Hero Podcast

Southland Speaks: The Scalable Role of Energy Expertise Throughout the Building Lifecycle

Jun. 30, 2025

Our podcast, Southland Speaks, showcases our people, highlighting the ways they apply their real-world experiences to their roles and weaving their stories into the fabric of our company.   

Craig Ahrens, Senior Project Developer, began his career on South Africa's east coast, managing capital projects at a large pulp and paper mill. That hands-on experience with energy systems sparked a career-long interest in energy efficiency and sustainability. Craig, shared, "The common intersection of all the equipment was energy. I realized I could get exposure to all these different industry applications, and they all have this common theme of energy." 

Now based in the United States, Craig joined Southland in 2016. He leads the technical development of energy projects from initial assessments through construction and savings verification. In his role, he helps clients improve performance, reduce costs, and address maintenance backlogs. 

Across every industry and location he's worked in, Craig sees energy as the unifying factor. "That's what our energy efficiency projects are — we're trying to eke out ways to make things more efficient and improve the infrastructure," he said. 

About Southland

As an MEP building systems expert, Southland Industries provides integrated, full lifecycle solutions that optimize the design, construction, operation, and efficiency of buildings. Through collaborative partnerships with our clients and the collective expertise of our people, we create premier built environments and future-ready spaces where communities and businesses can thrive. 

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