Refrigerant is a chemical compound which easily transforms from liquid to gas state. It is an essential component of cooling, and is used in all air conditioners, coolers, and refrigerators.  In terms of its chemical composition, there are a few different types:

While many newly constructed buildings at UC Davis are LEED-certified, the work does not end with the construction of new sustainable buildings. Throughout the United States, the certification of existing commercial buildings is becoming increasingly important in order to meet global environmental sustainability goals. 

Previously, Wattson the Water Droplet explored the heating half of the Central Heating and Cooling Plant (CHCP). This time, he will be exploring the cooling side of the facility.

Located near the Tercero housing residence halls, UC Davis’ Central Heating & Cooling Plant (CHCP) heats and cools over 8 million square feet of building space. The CHCP is a hub for energy -- it’s where electricity and natural gas are used to make chilled water and steam to be distributed across campus. 

A plug load consists of one or more devices plugged into an outlet or power strip. Vampire loads (also known as phantom plug loads) secretly drain electricity when an electronic device is turned off, but still plugged into an outlet.

A phone charger plugged into a wall without a phone connected to it still consumes a small, but continuous amount of electricity. Coffee makers, toasters, and printers also consume energy when plugged in, even when the devices themselves are turned off.

This year, to celebrate Earth Week the Energy Conservation Office (ECO) held a virtual Energy & Sustainability Career Panel featuring Alex Malm (Green Building Project Manager), Amy Burns (Sustainability Manager) Tom Ryan (Energy Project Manager) and Rhys Davis (Energy Systems Master’s Student).

Currently, UC Davis obtains two forms of energy: natural gas and electricity. Natural gas is purchased directly from PG&E and is routed onto campus through pipelines. But electricity comes from a variety of sources and must be funneled through an electrical substation before being distributed to across campus. 

This year, we are proud to announce that Shields Library is officially certified as a LEED Green Building! As of May 2021, Shields earned the LEED Gold Certification in the Existing Buildings: Operations & Management category with 73 out of 110 total points. We chose Shields because it's a "core" building that students and the UC Davis community utilize every day.

In June, the Toxic Pollutant Health Research Laboratory (TPHRL) at UC Davis received the LEED Gold certification for the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance. LEED certifications are an official recognition that a project complies with the requirements - in this case the project achieved 72 points out of a possible 110.