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UC Davis 2010 Annual Progress Report

The vision: Sustainable Future

  • Interior courtyard of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, home of UC Davis’ new winery, brewery and food-processing complex that received official LEED Platinum certification. Interior courtyard of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, home of UC Davis’ new winery, brewery and food-processing complex that received official LEED Platinum certification—the highest environmental rating awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. UC Davis strives to achieve standards equivalent to LEED Gold certification or higher whenever possible.

UC Davis will be the pre-eminent university partner in advancing the economic prosperity of our region, fostering the burgeoning life-science, agricultural and “clean energy” industries of California, and in investigating and sharing socially, politically, economically and environmentally relevant solutions to global problems.

UC Davis is the leading producer of environmentally related scientific research in the nation, according to Science Watch, Thomson Reuters. In 2010, UC Davis expanded its influence as the academic leader in every aspect of sustainability through its research, innovative solutions, environmental stewardship and campus commitment to sustainable practices.

2010 highlights in creating a sustainable and prosperous future:

UC Davis was the host and cosponsor of the Governors’ Global Climate Summit 3. At the event, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared UC Davis “the environmental capital of the world.” Additionally, Chancellor Katehi was the sole academic representative to join the world leaders and notable attendees in signing the new R20 public-private alliance to confront climate change and build a global green economy.

UC Davis opened the world’s “greenest” winery, brewery and foods facility—the Teaching and Research Winery and the August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory. All funding came from donor support.

UC Davis became the first large institution in California to act on a state mandate to reduce lighting energy by 2020 and launched its Smart Lighting Initiative to reduce campus energy use by 60 percent by 2015.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named UC Davis the “Diversion Rate Champion” above 76 other colleges and universities; Fiske Guide to Colleges listed UC Davis as having one of the top 10 environmental studies undergraduate degree programs; Greenopia named UC Davis a top 10 campus, awarding it the organization’s highest rating with four out of four leaves; and the College Sustainability Report awarded UC Davis an “A-” grade.

  • Graphic: Efficiencies in energy use have resulted in a net drop in energy costs per square foot on campus.