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A Hawaii-based engineer who has worked in WSP offices all over the world, Charles Chaloeicheep has found an inspiring commonality across his experiences – a commitment to sustainable design. In this interview, he shares about both the unique and universal aspects of delivering projects in an office that prioritizes community and environmental sustainability.
map marker United States | Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Reading Time : 4:12 minutes

Can you tell us about your background in engineering and sustainability?

After I earned my mechanical engineering degree from UC Santa Barbara (go Gauchos!), my first job was with the Port of Oakland’s maritime group, mostly doing utility design work. In 2007, I felt compelled to go back to school, and chose the University of New South Wales in Australia, which offered sustainable design programs unavailable in the U.S. at the time. While there, I started working in WSP’s North Sydney office with the Advanced Environmental team, now Built Ecology, where I focused primarily on high performance and sustainable buildings. After two years in Oz, I migrated to WSP’s San Francisco office, where I worked on amazing projects like Federal Center South, the Amazon Rufus 2.0 development that includes the Amazon Spheres, the Moscone Center Expansion in San Francisco and the NOAA Daniel K. Inouye Regional Center in Honolulu. Eventually, I moved to the Hawaii office of WSP, which is full of like-minded, technically strong and sustainability-oriented people.

 

What are some of the challenges of designing mechanical systems in Hawaii?

As with any location, engineers in Hawaii need to solve technical problems through thoughtful communication and collaboration with the design and construction community. In Hawaii, our “typical” project challenges can be magnified due to the smaller workforce and being further away from the supply chain.

More specifically, with regards to mechanical systems, humidity is our biggest climatic challenge. This is mostly an issue because people want to be outside and provide welcoming, comfortable spaces. For commercial projects, this means leaving front doors open to invite in customers (and leak out energy). For residential and resort projects, this means leaving lanai/balcony doors open and tasking AC equipment with conditioning exterior lanais (and all of Waikiki) – also a huge waste of energy. All these scenarios are illegal and against code, but enforcement isn’t as strong as in other states.

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   Photo ©Bruce Damonte

   WSP provided MEP engineering, lighting design and high-performance building design at Amazon’s

   Spheres in Seattle to create holistic sustainable solutions for the urban workspace.

I hear the local WSP team is raising the bar for sustainable design in the islands. What does that look like?

I happen to be part of an incredible team here in Hawaii that’s focused on sustainable design. As a group, we’ve been able to brand ourselves locally as good designers that care about the environment. This means that we’re always trying to reduce loads and incorporate renewable energy.

On some projects, that might be as simple as providing efficient, reliable, maintainable equipment that is easy to operate. It’s amazing how much energy is wasted on poorly controlled or outdated equipment. On other projects, we are looking at mixed-mode operations and passive cooling solutions, more sophisticated controls that turn equipment off when occupants aren’t using the space.

For example, University of Hawaii Cancer Center uses chilled beams for cooling. Additionally, at Kupu Net Shed and in Roosevelt High School’s gym, we rely completely on high-volume, low-speed fans for comfort. Passive solutions have been used for centuries to provide amazing environments for people, and those solutions still work. It is important to meet the client’s expectations with any design, but our clients in Hawaii recognize the beauty of our environment and embrace designs that allow them to connect with that beauty.

You’ve designed energy-saving projects all over the world. What are some of the most impactful solutions you’ve seen?

The most impactful solutions are those that are thoughtful and that drive down energy use without sacrificing human comfort. Personally, I love working on school and healthcare projects because they impact the learners and future of our community. Take WSP Hawaii’s partnership with American Samoa Specialized Hospital, which will create an incredible impact. After the new hospital opens, residents won’t have to travel off the island to get the care they need. For that project, family and community support have been prioritized, and patients will likely recover much quicker with loved ones by their side. Though engineering is critical, it’s not our solutions that make a place, it’s the space as a whole and the purpose it serves.

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The American Samoa Specialized Hospital (ASSH) is the cornerstone of a comprehensive master plan, heralding a new era for American Samoa. More than just a hospital, it embodies a vision of healing, community connection, cultural preservation, and sustainability. Master Planning, Architecture, and Interior Design: AHL

It is important to meet the client’s expectations with any design, but our clients in Hawaii recognize the beauty of our environment and embrace designs that allow them to connect with that beauty.
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Charles and family on Oahu’s North Shore.

What excites you about the future of sustainable design?

I’m excited about the end of energy efficient design, meaning that codes are becoming more progressive and soon simply meeting code will equate to energy efficiency. That shift will allow sustainable design to pivot more toward the health and wellbeing of occupants, less harmful materials and carbon reduction. Soon, and maybe we are already there, we’ll be able to create even more beautiful spaces that are less focused on energy and more focused on human impact.

 

What do you think makes a place, and where’s your favorite place?

Easy. People make a place, and my favorite place is on the beach with people I love.

I’m excited about the end of energy efficient design, meaning that codes are becoming more progressive and soon simply meeting code will equate to energy efficiency.