In this episode we present the complete recordings of the panel discussions that took place at the 2025 Energy Management Excellence Awards. The first panel focuses on the Order of operations for electrification: Prioritizing operational improvements, efficiency upgrades and efficient electrification, moderated by Michael Oriahi from the IESO and featuring Nicholas Dumoulin from Dream, Graham Timperon from Algonquin College and Allan Dai from The Hospital for Sick Children. The second panel focuses on What they don’t teach you in school: Ensuring energy managers have the right skills moderated by Aja Staples from the IESO and featuring Tony Campbell from Landmark Cinemas and Emily Dabrowski from Cemtol Manufacturing (part of Linamar).

Watch videos of the 2025 EMEA winners on the IESO website to learn more about their achievements.

If you are interested in learning more about the Save on Energy programs mentioned in this episode check out the Retrofit Program, Existing Building Recommissioning Program, Expanded Energy Management Program, and others.

If you are working in Ontario to improve your organization’s energy management practices, register for Save on Energy’s Energy Management Community of Practice to receive updates and connect with peers.

We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you are facing or the successes you have had. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

In this episode, host Jay Mullin speaks with Tam Wagner, the Director of Demand Side Management at the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to share practical takeaways from the 2025 Energy Management Excellence Awards (EMEAs). They explore how award-winning teams sequence efficiency, optimization and efficient electrification, align energy goals with safety and production, and keep reviews simple so local teams can lead. They also highlight the importance of soft skills alongside technical expertise, where programs like Strategic Energy Management, Existing Building Commissioning and Retrofit provided momentum, and how the EMEAs are helping energy management gain a higher profile across organizations.

Watch video of the 2025 EMEA winners on the IESO website to learn more about their achievements.

If you are interested in learning more about the Save on Energy programs mentioned in this episode check out the Retrofit Program, Existing Building Recommissioning Program, Expanded Energy Management Program, and others.

If you are working in Ontario to improve your organization’s energy management practices, register for Save on Energy’s Energy Management Community of Practice to receive updates and connect with peers.

We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you are facing or the successes you have had. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

In this episode, Allison shares how she and her colleagues at Votorantim Cimentos are transforming energy management into a shared mission that’s reshaping daily operations. What started with a backlog of 500+ energy-saving opportunities at two cement plants became the catalyst for a broader cultural shift, one that empowers plant teams to take ownership of their energy performance. By aligning energy goals with safety and production, streamlining reviews, and providing just enough guidance, Allison helped build a framework that gives local teams the confidence and tools to lead. The successful model is now being expanded to additional facilities and operations across the region, bringing lasting results and renewed momentum to the entire organization.  

We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you’re facing, or the successes you’ve had. Please reach out to us at [email protected]. 

For more resources to help you on your energy management journey, please visit https://saveonenergy.ca/Training-and-Support.

In this episode, Behzad shares how his transition from plant-level energy manager to a corporate sustainability role at Maple Leaf Foods is helping the company bring greater alignment and momentum to its energy goals. Drawing on his hands-on experience, Behzad emphasizes the value of site-specific targets, practical support tools and direct relationships with facility teams. Rather than managing from a distance, he collaborates closely with plants to tailor goals, build trust, and empower local teams. His story shows how on-the-ground experience provides a strong foundation but needs to be complemented with new skills and new approaches to create a system where every facility contributes meaningfully to sustainability goals. This episode illustrates how building strong connections and adapting strategies to fit plant-level realities can lead to lasting, company-wide energy performance improvements. 

We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you’re facing, or the successes you’ve had. Please reach out to us at [email protected]. 
For more resources to help you on your energy management journey, please visit https://saveonenergy.ca/Training-and-Support.

In this episode, Trevor shares how BGIS is delivering energy savings and emissions reductions across a vast portfolio of buildings by shifting from individual projects to a scalable programmatic approach. BGIS supports and manages an estimated 30,000 buildings in Canada. Trevor emphasizes the importance of data strategy, modular solutions and efficient implementation to drive results at scale. By focusing on the signal over the noise, piloting and refining initiatives like smart HVAC controls and leveraging existing resources to reduce costs, BGIS is achieving significant impacts, including millions in savings and thousands of tons in GHG reductions. Trevor’s story is a masterclass in thinking big, staying focused and building processes that enable continuous improvement and wide-reaching success. 
 
We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you’re facing, or the successes you’ve had. Please reach out to us at [email protected]  
For more resources to help you on your energy management journey, please visit https://saveonenergy.ca/Training-and-Support.

In this episode, Zeb Foss, Manager of Energy Conservation and Sustainability at Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB), shares his journey to achieving energy savings at the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) by breaking down departmental silos and fostering collaboration. Drawing on his background in the utility sector, Zeb identifies the unique priorities of each department, including construction, maintenance, faculty, and management; and tailors his approach to align his energy management work with these departmentalgoals. By reducing workloads, valuing departmental expertise, and celebrating early wins, Zeb gains buy-in from across the organization, turning energy management into a shared, people-first priority. This episode highlights the importance of relationship-building and using customized strategies to achieve lasting energy-efficiency success. 

We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you’re facing and the successes you’ve had. Please reach out to us at [email protected].
 
For more resources to help you on your energy management journey, please visit https://saveonenergy.ca/Training-and-Support.

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Katelyn Poyntz, Director of Project Engineering & Energy at Unity Health Toronto, about how she built momentum for energy management at Unity Health Toronto—one step at a time. Starting with a simple lighting upgrade, she uncovered opportunities to integrate sustainability into healthcare operations, even when the path forward was uncertain. By focusing on what she could do next rather than waiting for the perfect roadmap, Katelyn successfully embedded energy management into long-term planning, secured executive buy-in and helped establish ambitious sustainability goals. Her journey is a powerful lesson in adaptability, persistence and the power of small steps leading to big change. 

We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you’re facing and the successes you’ve had. Please reach out to us at [email protected]. 

For more resources to help you on your energy management journey, please visit https://saveonenergy.ca/Training-and-Support.

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Nathan Gerber (Coordinator of Energy Management at Oxford County) about how he transformed Oxford County’s energy management by integrating information and taking a data-driven approach. With over 300 buildings and a growing need to uncover deeper energy savings, Nathan worked to centralize and analyze available data, revealing hidden inefficiencies, and enabling him to gain a better understanding of energy performance to inform actions. His journey highlights the power of data in guiding energy decisions, strengthening engagement with facility teams, and maximizing impact. Tune in to learn how better data integration can empower your own energy management efforts. 

We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you’re facing and the successes you’ve had. Please reach out to us at [email protected]. 

For more resources to help you on your energy management journey, please visit https://saveonenergy.ca/Training-and-Support.

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Lee Hodgkinson (Head of Sustainability & Technical Services at Dream Unlimited) about how Dream Unlimited Corp. is tackling decarbonization and efficient electrification by shifting from reactive decision-making to a proactive, knowledge-driven strategy. Lee shares how they built internal expertise, navigated uncertainty, and secured leadership buy-in, using the electrification of a multi-family building in Toronto as a real-world example—targeting the elimination of natural gas for space heating, reducing energy use intensity by up to 55%, and improving tenant comfort. Tune in for practical insights to help you drive sustainable change in your organization. 
  
We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you’re facing and the successes you’ve had. Please reach out to us at [email protected]. 

For more resources to help you on your energy management journey, please visit https://saveonenergy.ca/Training-and-Support.

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Animesh Roy, Energy Manager at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) about the critical shift in strategy he made to gain management support for energy and decarbonization initiatives. Animesh shares how he changed his approach to communicating with and engaging leadership. By securing an executive sponsor, refining communication to resonate with decision-makers, and leveraging stakeholder input, he created a system where leadership pulled energy projects forward rather than requiring him to push them uphill. The conversation explores how this transformation has positioned TMU as a leader in sustainability, offering valuable insights for energy managers looking to drive lasting change in their own organizations. 

Editor’s note: This episode was recorded in 2024, so the Sustainability Action Plan that Animesh mentioned was released in “April of this year” was released in April 2024.  

We would love to hear your feedback about the podcast, the challenges you’re facing and the successes you’ve had. Please reach out to us at [email protected].