Kirby’s pioneering efforts in leadership development are set to transform the AEC industry, making him a key figure in its ongoing evolution and success.  This effort has led him to the crossroads of looking for a new opportunities and projects to make a measurable needle creating I+M+P+A+C=T on the AEC industry.

Intention + Motivation + Purpose + Action + Connection =Triumph (I+M+P+A+C=T)

Driven by his passion for the industry and a commitment to fostering effective leadership, Kirby’s innovative system integrates emotional intelligence and practical strategies, providing a trackable framework for success. His work ensures that current and future AEC leaders are equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in an ever-evolving industry.

Through his extensive hands-on experience, Kirby identified a critical gap in current leadership development programs within the AEC industry. Recognizing the need for a fresh approach to cultivate the next generation of AEC leaders, he dedicated himself to reinventing these programs. This dedication led to the creation of a specialized leadership development system tailored specifically to the unique challenges and demands of the AEC field.

Holding a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Kirby Lee brings over 23 years of direct experience across every facet of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. As a third-generation HVAC construction business professional, Kirby's roots in the industry run deep, shaping his career and leadership philosophy.

Kirby is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of North Carolina, with an impressive array of certifications including LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design + Construction, Certified Energy Manager, Certified Energy Auditor, and Green Building Engineer. His diverse roles have spanned consulting engineering, owner’s representation, and HVAC equipment sales, equipping him with a comprehensive understanding of the AEC sector.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Kirby has held significant leadership positions within several engineering firms, consistently driving success and innovation. His commitment to the industry extends beyond his professional roles; he is an active volunteer and leader within the Triangle Chapter of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). Notably, he has served as President for two terms and as the Region IV Chapter Regional Conference Chair for 2023, leading teams to achieve record metrics at both chapter and conference levels.

The best part about spending time this week with my home team AIR Carolinas was building strong connection and time together. 

I had never spent a week in Charlotte before and many of my trips were always time constrained due to needing to get back to Apex for big girl pick up from school. 

So my typical windows were a 10am to 2-3pm slot so I could make trips a day venture for time purposes. 

But the part I enjoyed was extended time seeeing  two special people to me in Sean McConnell and Mark Murray.  They have walked with me on a journey that spans several years together in many aspects that is personal, family, and professional.  

So when they knew I would be working with them at Nortek Air Solutions, LLC we all knew some magic would happen.

This week was magical indeed and grateful to have these people in my corner in everything.  

Choose people how they choose you…🦁🤗❤️

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#1 Best Selling Author: The Lion Attitude | Action+Connection | I+M+P+A+C=T | AEC Leadership Development | Technical Sales Leadership | MEP Engineer & Energy Specialist | 3rd Gen HVAC Construction | Owners Representative

It was my biggest weakness and fear not being able to connect with people at all. 

The truth was I felt ashamed and small watching people around me grow and develop which it wasn’t happening for me the same way. 

I simply wanted to be like everyone’s else in the AEC field moving into bigger roles and making dreams come true.  

For years I always followed other people doing everything they told me thinking it would give me a better life. 

But something was different when I sat in that car in 2019 feeling hollow, empty, lost, and defeated realizing my life in the AEC field was not making me happy at all.  

For many in that moment, it would have led to a road of even worse things that would be a point of no return. 

Yet that was the day The Lion was awakened….and it was ready to use strengths inside me to levels that I had never been before.  

That was they day that I should never let anyone dim my light over my gifts, strengths, and all the things that make Lions the most unique animal on the earth.  

That roar of a Lion is the most powerful thing on the planet and everything developing leadership skills from scratch was based on using the unique things I can give to the world.  

It’s my biggest moment to be proud of myself for being unique, standing out, using my voice, betting on myself over everyone no matter the circumstances and leading AEC professionals with the same system that changed my life for good.

Lions weren’t born to be like other animals….and I think looking back it was a blessing I focused on walking my own path and not the one that others in the AEC field wanted for me to follow.  

Proud to be a Lion everyday in every aspect for all my AEC professionals to make a difference in our would for good. 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

The best gift this year as part of my transformation was these 2 people in the photo. 

my #1 Bryce Batts and I started looking at how we can change the AEC field with our magic and gifts. 

I could only think of another very special person in my life that would be part of our journey. So that’s when I introduced her to Gwen Smothers.  

There has been a magic this year behind the phrase:

Choose people how they choose you 🦁🤗❤️

Proud to have these two in my corner and lots of magic will happen in the future. ☺️

There is someone that was a major catalyst to nearly everything that took place this year in all aspects. 

This week is all about being grateful and thankful for people that choose me how I chose them.  

I have never felt as strong all aspects professionally, personally, and with family as this level of purpose took place in the last half of 2025. 

Lots of people around me saw the difference in all these areas and it’s really simple to share.  

🦁Having someone with you in everything that wants to succeed as badly as they want to breathe.  🦁

Lots of great things happened this year…but they would have not been possible without my #1 Bryce Batts. 

Just wait until you see what we do in 2026 together with a full year of our magic and gifts that will make room for us….🦁🦁🦁🦁

It was the first time we have had a conversation about Maddie’s development on her soccer team now that the fall part of the season is over.  

Never watched or did anything with soccer at all until we saw her interest in the sport which led to the fun league this spring.  

Soccer has actually been good for our whole family seeing her put so much effort into her growth and development of the game. 

Big girl got some major compliments on how much effort she has been putting in away from the field and I have enjoyed taking her to fields to practice. 

The most fun thing on my end was taking her to matches and seeing my own openness leading to my own enjoyment watching some matches with her.  

Next season looking forward to opportunities for seeing the Charlotte FC and N.C. courage locally plus watching them on TV. 

Never thought I would say this but I am getting interested in soccer and being a Soccer Daddy ⚽️⚽️⚽️

When the coach pointed out for laser determined big girl has been in everything I could not help but smile.  That is something I hope came from my own growth over the past 6 years.  

Lions are always growing more Lions 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

One of the biggest strengths of having a technical mind is when it comes to decision making as an AEC professional.  

Lions always operate in a Pride dynamic that results in all the team getting to eat when a target is taken out.  

So that system of winning together is built around every aspect of things that happen in leading other people on a daily basis in the AEC field. 

Every decision needs to be calculated and analyzed in every way to make sure all parties win together in the process.  

If there is an unclear path to determine a win together model, then the decision is delayed until a solution is found so everyone wins. 

If there is no clear path to win together then the decision is simple…do not proceed this path at all.  

The most important thing in AEC leadership goes down to the simple statement below.

🦁NEVER win at someone else expense in anything when it comes to others around you.🦁

When you win with others together in the end all the wins you want for yourself will happen at the same time.  

In basic math form:

1 win Kirby - 1 loss for someone else = ZERO

1 win Kirby + 1 win for others = Win Together 

The math says everything…Lions have done this for 10000 years…..

You know you make a difference in people lives when you get photos of Lions from people you care about. 

So when I got this from one of my special people Opzioni Design Inc Jeannette Gonzalez I could not help but smile a lot.  

Lions create lifetime bonds in Prides that last forever.  No matter where we are there is always support, growth, development, and community together.  

Choose people how they chose you 🦁🤗❤️…

So I choose Jeanette 🤗🤗🤗

It’s time to make a special visit to see family as we celebrate Thanksgiving and a fun part of our visit will be going to a place where there are also windmills just like in Oklahoma. 

Grateful to be able to focus on family and things that will make the future bright.  

Hope all have great thanksgiving! 🦁🤗❤️

Made promises to important people in my life this summer that I would do everything possible to get to the health I was at on May 3rd 2024.  

This has involved lost of commitment, sacrifice, and discipline of inner leadership with a level of Purpose that I have not had before.  

So in the waning part of shorter days in a cold small town in PA the work continues. 

I promised my big girl i would complete my 6 year weight loss goal and train with her in soccer. 

I promised someone very important that I would give everything to be at my best for everything we dream of daily.  

So in feels like 25 degree weather I was going to complete a walk to close my exercise band and keep my weight loss going. 

Mission accomplished as the sun sets over the PA mountains….exercise completed even on Thanksgiving for first time ever in my life. 

When you want to succeed as badly as you want to breathe…..then you will be successful 🦁🦁🦁🦁

There was something about the Chinese lantern festival last year that was in my head the entire time. 

It was a super frigid night and the thought of walking around not the most ideal conditions with the wind and cold elements.  

So to keep up with my health and inner leadership I had that on my mind this AM as I set out for my 30 minute walk. 

The feels like was 16 degrees and almost 10 degrees colder than yesterday evening with big girl. 

She was not interested in coming with me this time 😂

But I want my health back and to succeed as badly as I want to breathe. So that’s why I went out this cold weather to close 30 minutes of exercise for today.  

Strong purpose makes strong leadership as AEC professionals. 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Even with being out of elements and it being super cold one thing has been on this big girls mind spending time with family.  

She is still out side working on her soccer game and development so f her skills this offseason never has wavered.  

It’s feels like my path and hers to get better has been a big finish to growth in back half of 2025.  

Proud of her and myself for the daily work to grow.  

It’s something Lions have done for 10000 years. 🦁🤗❤️

Gwen Smothers proud to have people in your corner in everything that have been with me in every step for years in the AEC field.  Looking forward to lots of fun and adventure together as always along with my #1 Bryce Batts!

Business Systems Implementation Manager

Collaborating with two best selling authors..  more to come !  Bryce Batts Kirby Lee, PE, CEM, CEA, GBE, LEED AP BD-C 🦁🥩

Leadership in the AEC field is very interesting from all my years being in different roles across the business.  

I have seen people focused on many things:

Titles
Status 
Money
Clicks
Ego
Themselves
Winning at the expense of others
Vanity metrics 

The truth is honestly all those things don’t mean anything other than making you feel good in the moment.  

Sadly I was all those things above for years and I thought having those things would make me feel better. 

The truth and facts is I was miserable……

Here is what really matters:

🦁Healthy Relationships 
🦁Showing people you care (connection)
🦁Giving best effort possible (action)
🦁Winning to help your team mates win together
🦁Growth mindset
🦁Self Development (intention / motivation / purpose)
🦁Family that support you
🦁Friends and colleagues that say your name positively when you aren’t in the room.  
🦁Protecting others from people that don’t have good intentions. 
🦁Choosing people that choose you. 
🦁Choosing people HOW they choose you. 
🦁Focus on measurable that move the needle. 

Those items above sure look like Lion Attirubes which is the model of how to really make an I+M+P+A+C=T.  

So you wonder what happened and how I turned it around?

I just gave you the formula in an open book….

It simply works every time and everything I represent as a Lion will only be on those things.  

Anything else is a waste of time and effort 🦁🦁🦁

So tonight getting to my wife family usually there is a lot of downtime after a long car ride. 

And focus on my health would not normally be the biggest area of my radar.  

But this year there is a Lion awakened that has never been around before.  

So for the first time ever on our trip in PA I wanted to close my rings on my Apple Watch.  

22 minutes later walking around seeing the mountains and a beautiful sunset the green ring is closed. 

When you want to succeed as badly as you want to breathe…then you will be successful.  🦁🦁🦁🦁

There is something in my life I have been waiting for that was on my mind all year coming up that had not taken place since my wife and I started dating in 2003.

One of the first things that happened that fall was my wife getting to see my love for The Tennessee Volunteers.  It was still in the Phil Fulmer era of dominance and lots of wins in big games hunting for the SEC & national championship.

Lots of things went sideways after the Phil Fulmer era ended and Tennessee was a shell a team for many years while Florida and Alabama became better.  

2003 was the last time that Tennessee got wins at Alabama or at The Swamp and most games in those home turfs have never been close at all since then.

Seeing all the work my boy have been putting in with Coach Huepel getting back to the Tennessee winning ways has made me so proud to watch them be in the hunt again like back in those days in 2003.

The loss in Tuscaloosa this year really stung a lot but there was one more chance this year that I though we could see something I have not seen in 22 years of my life.

22 years is a very long time for any of us on this earth and so much has changed for me since those victories took place.  I was eager to watch my boys in Orange head to the Swamp for a unusual late November game in Gainesville that normally would be played in September.

I would have never thought 2003 would be the last time before tonight to hear Rocky Top being chanted in The Swamp but it a moment that reminded me to never take things for granted in life.

Some chances you have in front of you might be the last time in a while......

Go Big Orange!!!!!! 🍊 🍊 🍊

The part I enjoy about the Chinese lantern festival is all the lights and energy surrounding the build up as you walk inside. 

So many beautiful displays that make me look in wonder about these are things we create to entertain and build a positive impact for others.  

I also think all the time and attention to detail that happens with every piece created and how it’s lit up for all the world to see. 

For AEC professionals our lives are like this daily building and creating things to serve other fields and people in the process. 

It never really set in that all my years working as an MEP Engineer helped many companies & people bring their visions to life honestly.  

One of the weakest points of AEC leadership around us is not being able communicate how much our efforts really matter for the people we serve.  

Would you believe I worked at a place during my career where I was openly told that I was just a number in a machine and my work didn’t really matter?

Imagine how much I cared about being there as a result….

You can see this lack of Purpose on daily basis would have impact on the bottom line and render the “manager” that made this statement completely ineffective costing their company money. 

People that care about their work can create magic and value for others…like in this photo. 🦁🦁🦁

Today is an advanced celebration of our big girls birthday coming up on December 24th for our PA side of the family.  

Ever since she was born we made the decision not to travel anymore on Christmas and make any trips up here to be the week afterwards. 

The goal was to get her to enjoy the magic of birthday and Christmas at home. 

So we are looking forward to celebrating our soon to be 9 year old big girls birthday today.  

Our Christmas miracle is one of the driver why I work so hard to be my best for others. 🦁🤗❤️

So I watched the finale of the squid game reality show on Netflix last night.  

I could not help but smile seeing the final game was Red Light Green Light. 

While it’s clearly got a lot of dark overtones which is my type of TV show, there is a lot of interesting tie ins for AEC Professionals. 

Of course the reality show is a little lighter since no one is being “eliminated” like the real TV series that aired.  

🦁Lots of strategy and decision making.
🦁Being prepared for change that can happen on a moments notice. 
🦁Building relationships with right people that choose you. 
🦁Shifting alliances as needed to choose people based on how they choose you in real time. 
🦁Connection and community created as part of the journey with people in process.

And in the end with all those in play and some luck in the process people get to the end with a shot to win 4.56 Million Dollars. 

Success in the AEC field is strategy, relationships, and some luck in the process occasionally. 

So I smiled with glee watching the doll sing the song from squid game at the end last night.  😂😂😂

111 days is a very long time to maintain the discipline doing anything and it’s been that level of focus on my overall health that started in early August. 

Nearly every day the first thing that would happen waking up is a 10 minute session on meditation to visualize what would each day would look like.  

Looking back on my Daily Calm app I can see meditation streaks that date all the way to 2019 as I started my journey to focus on mental and physical health as part of inner leadership that would turn into The Lion Attitude for AEC professionals. 

This year 111 days is the 2nd longest streak focused on my mental health which my all time high being 175 days from 2022 to 2023. 

Waking up this AM there was part of me disappointed that the stream was broken yesterday not taking a simple 10 minutes each morning to focus on myself. 

But this is a Kirby that I have never been before…and it’s time to start a new streak of mental health focus.  

I hope in 2026 to see that the 175 days streak is broken….one day at a time of growth to get better. 🦁🦁🦁

My history with Gwen Smothers spans over 20 years of relationships and we didn’t even know it.  

Yet when we connected this year, it was a bond I value and cherish as one of the most important people in my corner.  

Sharing with her all my dreams of The Lion Attitude and how I can help in my daily efforts for the AEC field changed the course of 2025. 

Gwen was the first person after I figured out a system based on the quote below to help me create something that will shape AEC professionals in the future. 

Choose people how they choose you 🦁🤗❤️

Grateful for Gwen for everything she has been for me now and beyond for years to come.  ☺️

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