Stars of Our Community: Alyse Falconer
Posted by jteo on Jun. 1, 2025 / Member Spotlight / Subscribe 0
Meet our featured member, Alyse Falconer, a Registered Professional Engineer and LEED AP BD+C with nearly 20 years of experience in Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems. As Managing Principal at Point Energy Innovations, she leads a multidisciplinary team committed to advancing sustainable building design through innovation and efficiency. Over the years, Alyse has played a key role in the firm's growth, rising from Associate Principal to Managing Principal & Co-Owner while championing high-performance, affordable, and energy-efficient solutions. Recognized nationally with honors such as ASHRAE’s New Faces of Engineering and ENR’s 40 Under 40, she continues to shape the future of the built environment by aligning technical excellence with a deep commitment to decarbonization and climate-responsive design.
How long have you been involved with ASHRAE in years? Describe the roles or capacities in which you are involved with ASHRAE.
I attended my first ASHRAE Winter Conference in 2014 in New York and really enjoyed the seminars, the product show and interaction with other members. I was already attending the local Chapter meetings and decided to get involved at the Chapter level. In about 2015 or 2015 I volunteered to become the YEA Chapter Chair, in which I won an award at the Region X Conference for best YEA Chapter Chair that year. I was asked to serve on the Board of Governors shortly after and held each position through the past President position. While I was Vice President in GGASHRAE, I was asked to serve as Regional Vice Chair for YEA as well, which was a big commitment for those two positions. More recently, I served on the ASHRAE Honors and Award Committee for Society which I really enjoyed. We have an incredible group of members throughout the world doing some of the most interesting and robust engineering work. I have been peripherally involved in a few Technical Committees, but have found involvement in those commitments to be more difficult, depending upon the number of existing members, the welcomeness of the TC, as well as the required work to be done.
If you had to describe the ASHRAE community in three words, what would they be?
Technical – ASHRAE really focuses on engineering knowledge and skills, through all of it’s seminars, conferences, publications, monthly journals and other resources. It ensures our members are up to date through a number of different publications, in order to provide the best knowledge to those in the built environment.
Supportive – ASHRAE strives to push forward mentoring, guidance, and community. ASHRAE prides itself on encouraging all members to get involved from the local, regional and society level. It ensures our more seasoned members are working towards passing knowledge along to the newest generations.
Fun - We might be engineers, but we know how to have fun! I have been to so many parties, happy hours, baseball games, wine bus, 5K runs, bike rides, etc. There are so many opportunities to get out there, get to know your fellow members and just have a good time together!
What has been your favorite ASHRAE memory, event, or experience, and why?
My biggest memory and experience was winning the 2017 New Faces of ASHRAE award, which recognizes the skills and career of one ASHARE individual under the age of 30. This was a very big deal for me, especially as a young engineer. At that point in time, I was still unsure of my expertise and knowledge, with a bit of imposter syndrome stirred in. I was recognized by the entire engineering society with a shoutout from the ASHRAE President with an article write up for our 55,000 some members to read. It truly recognized me for all of my achievements and hard work which I was incredibly proud of. I was also given a stipend to attend the CIBSE conference in London that year. That was a great opportunity to see how the other side of the pond was looking at buildings, engineered systems and the conversations that were going on.
How has your involvement with ASHRAE influenced your career and personal growth?
ASHRAE has shown me the tools and information available so that I can continue to develop in my career. I personally think we should never stop learning and growing, as technologies and systems are constantly evolving. I’ve also grown with ASHRAE; once upon a time, I would attend conferences to learn and take notes and information home with me, now I’m able to share my professional experiences, system designs and teach others at this point in my career. My hope is to eventually achieve the status of ASHRAE Fellow, as this is an incredible recognition and the pinnacle of acknowledgement from our engineering society for hard work put in throughout one’s career.
Do you hold any ASHRAE or other professional certifications/licenses? If so, how have they benefited your career?
I have been a Professional Engineer (PE) for years now. I also have the LEED AP BD+C certification, which has helped me on many of the LEED certified projects which I have completed over the years. I think a PE is a requirement for any professional consulting engineer creating HVAC systems for buildings. Without my PE, I would not have gotten to the position which I am in now at my company.
Where do you see the industry heading in the next 5-10 years, and what developments are you most excited about?
The electrification and decarbonization of our built environment is driving rapid and transformative change across the engineering industry. This shift is not only accelerating the pace of development but also raising the bar for what is expected in terms of performance, sustainability, and innovation. To meet these demands, our engineering society must deepen its commitment to continuous learning, technical education, and forward-thinking research. By expanding our collective knowledge base, we can design and deliver buildings that are not only environmentally responsible but also cost-effective, reliable, and tailored to real-world needs. I’m particularly excited about the emergence of cutting-edge technologies, improvements in system efficiencies, and the evolving role of consulting engineers. As we refine how we approach both new construction and retrofits of existing buildings, there’s a tremendous opportunity to rethink traditional solutions and apply smarter, more integrated design strategies. The future of our built environment depends on how well we adapt—and lead.
What is one key piece of advice you would offer to young professionals entering this field?
Don’t give up. Keep asking questions—even the basic ones—and stay curious. Growth comes from learning, and learning comes from asking. Don’t hesitate to expect more from your managers and leaders; your development should be a shared priority. Be open about your goals, whether technical or leadership-focused. If you aspire to be a team leader, principal, or even a company owner, say so—no one can support your path if they don’t know where you're headed. For women and minorities in engineering, the road may be tougher, but it’s not impossible. Keep pushing, work hard, and seek out mentors who will support and guide you. Surround yourself with people who believe in your potential and want to see you succeed. Your voice, your ideas, and your ambitions matter—don’t be afraid to make them known.
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