Building Sustainability Specialist

CRB Group is hiring a Senior Building Sustainability Specialist in Kansas City, KS, focusing on HVAC and decarbonization strategies for high-performance buildings in life sciences and food industries. The role involves leading sustainability projects, developing energy reduction strategies, and collaborating with engineers to ensure compliance with sustainability goals. The ideal candidate has expertise in energy and building decarbonization, particularly in complex environments like pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Company Description

CRB is a leading provider of sustainable engineering, architecture, construction and consulting solutions to the global life sciences and food and beverage industries. Our more than 1,600 employees provide best-in-class solutions that drive success and positive change for our clients, our people and our communities. CRB is a privately held company with a rich history of serving clients throughout the world, consistently striving for the highest standard of technical knowledge, creativity and execution.

Job Description

CRB is seeking a Senior Building Sustainability Specialist with a focus on HVAC and Decarbonization to lead sustainability and decarbonization strategies for complex, high-performance buildings. This position is ideal for a mechanical engineer or HVAC-focused sustainability expert with a passion for solving the toughest challenges in energy and carbon reduction-particularly in technically demanding environments such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, laboratories, and GMP facilities.

You will work alongside some of the world's most advanced clients, many of whom have made bold sustainability and ESG commitments. These clients are actively seeking innovative strategies to decarbonize their high-tech, process-intensive campuses without compromising operational performance. This role is an opportunity to help them succeed-guiding projects that balance technical rigor, energy efficiency, resilience, and regulatory compliance.

Typical tasks and deliverables that are executed by or under the supervision of the Senior Building Sustainability Specialist include decarbonization roadmaps, developing energy reduction strategies, conducting LCCAs, Sustainability Charettes and goal setting, design and performance assessments, green building certifications, technology evaluations, water and waste reduction, and coordination with manufacturers and trade partners. Project work includes directing strategy development for all levels of planning and design, such as feasibility studies, conceptual and schematic design, design development, construction documentation, and operational transition.

This individual is a subject matter expert in energy and building decarbonization, with deep technical expertise in HVAC systems (including electrified district systems) and a strong understanding of how mechanical strategies contribute to broader sustainability goals. They collaborate closely with other sustainability specialists, as well as HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and process engineers, to support the development of integrated project strategies and the completion of energy, carbon, and systems evaluations.

Their specialized knowledge, combined with broad industry experience, enables them to provide critical input from early planning through execution-ensuring that design decisions align with client goals, technical requirements, and long-term performance. In addition to mentoring staff, developing best practices, and performing quality reviews, this individual may also represent CRB externally through technical publications and

Responsibilities Lead HVAC and central plant system decarbonization strategies for complex building types, with a focus on life sciences, biotech, and food manufacturing.

Evaluate advanced building systems. HVAC options and district energy solutions, including heat recovery, electrification technologies, and thermal storage systems.

Partner with clients to set and achieve aggressive carbon reduction goals-translating those into practical design strategies through every project phase.

Acts as Project Manager including proposal development, strategy identification, man-hour planning, and project scheduling for the discipline scope of work on advanced-level projects. Supports CRB's Seller - Doer model and performs business development activities.

Conduct client facing charettes and workshops to assist in sustainability goal setting.

Delivers high quality sustainability projects incorporating advanced solutions across project goals related to energy, decarbonization, water, waste, embodied carbon, material health, and others.

Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to…