The Energy Manager's Playbook

In this episode, host Jay Mullin speaks with Tam Wagner, the Director of Demand Side Management at the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to share practical takeaways from the 2025 Energy Management Excellence Awards (EMEAs). They explore how award-winning teams sequence efficiency, optimization and efficient electrification, align energy goals with safety and production, and keep revi...

In this episode we present the complete recordings of the panel discussions that took place at the 2025 Energy Management Excellence Awards. The first panel focuses on the Order of operations for electrification: Prioritizing operational improvements, efficiency upgrades and efficient electrification, moderated by Michael Oriahi from the IESO and featuring Nicholas Dumoulin from Dream, Graham Timp...

In this episode, Allison shares how she and her colleagues at Votorantim Cimentos are transforming energy management into a shared mission that’s reshaping daily operations. What started with a backlog of 500+ energy-saving opportunities at two cement plants became the catalyst for a broader cultural shift, one that empowers plant teams to take ownership of their energy performance. By aligning en...

In this episode, Behzad shares how his transition from plant-level energy manager to a corporate sustainability role at Maple Leaf Foods is helping the company bring greater alignment and momentum to its energy goals. Drawing on his hands-on experience, Behzad emphasizes the value of site-specific targets, practical support tools and direct relationships with facility teams. Rather than managing f...

In this episode, Trevor shares how BGIS is delivering energy savings and emissions reductions across a vast portfolio of buildings by shifting from individual projects to a scalable programmatic approach. BGIS supports and manages an estimated 30,000 buildings in Canada. Trevor emphasizes the importance of data strategy, modular solutions and efficient implementation to drive results at scale. By...

In this episode, Zeb Foss, Manager of Energy Conservation and Sustainability at Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB), shares his journey to achieving energy savings at the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) by breaking down departmental silos and fostering collaboration. Drawing on his background in the utility sector, Zeb identifies the unique priorities of each department...

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Katelyn Poyntz, Director of Project Engineering & Energy at Unity Health Toronto, about how she built momentum for energy management at Unity Health Toronto—one step at a time. Starting with a simple lighting upgrade, she uncovered opportunities to integrate sustainability into healthcare operations, even when the path forward was uncertain. By focusing on what she...

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Nathan Gerber (Coordinator of Energy Management at Oxford County) about how he transformed Oxford County’s energy management by integrating information and taking a data-driven approach. With over 300 buildings and a growing need to uncover deeper energy savings, Nathan worked to centralize and analyze available data, revealing hidden inefficiencies, and enabling him to...

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Lee Hodgkinson (Head of Sustainability & Technical Services at Dream Unlimited) about how Dream Unlimited Corp. is tackling decarbonization and efficient electrification by shifting from reactive decision-making to a proactive, knowledge-driven strategy. Lee shares how they built internal expertise, navigated uncertainty, and secured leadership buy-in, using the ele...

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Animesh Roy, Energy Manager at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) about the critical shift in strategy he made to gain management support for energy and decarbonization initiatives. Animesh shares how he changed his approach to communicating with and engaging leadership. By securing an executive sponsor, refining communication to resonate with decision-makers, and le...

Host Jay Mullin speaks with Senka Donches, Manager of Energy Efficiencies at Magna International, who shares how translating corporate leadership's strong energy management mandate into tangible results requires more than just commitment. While Magna’s leadership set ambitious net-zero targets, Senka discovered that success depends on building a robust support system at the plant level. By fosteri...

The Energy Manager’s Playbook podcast, presented by the IESO through its Save on Energy brand, brings together compelling stories and real-world experiences from Ontario’s energy management community. Hosted by energy management expert Jay Mullin, each bite-sized episode dives into the challenges and successes of energy professionals across industrial, institutional, commercial and municipal secto...