After 25 years of operation, the campus Wastewater Treatment Plant is due for significant updates to keep serving our growing university and contributing to a flourishing riparian habitat. As part of the university’s commitment to maintaining and upgrading its infrastructure for efficiency and sustainability, the Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant team is pursuing a study to identify improvements to increase the longevity and efficacy of the plant.
One of UC Davis’ most iconic symbols is getting some much-needed TLC. The water tower located across the way from UC Davis Health Stadium—affectionately known as “Touchdown Tower”—is undergoing a significant restoration.
Beginning in April 2025, Facilities Management is ending all services to offices and cubicles, including trash and recycling collection. The primary change for office and cubicle occupants is the shift to a self-service, or “pack it in, pack it out” model, for sorting their own trash and recyclables in centralized bins located in shared areas such as kitchens and hallways.
Managing such an extensive portfolio of buildings requires balancing budgets and lean staffing year round, with intensified demands during the rainy season on our roofing team.
Nearly a decade ago, campus leaders at UC Davis decided to invest in a small team of employees to reduce energy by optimizing building controls and systems. The concept was that UC Davis could fund such a team, if it could curb high utility bills — essentially having the team pay for itself with energy savings.
Tucked away on the west side of campus, UC Davis’ READ facility receives 20 tons of food waste per day from customers including local grocery stores and our own campus dining commons. With the improvements a recent $4.77M CalRecycle grant provides, the READ facility becomes an important part of UC Davis’ strategy to eliminate the use of fossil fuels from its operations and fight climate change.
Since taking ownership in 2017, UC Davis Facilities Management has dedicated itself to revitalizing the READ facility, working with academic and industry experts to find creative solutions including the development of an ammonia extraction system that processes the ammonia-rich digestate, separating it into nearly ammonia-free digestate and concentrated ammonia. The ammonia-free digestate can be processed at the campus’s wastewater treatment plant, or by other means, locally without adding excess nutrients to inland waters. The concentrated ammonia product has now become a valuable commodity purchased by California Safe Soil as an ingredient in the formulation of a certified organic fertilizer.
Earlier this month, the Chancellor and the Chancellor’s Committee on Campus Planning and Design, or CCCPD, endorsed moving forward with a $55.5 million investment of campus funds for the next phase of the Big Shift – a heating infrastructure overhaul that represents a crucial step in reducing the university’s fossil fuel usage.
