What does the word “innovative” mean to you? Does it mean coming up with a new idea to make an existing idea better? Maybe stepping back from conventional wisdom and doing something differently? Could you use it to describe yourself and what you do? If not, how would you describe what you do?
There are some engineers out there who do use “innovative” to describe how they design chiller systems. These people are looking to shake up the hvac world by using new equipment in different ways to achieve amazing results. These same engineers are fighting to change the perception of many in the hvac world that innovative engineer is an oxymoron.
But these engineers will also agree that the perception is too often true, as many in the engineering world often take the path of least resistance, offering up the same chiller design time and again without looking at other options. Others argue that liability issues, time constraints, and improper fee structures mean the words “innovative” and “engineer” can never be used together.