Brandon Taylor, ’06, Bringing Solar Energy to Business in Massachusetts

Brandon+Taylor%2C+06%2C+Bringing+Solar+Energy+to+Business+in+Massachusetts

Brandon Taylor, WHS Class of 2006, is working in the Boston area toward a more sustainable future for our planet as an Assistant Project Manager on the commercial team of the solar energy company, SunBug. SunBug is a full-service local solar energy company offering consultation, system design, financing options and the highest quality turnkey installations in Massachusetts. Taylor joined SunBug in 2015, and in his position he develops drawing-sets, performs site-surveys to verify preliminary layouts, and prepares permitting & construction documentation for all commercial projects.

He took a few moments recently to discuss his work and what he has been up to since high school with The Johnny Green. 

Q – What field of study did you want to pursue after high school?

A. – I studied sustainable design at an architecture college. So, my education is related to urban planning and renewable energy generation. The first field I wanted to be in was mechanical engineering. I still hope to get into that field eventually.

Q -Was there any one person who influenced you to go into the career you have?

A – I would say it was a combination of my father and grandfather. My father built homes for most of his career, so my interest in how things – specifically the built environment – are created came from him. My grandfather had an inventor’s mind, and taught me quite a bit about physics and electromagnetics before I even entered high school, so he piqued my interest in renewable energy design.

Q– Can you describe your job for us? 

A -My job consists of collaborating with project developers to determine what kind of solar pv system that the property owner or investor is looking for (is it going to power a large building? Is it going to provide utility power? Etc). Then I come up with a design for the system, (electrically and mechanically), I draw it up in Autocad, and create schematic drawings for construction. I also, evaluate the site and take measurements, and work with engineers and construction crews to take the projects through to completion.

Q-What was college like for you? Where did you go? What classes did you take? Were you prepared for college after Weedsport?

A – I went to community college, took some business and engineering classes, then transferred to architecture school where I took sustainability and building science classes. I would say Weedsport did a pretty good job of preparing me. When I went there, there were quite a bit of CAD classes that prepared me for architecture, and my physics class was outstanding. Still to this day my most influential class.

Q – Any advice for current Weedsport students that want to be successful after high school?

A – Go to a major city and go to school. You will meet people from different cultures, get higher paying jobs, and expand your thinking. If you never get out of your comfort zone, you don’t grow. If you ever want to come back to Weedsport, it will be there.