2009 Best Practice Awards

The eighth annual UC/CSU/CCC Sustainability Conference was held at UC Santa Barbara in June, 2009. The case studies below document the outstanding energy-efficiency and sustainability achievements of the 2009 Best Practice Award recipients. These projects are outstanding examples of innovative and cost-effective green building technologies, design strategies, and building operation practices being implemented on campuses across the state.

Best Overall Sustainable Design

Central Plant

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Center for Sciences
The building envelope, mechanical and lighting systems are designed to exceed 2007 California Title 24 standards by over 30%. Offices and classrooms are supplied with natural ventilation from operable windows, supplemented with displacement ventilation and radiant ceiling panels.


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Central Plant

UC Davis Vetinary Medicine 3B
A careful analysis of occupant use and solar exposure led to a design that reduces energy demands by placing the higher demand lab space to the north and separating out the lower demand office space. The team examined every aspect of the program to develop an innovative approach to the lab building.


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Best HVAC Retrofit

Central Plant

UCSF Mount Zion Research Center MBCx Project
UCSF’s monitoring based commissioning project reduces the lab facility’s energy consumption by over 30% to bring it in line with the campus’ other lab facilities. Energy use was reduced largely by decreasing airflow rates.


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Central Plant

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo HVAC Technology Demonstration Projects
The HVAC technology demonstration systems led to a 62% reduction in ventilation and cooling energy and a 32% reduction in heating energy. The project upgraded constant volume control systems to VAV in three campus buildings.


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Best Lighting Retrofit

Central Plant

UC Davis Bi-level Exterior Lighting Systems
The project involved replacing 175W high pressure sodium and metal halide exterior lighting fixtures with energy efficient induction florescent and LED fixtures. Lighting levels are controlled by occupant sensors regulating dimmable ballasts.


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Central Plant

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Lighting Technology Demonstration Projects
These projects employed bi-level stairwell lighting, integrated office and classroom lighting systems, bathroom and walkway lighting, and bi-level street lighting to reduce energy consumption by 80%. .


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Overall Sustainable Design: Honorable Mention

Central Plant

University of California Merced Science and Engineering Building
The design team targeted energy consumption at 30% less than 2001 California Title 24 by reviewing energy use on 8 UC/CSU campuses. The building envelope uses external light shelves and trellis shading structures to reduce solar gain.


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Credits: The 2009 Best Practice case studies were written and produced by Ben Rosenblum, LEED AP, of the Green Building Resource Center, with support from David Lehrer.

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