2020 Women in Construction: Sarah Meehan, HVAC Controls Technician at Lake Industries

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? Within the last year I’ve accomplished many achievements in my career. After dedicating copious hours, both in the field and through school, I was able to test and obtain my refrigeration license. This is an advancement that not many technicians pass on their first try; I was able to not only pass the test but also receive the highest grade out of all those testing with me.

What are you doing differently in 2020 that has had a positive impact on your career? 2020 seems like a very promising year in terms of career advancements. Before I began working full-time with Lake, I was enrolled at UMass Amherst studying Building Construction Technologies. I dropped out and returned after completing my freshman year and recently picked back up on my studies at Wentworth. I am eager to see where next step in my career will take me as I thoroughly enjoy having a mixture of both field and office work, as one day I would like to be in a PM position.

When I’m not working I am…I am always trying to occupy my day with miscellaneous tasks. Much of my time after work is spent focusing on school as I have recently enrolled back in college. When school isn’t consuming my spare time I am always trying to plan weekend trips with my friends, go to concerts, or simply spend time with my family.

What trends are you seeing in your field this year? When I first started working at Lake I was 17 years old on co-op with my Vocational High School. Our controls division was just starting up and there wasn’t nearly as many opportunities for BMS advancements as I am seeing today. Now we are one of the leading controls contractors in the state. In the last year alone, the DDC Community has seen a 31% increase. It’s projected that from 2018 to 2025, there will be a 20 billion USD increase in HVAC Controls. I am very eager to see where this division takes me.

Who or what inspired you to join the construction industry? To be honest, I’m really not sure what inspired me to join the construction industry. I remember being 14 years old, ready to pick our permanent shops in school, and I didn’t get into my first choice. At that point I planned to transferring back to public school but had to pick something to finish my freshman year. I had a crush on one of the older boys in the HVAC shop so I picked it. Who knew it would take me to where I am today.