IRVINE -- Flex Your Power, California's statewide energy efficiency campaign, has named UC Irvine to the Best Overall category in an annual award program. Among the several hundred applicants, UCI was among just five winners of this level of recognition. Cumulatively, this year's honorees -- in five categories -- have saved more than $227 million, 1.5 billion kilowatt hours and 122 billion gallons of water, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1.3 billion pounds.

UCI's progressive energy and water efficiency programs were highlighted for reducing campus electrical demand by up to 15,000 kW and saving nearly four million gallons of water annually.

"UCI's energy management and sustainability practices are recognized not only statewide, but we are now regarded among the most progressive and efficient institutions nationwide," said Wendell Brase, administrative and business services vice chancellor. "We are proud to play a part in this campus's significant legacy of leadership addressing the earth's climate system problems."

Flex Your Power Award winners were selected by senior representatives from California Public Utilities Commission, California Independent System Operator, California Energy Commission, California Urban Water Conservation Council, League of California Cities, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Building Owners and Managers Association, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and Southern California Edison. For more information on the 6th Annual Flex Your Power Awards, visit www.flexyourpower.org.

About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is one of the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students and nearly 2,000 faculty members. Among the largest employers in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

News Radio: UCI maintains on campus an ISDN line for conducting interviews with its faculty and experts. The use of this line is available free-of-charge to radio news programs/stations who wish to interview UCI faculty and experts. Use of the ISDN line is subject to availability and approval by the university.

UCI maintains an online directory of faculty available as experts to the media. To access, visit http://today.uci.edu/news/experts.asp.

For UCI breaking news, visit www.zotwire.uci.edu.