Published on January 31, 2019
Dean Turgeon has never stopped asking, Why?
After graduating from NAIT at 20, this habit caused clashes when he worked for construction firms as a surveyor, drafter and design technician. “I never wanted to follow the norm if there was a better process to improve efficiencies,” says Turgeon.
But when he discovered an emerging green building philosophy in the early 2000s called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), his big question became, Why follow when you can LEED?
So in 2003 he started his own company, Vital Engineering, with a focus on educating clients about the benefits of design options including geothermal, solar and passive energy sources. Turgeon has become a leader in his own right, too. He regularly shares his expertise with industry and government associations, and helped develop NAIT’s Alternative Energy Technology program, for which he continues to serve as an advisory board member.
— Lisa Ricciotti