right in. We sat down to pick his brain about how he got here and what prospective customers should know about efficiency solutions projects. Connect with Jim on LinkedIn here.

How did you get started in the energy efficiency field? What was your background before joining Fairbanks Energy Services?

In college I studied Building and Construction Technologies at UMass Amherst where I took some courses on energy efficiency and renewables. I believe these courses led the way for me to seek a career in the field of energy efficiency. My first job out of college was working for a company called Next Step Living where I performed residential energy audits through the Mass Save program, helping homeowners and renters reduce their energy consumption and save money by adding insulation and installing new high efficiency heating and cooling equipment.

After that I worked as a Project Manager for the Massachusetts School Building Authority facilitating school renovation projects that mainly consisted of building envelope and heating system upgrades.

Before starting at Fairbanks Energy Services, I worked at another ESCO as a project manager mainly focusing on lighting and lighting controls. Overall, I have over 6 years of experience in the field of project management and energy efficiency.

What’s your favorite stage of project management?   

I personally enjoy the development stages of a project. This is where I am able to get creative and use my past experience to find a unique solution and maximize savings for each different project.

Which challenges do you like solving for while working on projects?

Developing a solution that makes sense for all parties is a challenge I enjoy solving. Every customer wants to maximize their savings while keeping the project financially sound. We also need to make sure the project will work from a construction standpoint by choosing the correct materials and developing a schedule that works for the customer and the sub-contractors.

Describe energy efficiency project management in three words – why these three?

• Creativity: Energy efficiency projects require creative solutions as no two buildings are the same. Each project also comes with a unique set goals that the customer would like to achieve and we are tasked with trying to meet those goals as efficiently as possible.

• Flexibility: For most projects, despite all the planning and coordination, there will end up being some sort of unforeseen condition or unexpected change due to any number of factors. As a project manager, we need to be able to be flexible with how we are solving each task to make sure we get the project completed successfully.
• Collaboration: Every energy efficiency project requires a great deal of teamwork. There are many parties involved in every project including the Energy Service company, subcontractors, the utility, distributors and reps, and the end user or customer. Without collaboration between all parties and experienced project managers, completing the project successfully will be a struggle.

What do you want prospective customers to know about the energy efficiency project process?

That it’s worth it. Efficiency solutions projects not only deliver financial savings each month on utilities and improve environmental impact, but also contribute operational benefits due to other factors such as more consistent heating and cooling or enhanced lighting that makes your building safer and more comfortable for the occupants. It’s our job to make the entire process as efficient as possible and ensure that we meet our shared goals and complete a successful project.

Reach out with questions about implementing efficiency solutions.