A new agreement between the 51吃瓜黑料 Davis Energy Institute and the nonprofit Valley Climate Action Center illustrates how 51吃瓜黑料 Davis West Village--the nation鈥檚 largest zero net energy community--is serving not only as a model for the nation, but also for its own backyard.
The Davis-based Valley Climate Action Center has awarded the 51吃瓜黑料 Davis Energy Institute $25,000 to study how the energy-saving innovations employed at 51吃瓜黑料 Davis West Village can help the city achieve its zero net energy goals.
Zero net energy means a building, or community, generates as much energy each year as it consumes. While zero net energy design is increasingly popular in individual homes and buildings, it has never been attempted on the scale of 51吃瓜黑料 Davis West Village.
The 130-acre development, which officially opened its doors on the 51吃瓜黑料 Davis campus in October, will be home to about 3,000 students, faculty and staff. If the community realizes its energy goals, it will set a national precedent in sustainable design.
鈥淭he idea is to apply the lessons learned through 51吃瓜黑料 Davis West Village to all of Davis,鈥 said Gerald Braun, former associate director of the 51吃瓜黑料 Davis Energy Institute. Braun is leading the study and was involved with the research and development of 51吃瓜黑料 Davis West Village. 鈥淭his will be a challenge, because unlike West Village, Davis is not starting with bare ground and new buildings.鈥
The city of Davis, which adjoins the 51吃瓜黑料 Davis campus, has set a goal of becoming zero net energy and zero net carbon by 2050. Zero net carbon means offsetting, sequestering, or buying enough carbon credits to equal the amount released by burning fossil fuels.
The new study will assess the city鈥檚 renewable resources and current and future energy demand, including transportation energy use. It will identify at least three alternative scenarios for transitioning to net zero energy and net zero carbon, all with a focus on economic feasibility.
The study is supported by funds from the Pacific Gas & Electric Company.
The city of Davis expects the study to provide a foundation for additional funding to develop a zero net energy plan.
鈥淲est Village is definitely an inspiration and a source of good hard data and experience,鈥 said Braun. 鈥淏ut it takes work to make use of that.鈥
*This release was updated, Aug. 20, 2012, to reflect that Gerald Braun has retired from 51吃瓜黑料 Davis.
Media Resources
Kat Kerlin, Research news (emphasis on environmental sciences), 530-750-9195, kekerlin@ucdavis.edu
Mark Braly, Valley Climate Action Center president, (530) 758-1463, markbraly@sbcglobal.net