Langdon Baker has spent his career working across complex systems from cabling and automation to infrastructure and integration and now he’s stepping into a new role as TSAG Principal, helping lead national collaboration at Smith + Andersen.

Building Confidence Through Every System

Langdon didn’t set out to lead a national team, but his career has always been defined by interconnection. “I started my career right out of school in low voltage communication design,” he recalls. “It slowly exposed me to all kinds of other systems: data cabling, security cabling, industrial automation, building automation, and more.”

That expanding knowledge took him into the pharmaceutical industry as a project manager. “Being on the owner side really helped me understand what our clients want more closely,” he says. “I worked on everything from purified water systems to HVAC and power infrastructure. I probably had 10 or 11 years of experience in just six,” he laughs.

Taking Ownership of the Learning Curve

Langdon’s growth has always been hands-on. “I’ve never been afraid of public speaking or talking about what I know,” he says. But real development came from situations where he didn’t have all the answers. “That’s where real learning comes from, asking questions, digging deeper.”

He remembers learning on the fly early on. “My first job listing mentioned ‘UPS’ and I thought it was the brown truck company,” he says. “Now I deal with them all the time.”

Engineering from Experience

Langdon joined Smith + Andersen in 2012 after collaborating with team members on a major data centre. “That’s where I got to know some of the guys. Dave Mewdell, Dan Larson, Kevin Sharples.” His first year was entirely focused on the Humber River Hospital project. “It was a large team and we worked really well together. That team-based approach stuck with me.”
Coming from a smaller firm, he was drawn to S+A’s collaborative scale. “What attracted me was the tagline: ‘We engineer confidence.’ At my last firm, I didn’t always feel like I could give that to clients. Here, I was surrounded by a group I could rely on.”

A National Perspective, Grounded in People

Today, Langdon leads Intelligent Integrated Systems nationally. “We saw opportunity not just in individual components but in making them work together more intelligently,” he says. He helped unify security, BAS, and communications under one banner, then expanded that capability across Canada. “Even if we don’t have someone local, we can still deliver the service.”
He sees this integration reflected in people as much as technology. “I’m unusual, I joined midway through my career. But many here started as co-ops and worked their way up to ownership. I talk about them with pride, even though it’s not my story.”

Saying Yes to the Unknown

Langdon encourages younger team members to say yes to new challenges but with intention. “There are times to say no. If you take on too much and can’t give it the attention it needs, that’s not growth.”
Still, exploration is key. “It’s like kids in sports. They try soccer, skating, gymnastics. They might not like it at first, but you have to get past that learning curve to know what fits.”

Looking Ahead, Looking Deeper

What excites Langdon now is where the industry is heading. “The fundamentals of how buildings operate are changing. Lower carbon, lower energy, fewer staff, smarter systems. We’re right at the edge of helping the industry figure this out.”
He doesn’t claim to know everything but he’s always ready to ask the next question. “Be careful what you say yes to,” he adds with a smile. “You just might get it.”