The book is based on the memoirs of an international expert in the field of energy efficiency, Viktor Nikolaevich Kotomkin. Until 1998, he worked as the chief heating engineer of the Apatit association, Europe's largest mining and processing enterprise. The book shows not a simple process of becoming an engineer. Elimination of emergency situations required high professionalism and the ability to make responsible non-standard decisions. The book pays attention to the peculiarities of the work of a Soviet engineer and a description of the difficult events associated with the collapse of the USSR. Having dealt with issues of energy efficiency, Viktor Nikolaevich developed projects with leading European experts. Having become one of the founders of Cooperation between Russia and Norway in this area, he worked at the Norwegian ENSI-International. He visited enterprises in Northern Europe many times and described their differences from Russian enterprises. For many years, Viktor Nikolaevich was an expert consultant to European investment organizations.