2014 40 Under 40: Travis R. English, PE, LEED AP, CEM, 40

Engineering Manager, Kaiser Permanente (KP), Anaheim, Calif.

By Silvia Chavez and Amara Rozgus May 19, 2014

Travis R. English, PE, LEED AP, CEM, 40
Engineering Manager, Kaiser Permanente (KP), Anaheim, Calif.
California State Polytechnic University, BS Mechanical Engineering; California State University, MBA

As engineering manager for Kaiser Permanente, Travis English oversees a national team of six consultants that provide design review for all of the firm’s projects. Their reviews focus on established targets for energy use, water use, total cost of ownership, and U.S. Green Building Council LEED rating. English came to KP with a long work history in various fields including HVAC design, energy analysis, and project management. In 2009, English received the ASHRAE technical award for the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach, Calif. English used passive heating and cooling designs to give the center 100% natural ventilation. The facility’s HVAC design contributed to receiving maximum energy points along with a LEED Platinum award. At KP, English and his team of colleagues have noticed that health care ventilation standards are somewhat dated and restrictive, prohibiting innovations and driving high energy use in hospitals. To combat this problem, English spearheaded a campaign that has compiled research for drafting proposals to the ASHRAE committee. He and his team encourage designers to work beyond the codes to construct plans based on long-term interests. An important part of English’s work life consists of public speaking, teaching, and presenting to a number of different audiences on the significance of energy, lifecycle cost, and commissioning. As father of four, English is active in girls’ fast-pitch softball and Cub Scouts. Besides the time spent with his family, he occasionally plays bluegrass, jazz, or blues on the guitar or banjo while accompanied by other local musicians.