Carlos Kelly, First Mexican Architect Certified as a Decarbonization Professional by ASHRAE

1. What motivated you to pursue the ASHRAE Certified Decarbonization Professional (CDP) credential, and how does it align with your professional goals?

The CDP Credential was a challenge I wanted to take on to demonstrate my mastery over the topic. It came very naturally to me because of the nature of the projects and clients I’ve been working on. Within the Energy Modeling realm, my career has evolved many times, and when I saw ASHRAE releasing the CDP Credential, I did not hesitate for a second.

2. Can you walk us through the preparation process for the CDP exam? What resources or strategies did you find most effective?

The CDP Credential is a new credential, and while ASHRAE does a very good job pointing you in the right direction, there aren’t a ton of resources or mockup tests you can do. I had to make my own path. It was all a combination of reading, practicing, even leveraging AI tools to create my own tests, but overall, I would say, no matter the amount of studying someone does, it would be very complicated for someone to get it without real-life, hands-on experience. I’ve never been a textbook guy, so having years of experience on this field definitely made the difference for me.

3. How does the CDP credential enhance your ability to drive building decarbonization efforts, and what impact do you hope to make in the industry?

I don’t think it “enhances” but it certainly adds another layer of guarantee. I know my stuff with or without the credential, but clients, developers, and organizations, they want the best; and this is as good as it gets. This credential puts me and BranchPattern in a better position to have those big opportunities to make an impact.

4. What advice would you give to others considering the CDP credential, and how do you see the role of CDPs evolving in the fight against climate change?

I’m convinced that this is the future of the industry. Dare I say it is already the present. Over the last few years, I’ve seen a huge change in the industry prioritizing carbon emissions over energy use, not only operational carbon but embodied as well. I would recommend all my fellows in the industry to raise the bar and know the talk. Developers and organizations are changing their focus to carbon emissions more than ever before.  

5. What sparked your passion for sustainability and building decarbonization, and how has that shaped your career path?

The main reason why I’ve always been invested in sustainability is the mystery around it. At the beginning of my career, I enjoyed running the numbers to see if something made sense from a sustainability perspective. Naturally I fell into the Building Energy Modeling realm, but I was always quite dissatisfied with it. I never felt like estimating energy was the ultimate answer. It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I found myself spending more time trying to figure out carbon emissions instead of energy, and it wasn’t until very recently that is started to see how carbon emissions and business interact with each other.

6. How did you feel when you found out you had passed the CDP exam, and how are you celebrating this achievement?

I’ve done multiple test-credentials in my career and I remember very early on my career, I was a bit anxious when going to take the test because -should I fail- it would be embarrassing to me, but this time I was excited to go, I wanted to go, I wanted to see it. Never at any point during the test itself did I feel like I was not going to make it. I celebrated very modestly, getting out of the testing center, I walked to this coffee shop across the street, picked up a couple of pastries and went back home to eat and have coffee with my wife outside on the deck.

7. Looking back, is there a specific project or experience that prepared you well for the CDP exam and this credential?

Absolutely, I would not be able to do this without real projects, for better or worse, I’m quite a terrible learner without empirical experience. During these last couple of years, I’ve had the massive opportunity to be involved in all kinds of projects: from all-electric, decarbonized, state-of-the-art, individual projects to big-scale, portfolio decarbonization planning. Either it is design or existing buildings, operational or embodied, at BranchPattern we adapt to the challenge. I’m very grateful to all the clients I’ve had the chance to collaborate with, I learned with them.

8. What was the most challenging part of preparing for the CDP credential, and what kept you motivated during the process?

This field is very technical and highly competitive. Sometimes, architects are overlooked for roles associated with a high level of technical difficulty, so the challenge was appealing to me. Honestly, becoming the first Mexican architect to have ever done it was a motivator. When I moved to the US, I moved with an idea; be a lighthouse for my peers in Mexico. For me this is a statement. It is possible to achieve great things outside the sphere you are born in. Doesn’t matter if you are “just an architect” or if you are from somewhere else.

9. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice about pursuing professional credentials like the CDP, what would it be?

In this industry it is very common to believe that getting credentials will get you career advancement, you know; a raise, a better position, a role change, you name it. While I don’t think these things are untrue, I would say that if it is the only motivator, you may have the wrong motivations. This is the most cliché thing ever, but I invite not only my younger self but other peers to pursue their passion and what fuels them. For me, the idea of being helpful fuels me. If I can be helpful to make decisions about where carbon emissions are part of the criteria, I’m 100% down to get you on the path forward and help you and your organization. Oh! and the planet.

10. Any words of appreciation to the people who prepared you for this achievement?

Absolutely, loads. I may be the one with the credential, but I share this achievement with all who are part of the journey with me.  

• Jorge Lopez and Pedro Paredes, who saw nothing but a lad in need of a job with slight interest in sustainability and gave me my first job in this industry.

• Jaqueline and Alejandro, my early energy modeling mentors, took me under their wing and unselfishly, for free, taught me everything they had to pay to learn.

• Pete Jefferson, he brought me here; he met a young man, remotely in another country, and with little to no hesitation he deposited his trust in me to be part of this company.

• Kevin Campbell, without him, I wouldn’t have a thought partner to bounce ideas with, I don’t know how he does it, but I’m pretty sure he knows everything.

• Sarah Gudeman and Kristy Walson, they turned my career around, gave me freedom, agency, space to grow and kept me just enough motivated and challenged to go for the next big thing.

Last but not least, my wife, Mariana, who patiently allowed me to hijack the dining room for months to make it my personal library with what felt like a hundred standards on top of the dining table.

Today I celebrate with you all, and tomorrow, we will see what is next to come. Hopefully more clients, more projects, more opportunities to learn and to just make better decisions.  

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