A message from Robert Greenwald, President of Prism Engineering.
This year marks a significant milestone for Prism—we’re celebrating 35 years of engineering, energy management, and sustainability impact!
In the early days, we opened our doors with a simple yet ambitious purpose—to help organizations save energy. Back then, energy management was still a relatively niche field. But we saw a clear opportunity to support clients in operating their buildings more efficiently, cutting waste, and reducing costs.
As we grew, so did our clients’ ambitions.
Climate goals emerged. Emissions targets tightened. New technologies offered deeper insights and more impactful solutions. We’re proud to have worked alongside the industry to meet those moments.
Proven impact across sectors and communities
Over the past 35 years, that steady evolution has defined who we are. From our head office in Burnaby, we’ve expanded across the province, with branch offices in the Kootenays, Okanagan, and Vancouver Island, and staff located in Kamloops and Sea to Sky. What began as a small operation has grown into a trusted consulting firm in engineering, energy management, and sustainability services.
We’ve had the privilege of working with organizations in various sectors—municipalities, school districts, health authorities, commercial property managers, industrial sites, and multi-unit residential developers—helping them lead the way in climate action.
Our team has delivered insights and strategies that could save up to 435 million kWh of electricity and 3 million GJ of natural gas each year—preventing nearly 171,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually and generating approximately $54.3 million in energy cost savings for our clients.
But numbers only tell part of the story.
Left to right: Reception area at the Burnaby office; view of the City of Nelson; Nicole Huard, Senior Sustainability and Climate Action Specialist, and Bartjan Kiers, Associate and Senior Mechanical Designer, in front of the Kelowna office; Vaibhav Parmar (front), Electrical EIT, and Adam Franklin, Associate and Senior Electrical Engineer, working in the Victoria office.
The people behind Prism’s success
At the heart of Prism’s success is our people. Our team brings expertise, care, and creativity to our work—whether a team member has been here for two months or three decades. From our consultants and engineers to our project managers and support staff, every person at Prism plays a role in shaping solutions that make a real impact.
Our culture is rooted in care, collaboration, and shared purpose. People join Prism because they want to work on projects that matter, in an environment that values impact, connection, and teamwork.
We’ve built a workplace that supports learning and career development through mentorship, skills training, and leadership opportunities. We’ve invested in initiatives like our Associate Program, which recognizes individuals who take on leadership roles and make exceptional contributions to our collective success.
Prism staff, from left to right: Adam Franklin, Associate and Electrical Engineer, and Chris Fontaine, Associate and Electrical Team Co-Leader; Sam Thomas, Principal and Strategic Energy Management Team Leader; Duane Mattson (retired), Mechanical Engineer, and Alvaro Sandrin, Senior Mechanical Engineer; Emma Harrison, Energy Management EIT.
Trusted by clients for 35 years
Of course, we wouldn’t be here without the trust of our clients.
Whether you’re a new or long-standing client, thank you! Your vision and ambition push us to do our best work. Many of you are on track to achieving bold climate targets, and we’re proud to be your partner in getting there.
Together, we’ve implemented award-winning projects, driven long-term energy savings, and made meaningful progress toward decarbonization.
We’re also proud to have built lasting partnerships with BC Hydro and FortisBC, supporting these local utilities over the years with a wide range of Demand-Side Management programs, including joint Strategic Energy Management (SEM), Continuous Optimization (C-Op), and Energy Wise Network initiatives. These and other client collaborations have amplified our impact and allowed us to bring sustainable solutions to even more of our clients.
Left to right: David Pereira, former Sustainability Manager at BCIT, and Sarah Smith, Principal and Sustainability Team Leader, during one of six BCIT’s Sustainability Vision Stakeholder Consultation Process sessions, 2019; Stephen Kooiman, Principal and Mechanical Team Leader, and Hamid Samani, Principal and Senior Mechanical Engineer, inspecting an electrical panel; Robert Greenwald, President of Prism Engineering, presenting at an Energy Wise Network session, 2017.
Our commitment to continuous improvement
What’s kept Prism strong over 35 years isn’t just our technical expertise—it’s our ability to adapt. Today, we offer a full range of consulting services—from strategic energy management and recommissioning to electrical planning reports and long-term sustainability strategies.
Our 6-Step Deep Retrofit Approach is designed to help clients reduce energy and carbon emissions in a comprehensive, practical way. It’s built on a simple idea: before investing in new technology, start by maximizing the potential of what already exists—a practical approach to integrating sustainability strategies into building and asset renewal.
Throughout our journey, we’ve also walked the talk. Sustainability isn’t just something we deliver for clients—we practice it in our own operations. From reducing travel emissions and upgrading our offices, to accounting for climate impacts in our everyday decisions, we hold ourselves to the same standard we recommend to others.
Changing Systems for a Better World
And as we reflect on our impact, we’re also looking ahead.
Buildings account for a significant portion of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions—especially from heating systems. To align with today’s climate science, we must strive for deep reductions in carbon emissions.
Our purpose, Changing Systems for a Better World, is about modernizing infrastructure, optimizing operations, and helping people across organizations understand their role in climate action. This mission reflects both who we are and where we’re going. It’s about seeing the full system—from buildings and technologies to people’s actions—and working together to create change that lasts.
Thank you!
As we mark this 35-year milestone, we’re filled with gratitude—for the trust of our clients, and the dedication of our staff. We’ve accomplished a lot together. And the journey is far from over.
Here’s to the next chapter—full of ideas, action, and impact!
Prism and PUMA staff, 2024.