The University of Kentucky earned nearly $300,000 through a Kentucky Utilities (KU) Energy Rebate Program — an achievement that highlights the university’s ongoing commitment to efficient operations. The effort, led by Henry Walke, an environmental and sustainability studies and economics senior and lab sustainability intern in Utilities and Energy Management (UEM), focused on documentation and verification of maintenance on critical cooling infrastructure across campus.
“Not only is this proof of our efficient work on campus, but it is also a great way to get incentives for the work we are already doing in energy efficiency” Walke said. “It showcases our focus on working to create a sustainable environment for the campus community. I feel I had a direct impact working on a project that upholds the pillars of sustainability on campus.”
As part of the project, Walke collaborated with Facilities Management teams to gather the necessary documentation showcasing continual maintenance and service to campus chillers — critical systems that cool campus buildings, including UK HealthCare, through a network of underground piping.
“The university contributes to the rebate program through the demand-side management fee on our electricity bill, so it makes sense to take full advantage of every opportunity to recover those funds,” said Britney Ragland, utilities P3 partnerships executive director. “Henry’s work to secure the rebate for chiller maintenance already underway across campus is a win we are all excited about. Empowering students like Henry to help capture additional rebate funding — for both new construction and efficiency upgrades — shows the value of connecting campus operations with student engagement.”
Beyond the rebate effort, Walke is also working on an independent project to build software to track solar energy on campus. Working closely with the Controls Engineering team in Facilities Management and two partners, Cenergistic and Solar Energy Solutions, Walke is pairing these different disciplines to engineer an energy framework that can be referenced by campus personnel, free of charge to the university.
“With two large solar arrays and fifteen solar canopies located on campus, I’m really interested in offering a more transparent look into the university’s renewable efforts,” Walke said. “We’ve had these systems in place since well before I came to UK in 2023, but I hadn’t heard of their impact until I came on with UEM.”
Walke is also working to manage and direct the UK User-Led Environmental Lab Excellence (UKULELE) Program alongside Shelby Foxworth, a chemistry senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and lab sustainability intern. The program provides resources to improve the sustainability of lab operations across campus. Labs and research facilities account for 36.5% of the university’s energy use, despite representing just 22.5% of the total campus square footage. UKULELE uses a collaborative, user-focused approach to promote energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, lab safety and research excellence.
“Shelby and I plan monthly meetings with lab directors and principal investigators to keep them updated on sustainability programs on campus that are focused on lab spaces,” Walke said. “We also provide information that empowers lab occupants through workshops, informational sessions and links to existing resources.”
Having worked as an intern in multiple areas of Facilities Management, Walke has been able to merge his interests — sustainability, the environment and economics.
“You will go into an internship without a super defined idea of what you will do, but by working with the team members and getting the most out of the opportunities presented, you can find there is a lot of work to be done. I've been interested in economic consulting recently and the two internships I’ve had so far in Facilities Management have given me experience in different areas — waste/recycling and energy,” he said. “Working in a professional environment is a great skill to gain and internships, like the ones I have been fortunate to have, are a great way to get that experience before graduation.”