The Energy Office tracks, monitors, and manages energy usage campus-wide to reduce energy costs; improve design, performance, and operation of buildings; and provide feedback on energy usage to building occupants. We continuously monitor the operations and maintenance of campus facilities and are in contact with Building Managers regarding their facilities’ operation and utility consumption.
Winter Break Curtailment Success!
Each winter break the Energy Office works with the EMS, Stationary Engineers, HVAC and Electric shops to turn down buildings to save energy. Lighting, ventilation and heating are turned off or set back for about a week and a half each year. Previously (2022-23), curtailment saved 567,860 kWh of electricity and 1,448,340 lbs of steam. Compared to the prior month’s baseline, electric use was 10.5% lower and steam use was 5.4% lower when normalized for weather. Together these savings totaled $141,324 and 386 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. With labor costs of just $15,000, the ROI was 942%! See more on our full curtailment report.
Clean Energy Campus
Within eight years, Berkeley plans to switch to a new clean and resilient energy system that will phase out fossil fuels and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies and creative financing. For decades, Berkeley has led the world in climate solution technology and policy research. Now, the campus will be powered by an energy system that sets the standard in sustainable, resilient infrastructure. If you want to learn more about this initiative, visit Berkeley Clean Energy Campus.