University of Tulsa
Summary
Changemakers are those who are invested and committed enough to affect meaningful change in their communities, something The University of Tulsa hopes all its students can become. For one UTulsa alumnus, his career has been a study in change not just for his community, but for the planet.
A United Arab Emirates national, Tariq Al Yasi (B.S. ’97) has made, and continues to make, history in the district energy world. Beginning his career at the Zakum Development Co., Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., in 2006, Tariq joined the Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corp. PJSC (Empower), Dubai, the world’s largest district cooling services provider, where he currently serves as chief operations and maintenance officer.
District cooling is a proven technology that combats climate change by using chilled water to significantly reduce power consumption compared with traditional air conditioning. Air conditioning typically accounts for 50% to 70% of peak electricity demand in hot regions.
“I am proud that my work contributes to preserving the environment for future generations. Climate change is one of the most pressing concerns of our time, with rising carbon emissions as the major cause,” Tariq said. “At Empower, my role directly supports the significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”
Since 2016, Tariq has led the Project Management Office, responsible for the completion of key district cooling projects. In 2014, he played a key role in helping Empower establish its Command and Control Center (CCC).
“Empower’s CCC is the first of its kind in the world, with the ability to track, monitor, and control
up to 1 million data parameters in real-time across the district cooling network, which serves many of Dubai’s landmark real estate developments.”
District cooling can reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by about one ton for every ton of refrigeration demand it serves, along with its ability to aggregate demand across multiple buildings, ideally combining both residential and commercial spaces. (Interestingly, UTulsa’s main campus employs a district system to cool the vast majority of academic and athletic facilities.)
Tariq’s connection with the university began in the early 1990s, when he was awarded a scholarship from the Dubai Ruler’s Office and traveled to the United States, first to California and then Tulsa, where he majored in petroleum engineering.
“I learned about The University of Tulsa from friends and schoolmates, and I realized it was the perfect place for my higher education,” he said. “The friendships I formed at The University of Tulsa became some of the most important in my life. In fact, the current UAE minister of energy was a fellow student during my time there, and we have maintained our relationship since.”
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