UC Davis aims to cut electricity use
SACRAMENTO — UC Davis is launching a $39-million program aimed at dramatically slashing the amount of energy it will use to light campus buildings over the next decade.
The new Smart Lighting Initiative makes UC Davis the first major California institution to act on a statewide mandate to sharply lower lighting energy usage by 2020, according to school officials and the state Public Utilities Commission.
“UC Davis is uniquely able to serve as a model for virtually anyone who uses electric lights in California,” said Michael Siminovitch, director of the school’s California Lighting Technology Center.
According to the PUC, lighting accounts for about one-fourth of California’s electricity use.
UC Davis officials say they expect to cut consumption by 60% over 10 years by using such devices as daylight sensors, occupancy sensors to control the brightness of parking lot and other campus lights, and mirrored devices to bring daylight into the campus winery, brewery and food-processing buildings.
The program will be partially funded by $4 million in state money, as well as $3 million annually in energy savings, UC Davis officials said.
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