UT Austin

University of Texas Austin Wins IEA Global District Energy Climate Award at the District Energy Climate Summit, Copenhagen, Denmark On November 3, 2009, the University of Texas Austin was one of six recipients of the Global District Energy Climate Award presented by the International Energy Agency at an international meeting jointly convened by Dan... ske Fjernvarme (the Danish District Heating Association), the Danish Board of District Heating, Euroheat & Power, and the International District Energy Association. The event was attended by delegates from 27 countries. The Award was presented by Lena Sommestad, former Environment Minister of Sweden, to Juan Ontiveros, Executive Director of Utilities at UT Austin and current Chair of IDEA, in recognition of the extraordinary energy efficiency and carbon emission reductions achieved by the district energy/CHP system operated on the flagship campus of the University of Texas at Austin. Over the past ten years, UT Austin has implemented over $160 million in energy efficiency upgrades that have been funded out of savings from operating efficiency improvements. While the University has added over 8 million square feet of new building space on campus in the past decade, the increase in energy efficiency and environmental emission reductions of the campus district energy/CHP system have resulted in the campus reducing greenhouse gas emissions down to 1977 levels. This was a highly competitive award setting with global competition from 27 different participants. Other award winners include: Jiamusi Municipality in Heilongjiang, China , in combination with a public/private partnership with Dalkia, has developed a highly efficient district heating network cutting greenhouse gas emissions while shutting down 76 individual coal plants in this municipality of 2.5 million citizens. The municipal district energy system in Boras, Sweden maximizes fuel flexibility and efficiency as it moves toward a fossil free community, utilizing district energy infrastructure as the cornerstone ...Read More