Campus Progress: Green Buildings Information

Green buildings on campus are included on the campus sustainability map.

All new buildings at UC Davis are required to meet standards equivalent to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Some campus buildings meet standards that are equivalent to LEED standards, but are neither registered nor certified. Other buildings have been registered and are either awaiting construction completion or awaiting third-party certification. 

Find out more about building management at UC Davis and which campus buildings meet green standards:

LEED-certified buildings

LEED certification includes rating systems for different types of construction, renovation and building management. LEED for New Construction is a framework for new construction and major renovations. LEED for Commercial Interiors sets benchmarks for improvements and renovations with a focus on a building’s interior. LEED for Existing Buildings provides metrics for operations, improvements and management of a building.

These buildings have achieved LEED certification, and are described in the certified project directory.

LEED Platinum

Gallagher Hall and Conference Center (New Construction)

Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr. Hall, occupied by the Graduate School of Management, and the adjacent Conference Center are certified LEED Platinum — the top level for LEED construction standards. The buildings use a ground-source heat pump for radiant heating and cooling, and have an innovative rain screen design that helps mitigate solar heat gain. Natural daylight is passively controlled by the buildings' orientation, clerestory windows and a large light well, which save energy used for artificial lighting.

Gladys Valley Hall (New Construction)

Gladys Valley Hall, a veterinary instructional facility, was honored as the Best Overall Sustainable Design in 2005 in the statewide Best Practices Competition. Natural ventilation cools the building's common spaces, with thermal and humidity sensors that control ventilation louvers. The building uses a night-flush strategy to release heat absorbed during the day with circulated night air that pre-cools the structure, to help moderate indoor air temperatures for the following day. Read more about Valley Hall (PDF) and see photographs of the building.

Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences (New Construction)

The home of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center has been noted as the first laboratory to use "active" chilled beams, which moves ventilation air through ceiling-mounted diffuser boxes for increased cooling efficiency at low investment costs. The building's energy efficiency is also boosted with radiant floor heating, a cooling tower and cold water storage. The building has 875 photovoltaic shingles on its roof.

Teaching & Research Winery August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory (New Construction)

This UC Davis facility is the first brewery, winery or food processing facility in the world to be LEED Platinum certified. The two-wing building houses teaching and research activities in the August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory and the Teaching and Research Winery. The facilities will serve as a model for sustainability in each industry, with a focus on water and energy efficiency in the building's design.  This facility has a large-scale water capture system used for irrigation and toilets that saves about 300,000 gallons of water annually. Photovoltaic panels on the building's roof are estimated to produce more energy than the building currently uses. The building also has a capture system for the carbon dioxide from the fermentation process, with future plans to sequester the carbon dioxide instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. Real-time data from the facility's water and electrical metering displays for visitors in the lobby, to help showcase the building's sustainable features. A comprehensive recycling and composting plan was also designed for the facility, with help from a UC Davis student project. View videos and learn more at the project website.

LEED Gold

Coffee House renovation (Commercial Interiors)

The Coffee House renovation improved the daylighting and comfort of the facility. The project salvaged an extensive amount of existing structure and equipment. The lighting was replaced with highly efficient fixtures, the plumbing fixtures were replaced with low flow fixtures and the hoods were retrofitted with Melink variable speed fans to save energy. The Coffee House also implemented a post-consumer composting program following this renovation.

Cuarto Dining Commons (Commercial Interiors)

The renovation of Cuarto Dining Commons reused more than 41 percent of its original interior elements. Approximately 40 percent of new building materials used in the renovation were manufactured within 500 miles of the site. The building has a solar water preheat system that reduces the energy required to heat the water that supplies the commercial dishwasher.  Cuarto has a green cleaning program, as well as an education program that informs occupants about the sustainable practices and options provided within the building.

Robbins Hall renovation (Commercial Interiors)

Robbins Hall is a lab building with extensive renovation to lighting and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Of particular note with this building is the reuse of lab casework.

Student Health and Wellness Center (New Construction)

The Student Health and Wellness Center is 42 percent more energy efficient than a typical medical office building, which is largely due to the energy efficient heating & cooling system. Heat and cool air are delivered to the building through chilled beams—fixtures which are essentially one-foot wide by 4-, 5- or 6-feet long and hang from the ceiling to deliver cooling and heating with low airflow and virtually no noise. Other sustainable aspects of the building are its highly reflective roof and its small green roof that both serve to minimize the building's heat-island effect on the surrounding microclimate. The Health and Wellness Center also offers a wellness garden for a quiet, reflective place to rest, exercise or reflect.

Tercero Student Housing: Wall, Campbell and Potter Halls (New Construction)

Wall, Campbell and Potter Halls have chutes for collecting recyclable materials, solar thermal panels on the roof and a whole-building ventilation system for nighttime cooling. The residence halls also have a "green cleaning" policy and program, and an active education program that informs occupants about green building practices. For more information, please see the Project Planning Presentation, the LEED Case Study, and the Fact Sheet.

LEED-registered buildings

These buildings have been registered for LEED certification, and are listed in their registered project directory. Registered buildings include those in the planning stages, under construction and already in use. LEED-registered buildings on the UC Davis campus are also included in the campus map.

The following buildings have been completed and await their LEED certification:

Segundo Services Center (New Construction)

The Segundo Services Center has a green roof with seating area and rooftop solar photovoltaic cells. The center also uses a "chilled beam" system for efficient indoor temperature control. Additional building features include: Solar light tubes installed at the maintenance workshop supply sufficient natural light so that artificial lighting is not required on most days; operable windows provide natural ventilation throughout the building; Water efficient landscape choices include “smart” irrigation controllers with rain sensors and pressure-regulating sprinkler heads; and the building has a green cleaning and educational program.

Student Community Center (New Construction)

The Student Community Center has an open lobby concept with large skylights that provide abundant natural daylighting and has operable windows for natural ventilation. The building is 28 percent more energy efficient than Title 24. The building will be outfitted with rooftop solar PV’s. The landscaping includes pervious paving and a bioswale to filter storm drainage.

The following buildings are under construction or in planning:

Emerson Hall and Webster Hall (Existing Buildings)

Emerson and Webster residence halls both make use of smart vanity lighting systems, a "green cleaning" policy and program, and an active educational program for occupants. Webster Hall has an advanced thermostat control system and an ENERGY Star score of 76. Emerson Hall has an ENERGY Star score of 82.

Foundation Plant Services Annex (New Construction)

King Hall expansion (New Construction) and renovation (Commercial Interiors)

Respiratory Disease Center (New Construction)

South Valley Animal Health Laboratory (New Construction)

Tercero Student Housing Phase 3 (New Construction)

The Tercero Student Housing Phase 3 project consists of 7 new 4-story buildings. The group of buildings are designed with a whole-building ventilation system for nighttime cooling along with several sustainable policies that have become the Student Housing standard on campus.  These include a strong recycling and composting program, a green cleaning policy and and active educational program for green building practices.  This phase of new construction will complete the build-out of the North Tercero neighborhood area by constructing almost 300,000 new square feet of buildings which are estimated to be 30-40% more efficient that the campus standard energy efficiency baseline.

Veterinary Medicine 3B (New Construction)

Plans for this building were honored as the Best Overall Sustainable Design in 2009 in the statewide Best Practices Competition. The open laboratory floor plan for this building optimizes daylight with glazing between offices on the perimeter of the building and offices further interior. It also separates offices that can use natural ventilation and operable windows from more ventilation-intensive laboratory space. Building plans call for a reclaimed water system to supply dual-flush, low-flow toilets. Occupant sensors for lighting and ventilation and desktop air delivery with local controls will provide for efficiency and comfort.