2013 40 Under 40: Ruairí Barnwell, 37

Energy Services Leader, DLR Group, Chicago

By Jessia DuBois-Maahs, Contributing Writer May 14, 2013

Ruairí Barnwell, HBDP, BEAP, QCxP, LEED AP BD+C, AG, 37

Energy Services Leader, DLR Group, Chicago

Dublin Institute of Technology, BSc.Eng (Hons), Building Services Engineering

As a key leader of DLR Group’s energy services team, Ruairí Barnwell plays an integral role in achieving the firm’s vision to meet the Architecture 2030 Challenge and industry sustainability targets to produce more energy-efficient buildings and communities. Barnwell is an expert in high-performance building design. His passion for energy optimization is infectious, whether it is contributing to DLR Group’s integrated design process through building energy modeling and analysis, or collaborating directly with building owners to optimize facility energy use through the commissioning and retro-commissioning processes. Barnwell is one of the first individuals in the U.S. to earn the High-Performance Building Design Professional certification and the Building Energy Assessment Professional certification from ASHRAE. Barnwell is an active member of the Illinois chapter of ASHRAE and the Illinois chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. He uses his experience and accreditation to elevate the built environment while restoring order to the climate for his three young daughters and future generations. Barnwell’s enthusiasm and passion for high-performance building design and energy optimization is matched only by his fervor for soccer. Whether this Ireland native is playing with the Chicago Celtic Soccer Club in his adopted hometown, traveling to Ireland to watch the Irish national soccer team, or just kicking the ball around the backyard with his daughters, his spare time revolves around the sport.