David Agudo, a steam operating engineer, is a recipient of the industry publication’s recognition program honoring the Top 20 Under 40 plumbing and mechanical engineering professionals driving the industry into the future.
Little did Agudo know when he was writing a research paper as a student on UCLA being the birthplace of the internet that he’d one day be working at the university, maintaining building mechanical operations, and monitoring sources of energy used for HVAC, such as steam and chilled water.
Nominated by a supervisor, Plumbing & Mechanical selected Agudo as a 2023 winner for their annual award contest for his attention to detail, which has allowed for improvement in campus operations.
On the critical night-time swing shift, Agudo handles trouble calls for the campus’s 163 buildings and 34 million square feet of space. These calls range from minor issues to major problems affecting mechanical systems and physical structures.
While most Bruins are buzzing around campus in the daytime, attending classes, teaching, conducting research, and doing their jobs in office spaces, Agudo is busy in the evening, making sure all is in working order for when the greater campus community arrives at UCLA to start their day.
Also, under Agudo’s care are UCLA’s five Olympic size swimming pools used for sporting events and other recreational activities. One of Agudo’s achievements was installing automation controls for the system that regulates water temperature for the Sunset Canyon Park Pool — a spot beloved by Bruins and visitors for cooling off, relaxing, and having fun.
With the university for seven years, Agudo, who holds an associate degree in HVAC and building automation, enjoys his job and is proud that through technology advances, he is part of providing energy-efficient services that reduce the campus’s carbon footprint.
Ever humble, he adds that any of his accomplishments are part of a team effort.
“I can't take any credit away from the Facilities Management members that keep this campus operating,” said Agudo.
