Recognizing Sustainablity

Sustainability is always a multi-pronged effort with many areas of focus and many hands needed to produce change and measurable success.  While many individuals and programs at UT Austin have been separately celebrated over the years, we are creating a collaborative celebration in April 2020 that will become an annual event recognizing the members of the UT community that drive sustainability.

“We all know that much of the progress in sustainability on campus happens over many years and behind the scenes,” says Jim Walker, Director of Sustainability. “Combining these annual recognitions is a great way to build our internal collaboration as well as celebrate these individuals and programs to the broader campus community.”

The new combined approach includes Campus Energy Champs, Zero Waste Champions, and participants in both the Green Offices and Green Labs Programs.  We are also recognizing singular sustainability achievements happening over the last 12 months such as new awards and building certifications. 

“We all recognize the current situation has upended planned activities*, but I’m proud to be part of recognizing this hard work over the last year,” says Darrell Bazzell, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). “Each of these achievements is only possible because of teamwork and a commitment to stewardship and innovation.”

Congratulations and thank you again to everyone who does their part to drive sustainability at UT Austin:

• Courtney Meador, Tracie Matysik, PhD, Joan Neuberger, PhD, and the History Department’s Sustainability Collective (Zero Waste Workplace, Garrison Hall) for eliminating bottle use, daily composting and more
• Madison Searle (Zero Waste Workplace, Painter Hall) for composing, zero waste events and more
• Brianna Duran  (Zero Waste Workplace in Student Services Building) for co-creating the Freshman Orientation lunch diversion project for two years (with Resource Recovery), composting, and more
• Alyson Bodner, Cockrell School of Engineering for zero waste event leadership including zero waste Gone to Engineering 2019
• Elizabeth Arredondo, Center for Electromechanics, for recycle right initiative at PRC (with Resource Recovery and Green Fund)
• Nathan Hughes, Eliza Pillsbury, & Karen Gardiner for completing Zero Waste Hero certification requirements
• Lindsey Yazbek, Green Labs Program, for emphasizing student education and growing the program with the first ever Lab Supply Swap while also improving established initiatives such as the specialty recycling programs during the transition to being housed under Environmental Health and Safety
• Eric Salazar and Bill Tanner, Central Chilling Station 5 replaced lighting to LED, saving 24,283kWh per year
• Kevin Decker, Ann Harasimowitz,  Jesse Hill, Greg Linden, Steven Moore, Jim Shrull, Welch Hall decommissioned a steam generator with annual fuel cost savings: $1,438
• Richard Eaves, Armando Ortiz, Rodney Butler, Robert Mckeown, Laura Chaisson, Jason Rodriquez, Mike Rodriquez and George Arredondo, Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center repairs and updates with annual fuel cost savings: $9,745
• Joerg Becker, Susie Brown, Michael Martin, Douang Khounphonh, Chuck Pike, Laura Chiasson, Andrew Stirton, and Dennis Wortman, University Teaching Center scheduling and commissioning with energy avoidance of 10% and fuel cost savings: $5,938
• Don Ates, Rick Early, Sean Welton, and John Rykowski, Almetris Duren Residence Hall commissioning with energy avoidance of 22% and fuel cost savings: $19,394
• Don Ates, Rick Early, Sean Welton, and John Rykowski, Littlefield Residence Hall commissioning with energy avoidance of 14% and fuel cost savings of $8,138
• Grant Barger, Laura Chiasson, Maria Pineda and Brian Stokes, Burdine Hall with a 7% energy avoicance and a fuel cost savings of $3,793
• Avani Chhaya, Green Steward at Children’s Research Center: Green Offices Platinum
• ​Katherine Schoonhoven, Green Steward at Sanger Learning Center: Green Offices Platinum Recertification
• Jessica Kelleher, Green Steward at Accounting and Financial Management: Green Offices Silver
• Luciana Gutierrez-Moreno and Angelina Stevens, Green Stewards at Enterprise Business Information Technology Solutions (eBITS): Green Offices Bronze

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*The planned lunch celebration was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic for the Spring of 2020. The UT Sustainability Roundtable is planning to reschedule this for an appropriate time in the Fall.