2012 40 Under 40: John P. O’Brien, PE, LEED AP BD+C, 38

Principal, Indiana Operations Manager, Heapy Engineering, Indianapolis

By Emma Renee Dutton, Content Specialist May 14, 2012

John P. O’Brien, PE, LEED AP BD+C, 38

Principal, Indiana Operations Manager, Heapy Engineering, Indianapolis

The Ohio State University, BS Mechanical Engineering

O’Brien is dedicated to his company, the Indiana Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, and especially to his family. He and his wife Holly have a 6-year-old son, and they suspect he has an engineering mind much like his father’s. O’Brien has excelled at Heapy Engineering since his initial start 18 years ago as a college co-op student and through his positions as a senior design engineer, project manager, and now as an owner. His work at the firm includes early sustainability leadership regarding the firm’s modern energy modeling services, its integration throughout the company, and the mentoring and training of company staff. O’Brien’s extensive and diverse design experience includes systems for telecommunications facilities, educational facilities, healthcare facilities, laboratories, aircraft hangars, and detention facilities. Other initiatives led by O’Brien include automation of many design tasks, such as calculation of required ventilation for buildings and using third-party software to streamline the company’s design processes. He has dedicated an exceptional amount of time volunteering for the Indiana Chapter of the USGBC as a Board Member since 2008, Board Chairman in 2011, and the current Immediate Past State Chairman. He uses his engineering skills at home, performing all of the maintenance and repairs on his cars. From a very early age he has enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together.

Return to the complete list of 2012 40 Under 40 Winners