Steve Dowd
Principal
“Early in my career, someone quoted that if you can’t explain a topic simply, you don’t understand it well enough. I apply this open challenge to the new and increasingly complex challenges AEI helps clients navigate.”
Steve Dowd joined the AEI Chicago office in 2012 as a building performance consultant, bringing with him a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue University and later obtaining a master’s degree in data analytics from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2020. Throughout his tenure at AEI, Steve's career has evolved in two distinct phases. Initially, he focused on evaluating building performance, aiding early design decision-making, particularly in the life sciences and higher education markets. In the latter half of his AEI journey, Steve has become a trailblazer in data analytics, notably contributing to the widespread adoption of advanced technologies across the firm, revolutionizing existing workflows, and expanding project scopes.
His ability to approach and translate complex subject matter without oversimplifying is a hallmark of Steve’s career, rooted in a deep respect for lifelong learning. Leading the high-performance design team in the Chicago office and contributing to the firm-wide high-performance steering committee, Steve is also an active participant in the firm’s custom software development team. He is a pivotal figure at the intersection of high-performance design and data analytics, boasting expertise in energy modeling, life cycle cost analysis, data analytics, and advanced data visualization. His unique skill set, blending architectural engineering proficiency with advanced data analytics, is further enhanced by his mastery of dynamic data visualization platforms.
Beyond his professional commitments, Steve is dedicated to promoting AEI's culture of knowledge sharing and nurturing the development of future talent. Outside of work, Steve enjoys spending time with his growing family, reading, and maintaining an active lifestyle, which includes chasing after his daughters as he coaches them in soccer. There is no happier time and place for him than being on vacation with his family.