Cal Neighbors

Efforts Under Way on Campus

As part of its overall sustainability efforts, the university has launched the Cal Climate Action Partnership (CalCAP), a grassroots initiative dedicated to reducing UC Berkeley's carbon footprint. CalCAP recently completed a campus-wide greenhouse gas emissions inventory. For the latest information on the university's plan for reducing emissions, visit http://sustainability.berkeley.edu/calcap.html

The university has many sustainable programs and practices in place, including:

Energy Conservation: Many classrooms, conference rooms, restrooms and building corridors have been outfitted with motion-sensitive and energy-efficient lighting. The university also connects its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems to computer-based control to help them run more efficiently and use less energy.

Energy Efficiency Interns: As part of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability, a corps of student energy efficiency interns work with the occupants of various campus buildings to increase awareness of energy conservation actions and implement energy-saving projects.

Green Building Standards: New campus buildings must meet the UC Green Building Policy and Energy Standard, set forth in 2004, which focuses on energy efficiency and sustainability. For example, a new childcare center that opened in January 2007 includes abundant natural light, windows that open to let in fresh air, and paint and carpet that are free of volatile organic compounds.

Parking and Transit: The campus has several programs in place to encourage reduced car use, including: car-share services; improved bicycle access and secure bicycle parking on campus; special carpool permits and reserved carpool parking spaces; and free student bus passes and discounted faculty and staff bus passes for AC Transit.

Recycled Paper: Approximately 97% of the paper used by UC Berkeley's administrative departments is recycled paper stock.

Solar Panels: Last year, the university increased the number of solar panels on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Union, which help provide a portion of the energy the building uses.

Water Use: Campus water use is down more than 30% over the last 20 years thanks to timer-controlled, improved irrigation, low-flow toilets and improved laboratory cooling systems that use recirculated water.

In 2006, UC Berkeley received the State of California's top energy-efficiency award, the Flex Your Power award, in recognition of its many conservation efforts.