Posted on behalf of Gerald HectorPosted on behalf of Gerald Hector
It is with extreme sadness that I share with the campus community the news that Lew Durland, director of energy management and sustainability in the Division of Finance and Administration, passed away on Thursday. Lew had been a valued member of the campus community since joining us in May of 2014, with more than three decades of experience in the energy and sustainable design profession. We extend our deepest sympathies, as well as our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time, to Lew’s family, friends, and colleagues.
Lew cared deeply for Ithaca College, and was very excited about the future of our energy management and sustainability efforts. He thoroughly enjoyed being around students and was frequently invited to serve as a guest lecturer in the classroom. He offered his expertise as a mechanical engineer during our recently concluded facility audit, and was in the process of creating the first ever strategic plan for our energy management and sustainability efforts that would include a crosswalk between administrative and curricular programs.
Lew was not only known and admired for his technical and analytical skills, but also for the passion and commitment he brought to his chosen field. A licensed professional engineer, he had spent much of his career in private industry as a senior mechanical engineer with the Sear Brown Group, Taitem Engineering, Tetra Tech Architects & Engineers, and Hunt Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors.
He served in leadership roles with the Upstate New York Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC); the Twin Tiers Chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); and the City of Ithaca Energy Commission. He was a member of Sustainable Tompkins and the Tompkins County Sustainable Enterprise and Entrepreneur Network, among other organizations.
In 2011, Lew was named Outstanding Volunteer by the USGBC. He was also honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award for Chapter Programs by ASHRAE and earned a New York State Governor’s Award and U.S. Department of Energy Award for Energy Innovation.
We will share details on funeral services with the campus community once the family has made arrangements.
Gerald Hector
Vice President for Finance and Administration
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20150522143552439