Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

The University of Texas Collaborates to Advance Sustainability

  • 11/22/19

AUSTIN, TX and SANTA BARBARA, CA – A gift from Yardi® will support research efforts coordinated by the Energy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the built real estate environment.

The Energy Institute (EI) facilitates interdisciplinary research and engagement to transform the future of energy worldwide. EI, which includes more than 300 researchers and 30-plus research centers, provides a gateway for UT initiatives designed to enable a globally sustainable energy transition.

"We deeply appreciate the support from Yardi, which helps us accelerate our focus on fueling a sustainable energy transition. A key element of this is energy use and emissions mitigation in the built environment, where global demand is growing for better technology and tools to support efficiency in building design, construction and operations," says Dr. Varun Rai, director of the Energy Institute. "Yardi's gift enables us to support interdisciplinary research in this area at various school departments and research units across UT."

"The real estate industry is the fourth largest source of emissions in the U.S. The average commercial building wastes an estimated 30 percent of its energy consumption. There are tremendous opportunities to help occupants, owners, investors, and communities benefit from improved energy efficiency," says Akshai Rao, vice president of procure to pay and energy for Yardi and a UT Austin alumnus. "UT is a leader in research that is generating breakthroughs across the spectrum of energy issues, and Yardi is pleased to support these efforts through the Energy Institute."

About the Energy Institute
The Energy Institute (EI) at the University of Texas at Austin facilitates interdisciplinary research and engagement to transform the future of energy worldwide. With over 350 researchers and 30-plus research centers and initiatives focused on energy at UT, EI also serves as the gateway for innovative public and private collaborations with UT to advance a sustainable energy transition globally.

About Yardi
Yardi develops and supports industry-leading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of real estate companies. Established in 1984, Yardi is based in Santa Barbara, CA, and serves clients worldwide. For more information on how Yardi is Energized for Tomorrow, visit yardi.com.

Featured

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part I

    We asked, you answered, and the results are in! Last year, we put out a call for submissions to collect our readership’s opinion on trends and predictions for K–12 and higher education facilities in 2026.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.