“Summers keep getting hotter and the UW’s population keeps getting bigger. Washington state law requires sharp reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, some of the energy infrastructure on campus is old enough to qualify for emeritus status. To David Woodson, the new Executive Director of Campus Energy, Utilities, and Operations for UW Facilities, it all adds up to a powerful opportunity.
Woodson, who started in November, is tasked with overseeing a transformation of the UW’s energy infrastructure. It’s a big challenge, but a familiar one. Woodson oversaw a large-scale overhaul of the campus energy system at the University of British Columbia, implementing efficient and sustainable solutions. He came to the UW for the opportunity to help drive a similar project at a school near to his heart — Woodson is a UW grad and former Husky band member.
David Woodson, Executive Director of Campus Energy, Utilities, and Operations for UW Facilities
“I bleed purple and gold,” he said. “I also felt really inspired. The driver was to apply the lessons learned, the mistakes made, the things we did right, and get a second chance to do it again. And how lucky I am to have the opportunity to transform the energy systems at two world-class research institutions.”
When Woodson thinks about the future of energy use at the University of Washington, he sees three major challenges…”
Read the full article on the UW facilities blog to learn more about those challenges and proposed solutions for improving conservation efforts on campus, including:
- Decarbonization initiatives for the on-campus power plant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and modernize campus infrastructure
- Finding ways to reduce the University’s energy load through conservation, better metering and other efforts, such as electrification
- Ways to recapture waste heat from cooling processes for use in the campus heating system
- The UW’s Sustainability Action Plan, adopted in 2020, which includes greenhouse gas reductions as one of 10 campus sustainability targets
