Dustin Smith, PE was recently promoted to Team Leader in Mazzetti’s Atlanta office.
How did you get into your specific line of work? What about this role excites you?
Growing up in my family HVAC business, I found it was a natural transition to become a mechanical engineer and work in MEP Consulting. I really enjoy interfacing with leading healthcare organizations and contributing not only to their hospitals, but the communities that they serve. In my new leadership role, I am looking forward to the opportunity of helping my coworkers achieve their goals.
Tell us about a memorable project. What made it stand out to you?
I had the opportunity to work on the first LEED Gold hospital in the Southeast (construction completed in 2013) and continue working with this client, almost a decade later, designing to LEED standards. This facility has numerous different “unconventional” mechanical systems including ground source heat pumps, displacement ventilation, and low temperature heating hot water; I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to design these systems that many other engineers may never have in their careers.
What excites you most about your line of work?
I am excited to interface with other organizations on the cutting edge of Healthcare – to contribute to jobs that not only shape the hospital but also the communities that they serve.
What brought you to Mazzetti?
I started working at PerryCrabb in 2013; this was my opportunity to grow my career beyond my HVAC background and remain near my family. (PerryCrabb merged with Mazzetti in in 2017.)
What are you most excited about for the future of Mazzetti?
The research and code work Mazzetti is doing with international and national health organizations is impressive. Additionally, our ability to work towards creating integrated design teams to better serve our clients is something that sets us apart.
If you could give any advice to the next generation of engineers, what would that be?
Don’t worry about when you start… always the chance to start again. Some people are fortunate to land a “dream job” right out of school, but likely more don’t fit this category. Seek your passion, and the rest will fall into place.
Tell us a little bit about your life outside of work- what are your passions or hobbies?
I am lucky to live in the first “Bee City” in Georgia where I keep honeybees as a hobby. These pollinators are essential not only to local ecosystems but also paramount to all of mankind. I also enjoy gardening in an urban setting. I will typically have a dozen containers growing tomatoes, peppers, okra, and vegetables using drip irrigation to limit the amount of water used.