Name: Donny Gallagher Member Since: 2010
What's your occupation?
After graduating from UC Davis with my BS in Civil
Engineering, I joined RBF Consulting’s Sacramento office. Today I am a
project engineer at RBF focusing on entitlements and civil design for a
diverse range of multidisciplinary projects including utility scale
renewable energy projects, military base rehabilitations, hospital
expansions, commercial developments, residential developments, utility
infrastructure, roadway design, and highway realignments. My day to day
work includes preparation of preliminary and final plans for grading,
utilities, drainage, surface parking facilities, roadways, Low Impact
Development (LID)/stormwater quality, American with Disabilities Act
(ADA) compliance, and erosion control/Storm Water Pollution Prevention
Plans (SWPPP).
Over the past few years I served as lead designer
for several projects including the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare
System Seismic Upgrade and Modernization Project, the new $43 million
Calaveras County Detention Center and Sherriff’s Administration Office
(the single largest public works project in Calaveras County history),
and numerous large scale solar projects throughout Sacramento County.
How did you get involved in green building?
For as long as I can remember, I have always had a passion for the
environment. I think it was ingrained in me as a child from spending
nearly every summer weekend camping with my family. Naturally, this led
me to seek out ways to incorporate sustainability into my career.
Shortly after college, I discovered USGBC and decided to pursue my LEED
accreditation. However, I discovered the true benefits of green
building after being on a design-build team for the nation’s first green
Nissan dealership (which earned LEED Gold). After seeing firsthand the
value that LEED can bring to a project, I decided to further invest
myself in green building and joined the Capital Branch of USGBC-NCC.
Within months I was chair of the Capital Branch Events Committee and I
am now the current Vice Chair for the Branch.
What is your greatest accomplishment, personal and/or professional?
Personally, my greatest accomplishment is having such a happy and loving
family (special thanks to my beautiful wife); not to mention getting
through this last year with two kids under two!
Professionally, I think that one of my greatest accomplishments may be
an internal one. I am constantly amazed by the amount that I learn on
each project. The breadth of projects that I am fortunate enough to be
exposed to provide me with the opportunity to face new and unique
challenges that often require innovative design solutions. Add
sustainability goals to the mix, and the challenges grow. These
learning opportunities allow me to grow both as an engineer and a
professional. I feel great pride and sense of accomplishment when a new
skill is learned and a challenge overcome.
What are you looking forward to this year?
I am looking forward to witnessing our Sacramento County solar projects
come to fruition as hundreds of acres of farm lands are transformed into
clean energy producing solar fields, thus moving Sacramento one step
closer to its goal of becoming the Emerald Valley of sustainability!
Of course, I am also looking forward to serving the Capital Branch as
the new Vice Chair as we prepare for this exciting year leading up to
GreenBuild.
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