One of the main goals of the TEAD Programme is to highlight the work of women professionals working in the energy sector in Ukraine. As part of our new interview series we interviewed Women Energy Ambassadors from all over Ukraine, telling about their experiences and successes, but also about the barriers they encounter while working in a still male dominated energy sector.
Empowering Ukraine: Olena’s Journey as a Trailblazer in Energy Auditing
As part of our Women Energy Ambassadors series, we are delighted to showcase Olena, a distinguished professional in the field of energy auditing from Ukraine. Currently serving as the Senior Lecturer at the Department of Thermal and Alternative Energy at Ihor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Olena’s journey in the realm of energy efficiency has been nothing short of inspirational.
Professional experience:
- Energy audit of public buildings
- The chief energy manager of Ihor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, implementation of lighting modernization projects, thermal modernization of buildings, remote energy monitoring.
- Participant of projects of the NGO “Energy Efficiency School” on the promotion of vocational education in the field of energy-efficient construction.
- Participant of the “Energy-efficient Schools” project, Institute of Local Development
- Participant of the Social Investment Fund project, conducting energy audits of buildings
Olena embarked on her professional odyssey in 2008, immersing herself in the study of energy management. Over the years, she ascended from a dedicated student engineer to the esteemed role of Chief Energy Manager at Polytechnic Institute, demonstrating unwavering commitment and expertise in her chosen field.
In the process of her work, Olena organized the interaction of the university on issues of tariff policy, accounting of consumed energy resources, conclusion of contracts with KP “Kyivteploenergo”, PJSC “AK” Kyivvodokanal” and other energy supply organizations. She was directly involved in the energy survey of university facilities and trained those responsible for efficient energy consumption within the university. Olena also developed and implemented measures to improve energy efficiency at the university. And introduced energy cost planning with the development of a motivation system for frugal energy use.
Olena organized work of the energy management service of Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, it’s Council on Energy Conservation and monitored energy consumption by university facilities and units. All this painstaking work was dedicated and focused on the creation and implementation of the university’s energy policy.
After 10 years of work, Olena decided to move on and discover new areas of application of the acquired knowledge and experience, as well as continue to acquire new professional competences in the field of energy efficiency. And Olena began to share her experience and teaches the disciplines “energy audit” and “energy management” at the department.
Olena is constantly interested in improving her professional level on the topic of “Energy audit in buildings” and “Energy audit in industry” and is looking for educational materials, courses, and programs for students. She aims to popularize the profession of an energy auditor and to encourage students to work in the field of energy efficiency improvement by her example while working at the School of Energy Efficiency.
In summary, Olena stands as a beacon of inspiration, embodying resilience, expertise, and a steadfast commitment to advancing energy efficiency in Ukraine. Her journey is a testament to the transformative impact one individual can have on an entire industry, and we are proud to feature her as a Women Energy Ambassador.