2014 40 Under 40: Javier Garcia, LEED AP, 37

Associate, Environmental Systems Design Inc., Chicago

By Silvia Chavez and Amara Rozgus May 19, 2014

Javier Garcia, LEED AP, 37
Associate, Environmental Systems Design Inc., Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago, BS Mechanical Engineering

As a U.S. Marine, Javier Garcia first gained exposure to the engineering field while leading his platoon and training junior marines in generator maintenance, operation, and troubleshooting. During his time oversees, Garcia served as an electrical/mechanical equipment repair specialist focusing on mission critical power generation, maintenance, and repair as well as base power grid design. After completing his 4-year tour of duty, Garcia enrolled in community college and began working his way toward a degree in mechanical engineering. Garcia joined Environmental Systems Design Inc., as mechanical engineer and has grown his sustainability focus, becoming certified in LEED rating systems, system commissioning, system design, and energy modeling. Within a few years, ESD promoted Garcia from staff engineer to lead commissioning authority for health care facilities and higher education projects. As project manager, Garcia has conducted assessments for more than 300 Chicago Public Schools, and commissioned critical cooling systems and critical emergency power systems for data centers and trading floors. In 2011, Garcia worked on the University of Kansas hospital medical office building project consisting of a newly built 200,000-sq-ft medical office facility expansion to the existing hospital. As the project’s lead commissioning authority, Garcia helped the university meet the U.S. Green Building Council energy and design certification requirements and also earned the building LEED Silver certification. Garcia also holds an advisory role as the president of the Daley College student chapter for the Society of Professional Engineers, where he mentors young adults in their career paths to engineering. When he is awarded time away from work, Garcia and his wife love to take their three children on camping trips and traveling to visit family in Mexico.