Energy savers honored at Oklahoma State University
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Twenty Oklahoma State University employees and one department on campus have been recognized for contributing to the success of the school’s energy management program, which has saved the university millions of dollars over the last decade.
President Burns Hargis congratulated the honorees on Thursday during a luncheon hosted by OSU Energy Management at the Wes Watkins Center. He attributed their efforts and the program's overall success to the commitment of the university’s staff, faculty and students doing their part on a daily basis.
“Each of the awardees has gone beyond basic personal responsibility and has done something that created the opportunity for greater energy conservation in their area," Hargis said. "Often that opportunity allowed for the expansion of that idea to other areas on campus.”
OSU's Energy Management Program is nationally recognized as a leader in behavior-based energy management. Hargis recognized the department's efforts in saving nearly $38 million at OSU-Stillwater and $48 million system wide. He expects the department's success to climb even higher in the future as everyone on campus works together for Energy Management to continue to be an important part of OSU's mission.
“When we work together, we can achieve great things,” Hargis said. “Congratulations to all and to the program on 10 years of success!”
Casey Keyser, senior energy manager with OSU Energy Services, expressed appreciation to luncheon sponsor Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI), and thanked the company for taking the opportunity to recognize individuals on campus after partnering with OSU on different energy saving projects.
“We would not have been able to host the luncheon without the support of JCI,” Keyser said. “It's been very much a team effort.”
Keyser added that students have a huge impact on energy saving in the areas of waste reduction and recycling. Maintaining sustainability is also a major focus in the department, and different energy managers have partnered with residential advisers to promote the best practices to conserve energy in residential life.
“Students are a key focus because we have so many new faces coming in each semester that we need to educate about the program,” Keyser said. “There's so much that can be done. Just making sure the lights are off in empty areas, shutting down computers and monitors when they're not in use, and reporting through the customer portal of a water leak or when spaces are too hot or too cold. These are all areas where energy would be wasted.”
Keyser said everyone on campus can identify these opportunities to make changes for the future of energy conservation at OSU.
Those honored at the luncheon included:
Wes Watkins Meeting and Conference Center
Justin Billingsley — Building Electronics Technician — Energy Services
Fred Causley — Zone 1 Supervisor — Facilities Management
Karen Clements — Sr. Administrative Support Specialist — Academic Affairs
Tammy Collins — Accounting Specialist — Human Development and Family Science
Deborah Cooper — Accounting Specialist II — Spears School of Business
John DeGeorge — Manager Project Support Services — Edmon Low Library
Dan Fisher — Department Head — Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Jim Hargrave — Facility Manager — The Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
Michael Holmes — Associate Professor/Interim Program Director — Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Mike Hunsucker — Coordinator Classroom Scheduling — Office of the Registrar
Dr. Andrew Kimbrough — Department Head/Professor —Theatre Department
Scott McCollum — Sr. Manager — University Dining Services
Tah Moorman — Building Controls Tech II — Energy Services
Matt Morgan — Zone 1 Manager — Facilities Management
Casey Powell — Administrative Support Specialist II — College of Education, Health and Aviation
Joanna Price — FM Project Support Services — Facilities Management
Paula Shive — Coordinator Facility Services — Spears School of Business
Aaron Spiva — Accounting Specialist — Field and Research Services Unit
Kyle Waters — Sr. Associate Athletics Director of Facilities — Athletics
Denise Weaver — Executive Assistant to the Provost —Academic Affairs
By Shayla Terrel