Kristy M Walson
Kristy M. Walson, PE, LEED Fellow, BEMP, is a Mechanical Engineer by training and a passionate Sustainability Consultant by nature, currently serving as the Practice Lead at BranchPattern. With a deep focus on decarbonization—including operational and embodied carbon—energy modeling, and net-zero consulting, Kristy brings almost 20 years of experience helping design sustainable, high-performance built environments. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech, where she also played Division 1 volleyball, and a Master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan. Kristy is actively involved in industry leadership roles, including Carbon Leadership Forum’s MEP2040 Steering Committee and the USGBC’s Energy & Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group.
Kristy’s work centers on integrating sustainability at every stage of a building’s life cycle, from conceptual design through occupancy, with a special enthusiasm for electrification and reducing embodied carbon in MEP systems. She has contributed as a juror for the AIA COTE Top Ten awards and chairs the University of Florida's Green Building Learning Collaborative. Outside of her professional life, Kristy enjoys running, hiking, paddle boarding, and playing guitar. She lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband Jamie and their three children, embracing a life where family, nature, and innovation all intertwine.
• Professional Engineer
• LEED AP Operations + Maintenance
• LEED AP Building Design & Construction
• Building Energy Modeling Professional
• LEED Fellow
• Virginia Tech- Bachelor's
• University of Michigan- M.Eng
What do you attribute your success to?
Success is never a solo experience. My mechanical background certainly helped to smooth career and employment transitions. However, my success is built on the thousands of tiny moments when my coworkers stopped what they were doing to answer my questions, my mentors nudged me forward at just the right moments, and my family supported me when I needed to focus on a deadline or travel.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received comes from a mentor I’ve worked with for over 18 years—he knows exactly when to challenge me, nudge me in the right direction, and encourage me to always push forward, a mindset that inspires me and that I share with my team.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Make space for yourself and other women at the table, speak up when you feel compelled to do so, and always question the status quo.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
We're at an interesting point in time. Long-standing institutions that have provided protections to our environment and the humans that inhabit that environment are being dismantled for short-term profit. The challenge lies in preventing incredible long-term damage and backtracking of the progress we've made, while also developing a plan for how we rebuild a more equitable and sustainable future. Ultimately, we need to shift to a reduction mindset if we're going to leave a better planet for our future generations.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are a commitment to science, a deep belief in the power of kindness and protecting nature, and always paying it forward—even though I’m not religious, I hold faith in these principles.