August 29, 2006

UCSD Racks Up Awards for Campus Green Practices

By Pat JaCoby

A number of “Best Practice” awards announced at a recent University of California/California State University conference recognized the University of California, San Diego as a leader in the implementation of green practices across all levels of campus operation—from energy management programs that apply cutting edge technology to alternative transportation programs that dramatically reduce air pollution levels on campus and in the region.

The awards were announced during the annual sustainability conference held recently at UC Santa Barbara and attended by representatives from 33 universities.

Among the Best Practice awards for UCSD were:

• Best Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) Retrofit project for the UCSD Cognitive Science Building. This project replaced air handling and exhaust fans and converted building HVAC to variable air volume systems, and has cut building energy use by more than half its previous rate.
• Best Load Management Program for UCSD Steam Turbine Retrofit. UCSD combined an energy efficiency upgrade to its largest and oldest steam turbine chiller with the addition of a 3 m W steam turbine electrical generator to increase the effectiveness of the waste heat from its Cogeneration Plant. The cost savings to UCSD was more than $1.3 million per year.
• Best Sustainable Transportation award for UCSD’s Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Fleet.” UCSD has added 225 electric zero emission vehicles to its fleet, resulting in a reduction of green house and other toxic gas emissions and lessened maintenance for the vehicles. Additionally, two “fast chargers” have been installed, reducing turnaround times and energy required.
• Best HVAC design for Price Center HVAC project. This work incorporates extremely energy efficient radiant cooling and heating for the new Price Center addition. The project maximizes the use of air and reuse of conditioned air to reduce the energy needed for HVAC.

In other 2006 award programs, the UCSD team took an excellence award in the Energy Savings Champions category sponsored by SDGE Energy Showcase for “its longtime efforts and results in energy savings programs.”

Additionally, UCSD was the first university in California to be recognized by the California Climate Action Registry as a “Climate Action Leader” for successfully measuring, certifying and reporting its greenhouse gas emissions to the Registry and to the public.

And earlier in the year, the “Triton Bike” program at UCSD was recognized by the U.S. EPA and Department of Transportation for making the campus one of the “Best Workplaces for Commuters.”

To underscore its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and encouraging a conservation ethic, Chancellor Marye Anne Fox last year established the Environment and Sustainability Initiative (ESI). The goal is to both organize and facilitate the university’s substantial research focused on environmental challenges and issues and harness this academic prowess to enhance campus sustainability.

.Media Contact: Pat JaCoby, 868 534-7404