Bridging Utilities and Finance: How UC San Diego aligns energy data, billing, and budgeting

Utility costs are rising, budgets are tightening, and organizations are under increasing pressure to improve forecasting accuracy and financial accountability. According to the State of Utilities 2026 report, utility spending continues to climb across every industry, while many organizations still struggle with fragmented systems, limited visibility, and disconnected workflows between facilities, energy, and finance teams.

EnergyCAP’s Tom Diliberti hosted a candid panel discussion with Carly Kupka and Justin Sanchez of UC San Diego, as they share how their teams collaborate to manage utility data from the meter all the way to the general ledger.

This session explores the operational and financial realities behind utility management at a large, complex campus environment—including how utility bills move across multiple systems, where data gaps and reconciliation challenges occur, and why cross-functional communication between energy and finance teams is critical for controlling costs and improving accuracy.

Attendees will hear firsthand how UC San Diego:

• Reconciles utility data across EnergyCAP, asset management systems, and financial platforms
• Aligns facilities and finance teams around shared utility cost data
• Improves billing accuracy and financial visibility through collaboration
• Uses centralized utility data to support operational and financial decision-making
• Reduces manual processes and advances automation initiatives through business intelligence and data integration
• Navigates the growing complexity of utility management in a world of rising costs and increasing scrutiny

The conversation also highlights how organizations can move beyond spreadsheets and disconnected workflows toward a more proactive, data-driven approach to utility management—one that supports both operational efficiency and financial confidence.