About EP Engineering

Chris Burgess

Chris attended the Stevens Institute of Technology, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.  Chris’ time at EP Engineering began in 2008, where he found a profession that took advantage of his creativity and problem-solving ability.  Throughout his career, Chris has designed and led numerous projects throughout New York and New Jersey, ranging from passive house, high-rise multifamily, food service, fitness centers, education & commercial office buildings.  Regardless of the project or task, Chris’ goal is to develop positive relationships with clients and team members through responsiveness and attention to detail.   Over the years, Chris established himself as leader in the firm, helping the company grow and take on new challenges, ultimately becoming a partner in 2016.

Outside of work, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, playing intramural sports, fishing and yearly vacations to Cape Cod and Arizona.

Giovanni Meléndez

Giovanni Meléndez attended Tufts University, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering. While at Tufts, Giovanni participated in two internships within the MEP industry and decided that consulting allowed him to solve a myriad of complex problems and interact with people.

Giovanni is a highly qualified, professionally licensed Mechanical Engineer responsible for providing a full range of mechanical design, coordination and implementation services; he oversees projects from planning through construction for healthcare, educational and commercial clients. Giovanni has a reputation for excellence in the MEP industry and is trusted by numerous world-class institutions, such as New York Presbyterian and Columbia University, for his ability to provide a detailed approach to resolving complex project challenges and ideate innovative solutions that meet the desired objectives of owners and design teams.

In addition to being certified as a Healthcare Facility Design Professional, he is recognized by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for his mastery of the technical knowledge covering design and operation of healthcare facilities. After spending 18 years at his previous consulting firm, the time was right to join the dynamic team at EP engineering. In addition to work, Giovanni enjoys spending time with his family exploring his Harlem neighborhood. He and his wife have a passion for traveling, most recently living in Hong Kong for two years and traveling through Southeast Asia and Australia. While abroad, Giovanni paddled with a champion Dragonboat racing team.

Joe Vieitez

Joe is a graduate of the Stevens Institute of Technology where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management. He joined EP Engineering in 2013 as a Junior Electrical Engineer. During his time with the firm, Joe has served as Electrical Engineer, Senior Electrical Engineer and Associate. His responsibilities have included project management and electrical design across residential, commercial, institutional, retail, healthcare, hospitality and food service projects.

During his time at EP Engineering, Joe has utilized his creativity, innovation and work ethic to find solutions to complex problems and identify exciting new opportunities. He has led and designed numerous projects throughout his career at EP Engineering, and has created tremendous relationships with clients and colleagues and supported his team members with his effort and dedication to the firm. In his role as Partner, Joe will continue the company’s growth by focusing on client relationships, business performance and career development for leadership and engineering staff.

Joe is a licensed Professional Engineer in the States of New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, home improvement projects and spending time with his family.

Chris Fiskaa

Chris Fiskaa entered the MEP field in 1999 as a draftsman, while taking a break from his career in art education. He discovered a passion for engineering as well as the construction process and has accelerated in the field ever since.

An astute background in the fine arts allows Chris to conceptualize ‘outside the box’ approaches to problem-solving and leadership. A firm believer in leading by inspiration and example, Chris strives to raise his team to the highest level. Throughout his nearly 20 years of electrical engineering experience, he has directly mentored many young electrical engineers who went on to have highly successful careers in electrical engineering.

Chris works hand-in-glove as EP Engineering’s Electrical Team Leader while also serving as the primary liaison for many of EP Engineering’s clients. Since joining EP Engineering in 2013, Chris has successfully managed a variety of projects, including ground-up high-rise residential and multi-floor commercial office fit-outs in Manhattan and a major retail white-box rollout at Roosevelt Island’s Main Street.

Chris holds a wealth of project experience that he leverages with each new endeavor. When he isn’t busy building the city, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, creating artwork, playing guitar and brewing delicious beer!

John Rocchio

John Rocchio is a Principal at EP Engineering. Since joining in 2018, John has served as Sr. Plumbing & Fire Protection Engineer and Associate on a variety of residential, commercial, hospitality and food service projects.

John has provided expertise on several residential projects, including 441 W 54th Street, 465 Washington Street, and the Peninsula development in the Bronx. He has also assisted the firm with projects such as the renovation of the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, and the Torch & Crown Brewing Company in SoHo, and the Soka Gakkai Buddhist Center in Long Island City.

John is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of New York. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical Engineering from Binghamton University (SUNY).

Zaid Sadoun

Zaid Sadoun got his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from San Francisco State University in 2003, where he was a student energy engineer at a Department of Energy program that provided energy audits for factories in the region. That led to a career in MEP engineering. He has nearly two decades of experience in commercial office, hospitality, retail and residential work, in New York City, Los Angeles and other parts of the country.

He is well versed in the various MEP systems and codes. With the team at EP, he strives to provide owners and architects viable, code-compliant options that are effective, efficient, serviceable, and discrete. During construction administration, the team is responsive to contractors so that projects get delivered on time.

He joined EP Engineering this year, and is looking forward to growing with the firm, particularly in helping clients plan for electrification of their heating systems to comply with the city’s upcoming emissions reduction targets.

In his free time, he enjoys baking and getting steps in.

Chris Pierrepont

Chris attended Manhattan College where he received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2012 and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering the following year in 2013. Throughout his formal education, he worked on multiple projects which helped developed his collaborative work ethic and attention to detail that would help him excel in the MEP industry; these include competing and winning multiple Black Box Competitions where your team is given a task to solve with a limited supply of tools and materials and starting the Human Powered Vehicle Challenge at the school and competing in the national annual competition in 2012.

Chris began his professional career as a Mechanical Engineer in 2013, working part time during his last semester of grad school. He was quickly entrusted to train and mentor new hires, which helped reinforce his MEP knowledge and instilled in him a sense of responsibility and a yearning for more administrative involvement. In 2016, he joined EP Engineering and obtained his Professional Engineer license in 2018. Throughout his career at the firm, Chris has designed and managed various projects including retail, restaurant, residential, and healthcare facilities and has continued to be a resource for others in the office. He strives to provide the same level of satisfaction to both external clients and his EP team each day. In 2022, Chris’ dedication to the firm and his colleagues earned him the roles of Associate and the Mechanical Department Head at EP Engineering. In his new roles, he hopes to help promote a happy and healthy work environment, enhance daily working experiences, and expand the success the company.

Evan Parganos

Evan Parganos has nearly 25 years’ experience as an engineer, working on his first project in 1997 and establishing his own company in 2004. He received his Bachelor’s of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. Throughout his educational career, Evan displayed a passion for creation, science and architecture.

Navigating the unique challenges presented by new construction projects over the years, Evan constantly learns something new. He particularly enjoys working with architects to create spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and functional at the same time. The environment is also one of Evan’s passions and he has devoted hundreds of hours to learning about the latest sustainable building and living practices. His personal philosophy is that we can do more as a society to live sustainably and he hopes he can make a difference by persuading clients to build greener projects.

In addition to work, Evan enjoys travelling, since he likes to learn about the architectural feats accomplished by other cultures. He enjoys cooking and speaks fluent Greek. He has run several marathons and plans to continue participating in various marathons across the globe.