Page 35 - Skills - 2024

Why I Work in Clean Energy:
Gino Elia, LED Lighting Controls Specialist, Brightcore Energy
Gino Elia is an LED Lighting Controls Specialist at Brightcore Energy. “My job is mostly a mixture of working in new buildings and retrofitting existing ones,” says Elia.
His work primarily involves boosting energy efficiency
in commercial sites by installing LED lighting and controls. Elia is part of Brightcore’s Lighting Controls team, which totals about 10 employees; it’s a subgroup of about 25 in the company’s overall Lighting Division.
“A sensor device electronically picks up when a person enters or leaves a room, so the lights turn on or off according to whether an area is occupied or unoccupied. It can result in big savings in electricity, especially in large buildings,” he explains.
Elia has recently been focusing on retrofits in several New York City commercial buildings, where updated city energy-conservation codes have tightened requirements for some structures.
“First, our team does an on-site energy assessment. Then, using those results, we walk through and determine the LED lighting and controls required to adhere to city code guidelines. Then, if it’s decided that the project will move forward, we start working with local contractors and electricians to install and set up the LED lighting and controls,” he says.
Elia, 30, joined Brightcore in 2023, and says much of his training takes place on the job. “I didn’t go to college, and I came into this field with a fair share of general knowledge about energy efficiency from a previous office job. But mostly, I had a lot of eagerness.”
So what does he like about his work? “I like that I can work with my hands, and that every day is different. Sometimes I might start out working in Manhattan, then go to Brooklyn for part of the day, or move to another project somewhere else.” Elia lives in Connecticut, “so some days, it’s a long commute. But the travel time doesn’t really bother me. My dad was a union contractor for more than 30 years, and
I think some of my work ethic falls back to how both my parents raised me.”
Elia adds: “My philosophy is that I’m making a difference by the job I do, and how I do it. I think it makes an impact; it helps customers save on their costs, and it helps conserve energy usage. Another good thing about my job is that there’s always something new to learn.”
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2024 SKILLS 33
© Mike DiSciullo