PNNL

Supriya Goel, a senior research engineer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), has been named one of the year’s 40 outstanding nonresidential building industry professionals age 40 or younger. The award, announced on May 17, is presented by Consulting-Specifying Engineer (CSE), a monthly industry publication.

“It’s wonderful to receive this recognition, it’s a great honor,” Goel says, adding, “I’ve been fortunate in my 10 years at PNNL to have colleagues who support me, identify opportunities for me to grow, and help me gain recognition for my work.”

Goel’s interest in building energy codes and simulation tools dates to her college days at Arizona State University. She currently leads a multi-million-dollar U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) effort to improve energy modeling outcomes through a new American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/American National Standards Institute standard. The standard evaluates the implementation of rulesets in energy simulation tools. As part of this effort, Goel also chairs an ASHRAE committee. She has received praise for the rapid progress made on the new standard and the collaborative atmosphere she has cultivated with a diverse group of committee members.

Goel has similarly earned high marks for her leadership in the development of high-profile DOE outcomes, including the Building Energy Asset Score and Audit Template Tool, and she’s currently guiding efforts to create the Total System Performance Ratio tool for evaluation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. She helms multiple research teams within PNNL and is a mentor for early-career staff members.

Outside of work, Goel is active in the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) USA. She serves as the organization’s vice president. “Through this highly visible position, I hope to help elevate and support other women of color and young professionals by sharing my story and helping them identify and pursue their own opportunities for success,” she says. 

Goel was nominated for the CSE award by PNNL colleague Michael Tillou. Her nomination was reviewed and evaluated by industry experts who considered her career achievements against nine criteria.

In addition to being featured in the CSE publication, Goel will be recognized at an event in Chicago in October.