University of Kentucky Sees Positive Results from Energy Efficiency Program

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/18/25

The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently announced the results of its Energy Program in Facilities Management, put into place eight years ago, according to a news release. Between the fiscal years of 2017 and 2025, the university’s campus grew by 13.6% while the energy use per square foot dropped by 19.2%. The difference has saved the university a cumulative $85.5 million in energy costs, including $52.9 million for education & general operations.

“The success of the Energy Program reflects the university’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and operational excellence,” said Mary Vosevich, vice president for Facilities Management and chief facilities officer. “The Energy Program has empowered us to approach energy management strategically by reducing consumption, boosting efficiency and making smart reinvestments that benefit the entire UK community. We’re proud of the progress and excited to build on it.”

The Energy Program’s financial outcomes include an investment of $10.8 million in utility infrastructure improvement projects over $100,000; $8.2 million in fund balances back to the university; $15.4 million covered in un- or underfunded new square footage; and a strengthened budget against rising costs of labor, chemicals, and utilities, the news release reports.

According to the university website, the program began in 2016 as a partnership with energy conservation and sustainability company Cenergistic. The program’s ultimate goal is to reduce campus energy consumption by 20%.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Enjoy Tax and Energy Savings with the Right Ceiling Solutions

    Thanks to recent innovations pairing mineral fiber ceiling panels with phase change material technology (PCM), architects, designers, facility managers, and other key players in construction and renovation projects are re-thinking the role ceilings play in supporting environmental objectives—especially energy savings.

  • Texas District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The Splendora Independent School District (SISD) in Splendora, Texas, recently broke ground on a replacement facility for Greenleaf Elementary School, according to a news release. The district partnered with planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) for the project.

  • California District Starts Construction on New Robotics Facility

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) near Silicon Valley, Calif., recently announced that construction has begun on a new Robotics Facility on the campus of Cupertino High School, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility will serve students at high schools across the entire district, providing purpose-built spaces for student creativity and collaboration.

  • Rice University to Build New Student Life Complex

    Rice University in Houston, Texas, recently announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Moody Center Complex for Student Life (MCCSL) will take place on May 8, 2025, according to a university news release. The 75,000-square-foot facility was designed by architecture firm Olson Kundig with Page serving as executive architect, and it has an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

Digital Edition