Sustainable Building Design and Construction

Last updated August 19, 2009 2:39:52 PM PDT

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Learn how UCSD is designing and constructing facilities for the future.

In June 2004, UC President Robert C. Dynes issued the UC Policy on Green Building Design and Clean Energy Standards (PDF). The policy specifies green building design and clean energy standards for constructing and renovating campus facilities.

Green building design criteria

New buildings will:
- Outperform Title 24 (state building code requirements for minimum energy efficiency levels) by 20%
- Meet or exceed LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) 2.1 "Certified" equivalent rating or Labs21 (Labs for the 21st century) criteria
- Be planned and designed focusing on lifecycle cost and long-term operation and maintenance
Existing buildings will be evaluated by Facilities Management according to LEED 2.1 criteria.
New equipment and systems will be strategically purchased for maximum efficiency.

Develop and implement retrofit and retro-commissioning projects for existing buildings and infrastructure, to be funded by UC/CSU partnership with the Public Utilities Commission and statewide utilities (PGE, SCE, SDGE, and SoCal Gas)
Reduce consumption of non-renewable energy sources through energy-efficiency projects and green energy purchasing
Obtain 20% of electricity from renewable sources by 2017
Provide up to 10 megawatts of local renewable power by 2014
Develop funding sources and financing alternatives for energy efficiency, renewable resources, and clean energy projects

Completing $1.3 million in energy retrofit and retro-commission projects in 2005
Supplying approximately 85% of campus electricity through cogeneration
Researching photovoltaic (PV) opportunities, financing, and best locations for use on campus
Installing:
- Energy Star equipment and energy-saving devices (e.g., programmable HVAC controls, motion-sensitive lighting controls, etc.)
- Water-saving devices where applicable
- Recycled material where appropriate
Installing native plants as the standard for landscaping (turf in programmed functional areas only)
Using reclaimed water for irrigation
Adding hybrid vehicles to its long-term lease and rental fleet
Investigating hybrid and fuel cell buses/ shuttles and electric vehicles for campus service operations
Developing and testing new shuttle routes for campus commuters
Working with the city of San Diego to bring light-rail transit to campus

For more information about sustainable building design and construction at UCSD, see Sustainability Contacts.