UT Utilities Director Receives Award for Energy Ingenuity

By Jordan Schraeder in Blog on August 20, 2012 at 3:50 pm | No Comments

Can’t see the video? Click here.

$150 million. That’s how much UT spent on energy efficiency in the past year.

That’s some serious sticker-shock, but actually, UT isn’t paying a dime. The investment is financed entirely by energy savings on and around campus.

The Office of Sustainability’s Utilities and Energy Management is working hard on campus to reduce costs and create more cost-effective electricity, water, steam, and more for the Longhorn community. At its helm is executive director Juan Ontiveros, who recently received the International District Energy Association’s highest honor, the Norman R. Taylor award, for his contributions to the energy industry.

In his most recent Tower Talk post, President Bill Powers points out that, though the UT campus has nearly doubled in size in the last 15 years, we’re using the same amount of fuel as in 1996—no small feat for a campus of 17 million square feet. And we have Ontiveros’ leadership to thank.

In a press release about Ontiveros’ award, IDEA even said UT has “one of the most efficient and reliable campus energy systems in the United States, if not the world.”

“Juan’s award is a powerful reminder that excellence at UT Austin is driven by our staff every bit as much as by our faculty, students, and alumni,” Powers writes. “His accomplishments should make us all proud.”

Watch the video above to learn more about the energy projects Ontiveros spearheads on the Forty Acres.

Video courtesy Know.

Tags: efficiency, energy, International District Energy Association, Juan Ontiveros, Norman R. Taylor Award