The hum of HVAC systems may have been the soundtrack to Jordyn Purvins’ childhood, but as she neared high school graduation, she was determined to leave it behind.
“My parents started their own HVAC company in 2003, and they were always asking if I wanted to study business and take over the family business someday,” Purvins said. “I was like, ‘No thanks, I’m going to go design microchips!'” She obtained a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University, intending to embark on a career in integrated circuit design.
“I should have realized that my fate had already been determined,” Purvins said. “Once you’re born in HVAC, you can never escape!”
After graduating from Vanderbilt, Purvins spent two and half years in an engineering rotational program at Trane Technologies, focusing on transport refrigeration electrification at Thermo King and commercial energy services at Trane Commercial. Next, she took a position at Thermo King as the product manager for vehicle-powered truck refrigeration systems in the U.S. and Canada.
But as time passed, Purvins found herself increasingly drawn toward applying her skills in the public sector. “As much as renewables are incredible and impactful for the people who can afford them, I know they're not the most equitable route to decarbonization,” Purvins said.
A former colleague from Thermo King, who had since moved on to CEE, reached out to let Purvins know about an open position. The job happened to be focused on efficient HVAC technology.
“I started looking into CEE and immediately appreciated the organization’s commitment to finding practical decarbonization solutions that can reach everyday homeowners and business owners,” Purvins said.
In June 2023, Purvins joined CEE as HVAC Channel Manager on CEE’s Efficient Technology Accelerator (ETA) team, within the Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) Collaborative.
For the last two and a half years, as HVAC Channel Manager, Purvins has focused on distributor engagement as well as contractor outreach, curriculum development, and training delivery. To date, she has trained over 600 contractors across Minnesota on heat pump comfort advising.
"I really love being able to sell the idea of efficient technology in general versus selling a specific branded product over competitors,” Purvins said. “Contractors can understandably be a little wary, like, ‘Our distributor is just trying to sell us their product.’ So, I think us being able to talk about the viability of the technology as a whole really resonates with them. It's just a down-to-earth, honest, research-backed approach.”
In November 2025, Purvins moved into her current role at CEE: residential contractor engagement manager. She is responsible for managing a comprehensive contractor network, through which CEE can connect homeowners to high quality contractors for weatherization and decarbonization projects. The effort will coincide with the roll out of the Save Energy Minnesota (SEM) programs, which will deliver expanded home energy rebate offerings to Minnesotans.
“I'll still be training and working with contractors to support the implementation of decarbonization programs, like I was in the ASHP Collaborative, but the scope will be much wider,” Purvins said. "I'm really excited to learn more about, you know, ‘What do I need to consider for electrician work and different codes and standards? What about weatherization and insulation contractors?' And figuring out how we can plug in and help smooth out that process for everyone so that contractors across the trade are able to provide energy efficient solutions to customers.”
