Meet David Boehm, the Associate Director of Operations, Maintenance, and Alterations at Facilities & Services and a member of our Energy Conservation and Building Standards SWATeam.
Before his current position, Boehm was Director of Facility Services for St. Petersburg College and the Director of Building Maintenance for University Housing. Today, he manages and works with a team of 350 maintenance professionals who care for our University. As a 24/7, 365-days-a-year operational team, they operate and maintain campus. To top it all off, they provide support for students, faculty and staff with the core mission for education and research.
Boehm doesn’t see sustainability as an afterthought but as an integral part of his job.
“My team is faced daily with opportunities where we can do something to conserve resources. One example is upgrading lighting (to LED),” he said. “I believe in being responsible for our resources at all levels. One of the most natural and best practices as part of that responsibility is to manage our natural resources. “
Overall, Boehm is eager to work with his SWATeam to make a difference on campus.
“The biggest strength (to achieving sustainability goals) is the amazing creativity of the individuals on this campus. The biggest weakness is the amount of resources we may have to apply to solutions,” he said.
While the road to improving campus sustainability may present challenges, he believes change can start at an individual level with a culture of personal responsibility.
“(This campus) is for all groups. Manage space as if it mattered, and utilize utilities as if you paid for them yourself,” he said.