EnergyBlog

Barker Outdoor Downlights

2007-02-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

Project
Connected photocell to several outdoor lights, which were previously on 24/7. This will reduce the number of hours these lights are on during the day.

Energy Savings
1226 kWh per year

Financial Impact
$125 per year

Carbon Dioxide Savings
315 kg CO2 per year

Cost
About $120, for a 1-year payback

CO2 Emissions Calculation Added

2007-02-09T15:10:00.000-08:00

Based on information about PG&E's energy mix provided to us by CalCAP project manager Fahmida Ahmed, we have added a calculation of the CO2 emissions our projects have avoided to the sidebar. We're at 22 metric tons already, so watch for increased savings this semester!

Boalt Hall Lobby Lighting Timer

2007-01-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

Project
Lighting timer installed in Boalt 2nd floor lobby to reduce lighting hours

Energy Savings
2,170 kilowatt-hours

Financial Impact
$217

Cost
$1,200 for a 5-year payback

New Poster Campaign

2006-07-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Look out for these energy conservation reminders in your building this Fall semester! To download and print a copy for your office, click the link below the image.

download MS Word file

download MS Word file

These posters will tell you about projects we've completed:

UC Berkeley recognized with state's top energy efficiency award

2006-07-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

"UC Berkeley was one of three recipients of the Flex Your Power Award, California's top energy efficiency award, presented recently at a ceremony in Los Angeles. Vice Chancellor Nathan Brostrom accepted the award from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on behalf of the campus.
UC Berkeley was recognized for engaging faculty, staff and students in its highly successful conservation efforts, which included creating the Green Building Research Center and holding contests like "Blackout Battles," in which residence halls competed to lower their energy use. Thanks to a number of actions taken, more than 10 million kilowatt hours and about $1 million a year in power costs are saved annually on the Berkeley campus."

Berkeleyan coverage & additional coverage

Haas HVAC Schedule Changes to save energy!

2006-07-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

Project
With the help of Jennifer Sullivan, Haas Facilities Manager, Physical Plant-Campus Services was able to change the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning schedule to more closely match the hours of occupancy. The decisions only take a few moments to make and then implement but will have lasting energy savings for the campus!

Energy Savings
21,520 kWh per year

Financial Impact
$2,152 per year

Cost
none!

Focus the Nation Informational Meeting

2006-06-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

On June 20 Intern Alexandra Kostalas attended an informational meeting about a nationwide multi-campus effort called Focus the Nation, which will culminate in a day of education and discussion about climate change on January 31, 2008. While the website for this event is not yet running, a PDF document from the event's organizer, Dr. Eban Goodstein of Lewis & Clark College, is available at http://www.lclark.edu/~eban/FocusNation.pdf. The official Focus the Nation website should be available in July. Stay tuned for more information on this event and the Energy Education Interns' involvement in its preparations at Cal.

Boalt Hall Corridor Lighting Retrofit

2006-06-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

Project
Changed ballasts and fluorescent light bulbs to more efficient models, installed photocells to make use of natural light, reduced lighting levels to improve comfort.

Energy Savings
17,153 kWh per year

Financial Impact
About $1,715 per year

Cost
$4,000 for a payback time of 2.6 years.

Political Science Dept. Refrigerators

2006-05-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

Project
Two refrigerators retired.

Energy Savings
Approximately 4000 kWh per year

Financial Impact
About $400 per year

Cost
$0.00

Both the idea for this change and its execution were an internal effort of the Political Science department. Thanks to all involved for your enthusiasm and creativity in thinking about energy savings!

Business & Econ. Library Lighting Curtailment

2006-05-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

Project
Changed the schedule of the Haas Business & Economics Library in order to more closely match the hours of public use.

Energy Savings
10,670 kWh per year

Financial Impact
About $1,067 per year

Cost
$0.00!

Thanks to the library, facility management, and physical plant-campus services staff for contributing time and enthusiasm to the project.

Barrows Hall Floors 1-7 De-Lamping

2006-05-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

Project
Removed one of three fluorescent bulbs from selected corridor light fixtures on floors 1 through 7 of Barrows Hall. This completes an earlier de-lamping project in these corridors.

Energy Savings
16,320 kWh saved per year

Financial Impact
$1,632 per year

Costs
$3,450, for a payback of 2.1 years

Barrows Hall Basement Corridor De-Lamping

2006-05-01T17:56:00.000-07:00

Project
39 4-lamp fluorescent fixtures; 2 lamps per fixture removed. Lighting levels remain well above the minimum 10 foot-candles required in this area. This is a 24-hr facility.

Energy Savings
Roughly 16,400 kWh per year

Financial Impact
$1,640 per year @ $0.10/kWh

Costs
$347 for labor, for a payback of 2.5 months

Thanks to our supervisors and colleagues at PP/CS for making this change and the calculations!

Welcome to EnergyBlog!

2006-05-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

Who We Are
The Energy Education Interns are Alexandra Kostalas and Fatima Mohsin, undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley. We are funded and supported by the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) and Physical Plant - Campus Services (PP-CS). During the Spring 2006 semester we focused our pilot program on Barrows Hall, McCone Hall, the Haas School of Business, and the Boalt School of Law. We will expand the program to more buildings in Fall 2006, but are always open to suggestions about any part of campus.

Background
CACS was founded in 2003 to promote environmental management and sustainable development at UC Berkeley. CACS is part of the larger sustainability movement within the University of California system, articulated by the 2003 UC Regents' mandate to reduce energy consumption by 10% by 2014. Not only is efficient energy use a means toward campus sustainability, but it is also a financially sound investment: estimates indicate that a 10% reduction in use could equal as much as $2 million in annual savings for the UC Berkeley campus alone. This internship, developed in coordination with PP-CS, is focused on addressing CACS' primary goal, which is to engage the campus to work together toward environmental sustainability.

Mission

To inform the campus community by educating staff, faculty, and students about energy use
To implement energy-saving measures quickly and demonstrate positive impacts
To promote Cal's culture of sustainability

Methods
Building by building, room by room, we are making changes in the way Cal uses energy. Suggestions for energy-saving projects from building occupants are an essential part of our program. You, the staff or faculty member or student, use hallways, elevators, classrooms, offices, and bathrooms every day, and you are our best link to the specific ways in which we can reduce our energy use. Please help us strengthen our program by sending us any ideas you may have at