News Category: energy-conservation

The New Force Greening UT’s Labs

Feb. 27, 2020

Introducing UT Austin's first full-time leader of the Green Labs Program, Lindsey Yazbek.

A Century of Forward-Thinking Energy Solutions

Oct. 27, 2019

When it comes to developing energy solutions for the university, planning ahead is the proven modus operandi. “We always look at the big picture, what’s down the road,” said Juan Ontiveros, associate vice president of Utilities, Energy and Facilities Management.

Listen In: Jim Walker Talks with Green Guy

May 22, 2019

Listen to Jim Walker talk about sustainability at The University of Texas at Austin with Green Guy Media, or Eric Moncrief, as part of his College Sustainability Summit Series, sponsored by AASHE

Dark Tower Symbolizes Energy Efficiency

April 22, 2019

To highlight the university’s commitment to energy conservation, the UT Tower will be dark the night of Monday, April 22 as the world celebrates Earth Day.

Only the clock faces and aircraft warning lights will be illuminated, and all window shades will be closed.

Teaching Lights to Think

Nov. 5, 2018

A research team in The University of Texas at Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering has an ambitious research agenda: shave even more waste from a building’s electricity budget by teaching lights to think. The results of their design and experiment, LightLearn, were recently published in Building and Environment.

Climate Change in Austin

Oct. 20, 2018

Did you know that the average Austinite’s carbon footprint is about 15 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per yea? Learn about what Austin, Texas is doing to mitigate climate change -- and how you can help -- in this post from the city's Office of Sustainability.

Honoring Maintenance for Energy Conservation

Aug. 8, 2018

UT Austin’s six Facilities Maintenance zones work hard to make the university’s buildings operate efficiently, economically and comfortably. The quarterly HERO–High Energy Response Operators—recognition program recognizes zone employees for their conservation efforts. HERO is one of several Utilities and Energy Management (UEM) strategies to incentivize energy conservation and reduce UT Austin’s total energy consumption.

UT's Energy District Named System of the Year

Aug. 7, 2018

In June, The University of Texas at Austin brought home 2018 System of the Year honors from the International District Energy Association (IDEA) 109th Annual Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver, British Columbia. Announcing the award, IDEA stated that, “The University of Texas at Austin has earned the distinction among its peers as the most efficient university utility in the U.S.”

In the News: Power Plant Greens Campus through Efficiency

April 19, 2018

UT Austin has become a greener campus through energy conservation. The campus power plant, led by Juan Ontiveros, is one of the most efficient of its kind in the world, and energy stewards work to optimize and retrofit buildings every year.

In the News: Longhorn Lights Out Save Energy on Campus

April 1, 2018

UT students might be conscious of their own energy consumption, but one group aims to give students a first-person perspective on how much energy UT buildings use. On Friday, Longhorn Lights Out hosted their monthly “Join the Dark Side” event in which groups of students turn off lights and other unnecessary electronics in buildings across campus.