Andrea Mancino is the CEO at Bright Power. Pairing her deep technical expertise in building sustainable, high performing projects with an ability to create and execute efficient business processes, Andrea’s goal is to ensure the financial success of the company, while delivering strong, proven services that achieve Bright Power’s mission. Andrea is also extremely passionate about mentorship and employee success.
Andrea has served as the Executive Vice President of the New York Business Unit at Bright Power and led the New Construction and Commissioning divisions, which she co-founded and built from scratch, including cultivating repeat client relationships that we maintain today.
Andrea is the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). She is serves as a DEI Liason, serving as a connection between the Board and NESEA Community to help foster more inclusivity and diversity into programming and workforce at large.
Tell us a little bit about your background and what brought you to Bright Power 11 years ago?
I began my energy efficiency career at Con Edison and moved on from there to work on residential energy audits. I then started at Bright Power as an intern over a decade ago. In that time, I worked my way up the ladder and eventually co-founded two new divisions within our business, the New Construction and Building Commissioning divisions. I was very honored to take the CEO reins in 2023 and to have been a part of Bright Power’s journey from a small startup to a multimillion-dollar company over the last 20 years.
For those not familiar, what does Bright Power do?
Bright Power was founded in 2004, and we provide energy and water efficiency solutions for real estate owners, investors, and operators. Our consulting services include energy benchmarking, energy audits, financial and technical feasibility analysis, green building certification consulting, and building commissioning.
For many buildings, we find energy and water waste through utility bill analytics and site investigations. We evaluate a property’s energy efficiency opportunities and then provide consulting on how to eliminate waste and maximize performance. We also provide holistic green design and high-performance building consulting to developers and architects who are creating new buildings.
What impact is Bright Power having on the built environment in NYC?
Over the past 20 years, Bright Power has performed over 2,500 energy audits and completed more than 500 New Construction and Green Building Certifications in NYC. Nationally, we have reduced 667M LBS of CO2 from the environment and have saved $285M in utility costs in the last 20 years. That is equivalent to taking 71,000 cars off the road or planting 5 million trees.
On the new construction side, we work with many affordable housing developers and have been able to contribute to supporting underserved communities with comfortable, energy-efficient housing.
What changes have you seen at Bright Power over your 11 years?
I have seen an overall shift in the industry toward thinking about sustainability. What was once seen as a potential future goal is now commonplace, especially in new construction. Energy efficient lighting is now the standard, and there is a true push toward a carbon-zero future. We are all in it together and each sustainable action taken is a step in the right direction.
What have you noticed as a female leader in a predominantly male-driven industry?
I’ve spent countless hours on construction sites and with design teams, learning how to navigate the complexities of being a woman in a male-dominated field. In my position as CEO, I am able to use my experience to both manage and build a diverse company, mentoring many employees on their professional growth and creating an inclusive company ethos.
One of the most important things I have learned is the power of networking and the importance of staying humble. Never underestimate the value of paying it forward. I make it a priority to mentor and teach others in the field, especially other women. It’s been great to see women infiltrating senior leadership positions – there is certainly still a bias but I have seen a significant shift. At Bright Power, our team is made up of more than 50% women and I am also a member of the Women in Construction advocacy group. I am always reminding women to build up other women around them. There is a lot already stacked up against us for us to be stacked up against each other!
This year, I’ve been appointed Board Chair of Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). I’m proud to continue NESEA’s mission of creating a resilient built environment that also supports climate justice and equity.
What do you hope happens in 2025 and beyond in the built environment? What role will Bright Power play?
I hope that Bright Power can impact every building in NYC. So far we have impacted more than 10% of the apartments in the country, and we are excited to continue on the journey to a zero-carbon future. I foresee a lot more existing building retrofits happening and Bright Power will be there to help identify the scopes and get the projects done.
