John Baker appointed to power buying consortium board
A key leader in the UMass Medical School’s efforts to advance sustainability practices and a champion of innovative energy projects on campus, John T. Baker, associate vice chancellor of facilities management, was elected to the Board of Trustees of PowerOptions, an electricity and natural gas purchasing consortium serving nonprofit institutions in Massachusetts.
Baker has overseen numerous sustainability projects on the Worcester campus, including the newly opened Ambulatory Care Center, a 258,000-square-foot out-patient facility designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standing; the Sherman Center, an interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research and education facility, currently under construction and designed to meeting LEED Gold specifications; and the Growing Green initiative, a campuswide program to educate and motivate the UMMS community about the importance of sustainability.
UMass Medical School, a PowerOptions member since 1998, has more than 5 million square feet of property, including clinical and research facilities, as well as a power plant that generates heating and electricity for the Worcester campus. Baker has 27 years of experience managing facility engineering and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree from Purdue University.
“We’re always trying to save energy, use less fuel and make sure we’re doing everything possible to protect the environment,” said Baker. “PowerOptions is an important partner in that effort.”
“John Baker brings tremendous insight to the needs of our nonprofit members,” said Cynthia A. Arcate, PowerOptions president and CEO. “I look forward to tapping into his expertise with innovative energy projects and clean technologies from projects he’s accomplished at UMass Medical School.”
“I know first-hand the benefits of PowerOptions, the savings the program brings and the budget certainty it allows,” said Baker. “It has been an important partner for UMass Medical School, and I look forward to working more closely with the organization.”
About PowerOptions
PowerOptions is among the largest electricity and natural gas purchasing consortiums in Massachusetts, with $160 million to $200 million of annual energy commodity purchases and a combined demand of approximately 200 megawatts of electricity and 11 million dekatherms of natural gas usage. Any nonprofit or public institution in Massachusetts may become a member and participate in this collective purchasing effort. For more information, visit www.poweroptions.org.
