Page 24 - Climate Control News Dec-Jan 21

HVACR Leadership Awards
Engineer, visionary executive and innovator
HE IS AN aerospace engineer by training but Nick Tassigiannakis has dedicated his profes- sional career to being an innovator in the built environment
The Innovator of the Year Award winner cut his teeth designing multi-million dollar building automation controls upgrades for the $50 million RMIT University Energy Per- formance Contract (EPC). This included a drastic reduction in emissions for the whole campus, the introduction of a large cogenera- tion system as well as chilled water and heat- ing hot water precincts.
By the tender age of 24 he was leading other large EPC packages for Museum Victoria and La- Trobe University.
By his mid-20’s Tassigiannakis had co-found- ed consulting and energy contracting firm FG Advisory which grew to 20 staff within four years. As principal engineer and director, he was responsible for a number of high profile innova- tions including a whole of government emis-
“INNOVATIONS ARE OFTEN BEHIND PLANT ROOM DOORS BUT THEY ARE NO LESS IMPRESSIVE.”
sions abatement project in partnership with Ernst & Young.
In 2019 Tassigiannakis founded the Bridgeford Group to specifically operate at the intersection of sustainability and building services. It was the same year he was appointed to the Board of the Australian Passive House Association.
“Building services and HVACR professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes, their ingenuity and innovations are often behind plant room doors but are no less impressive,” he said.
Asked what qualities make an award winner, Tassigiannakis said it is someone who looks
Nick Tassigiannakis celebrates his award win.
ahead to address future challenges with a can- do attitude. “Someone who does what is right, not what’s easy,” he said.
Tassigiannakis said one of the biggest chal- lenges facing this industry is adapting to a changing building services landscape.
“The biggest challenges are in reaching net zero while balancing financial pressures, post-COVID normal and healthy buildings,” he said.
“Buildings account for more than a third of emissions and that is a big responsibility for our industry to meet but we have the skills, knowl- edge and technology to rise to the challenge and improve the quality of life for all.”
Not surprisingly this isn’t his first award. Tassigiannakis was awarded Engineers Aus- tralia’s prestigious Victorian Young Engineer of the Year in 2017 and for the past two years he has been a judge for the Australian Engineer- ing Excellence Awards. He is also a Fellow of Engineers Australia.
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