Engineering Articles

Staff Spotlight: Andre Nelson

Introducing one of the many faces in the Energy and Engineering department that keep our campus running sustainably - Andre Nelson! Andre is an energy project engineer and started working for Facilities Management (FM) about 6 months ago. Andre has been in Davis for about 10 years and received his undergraduate degree here! 

Sharing Energy Successes

This quarter we’re highlighting some of the fantastic work our engineering team does with students and faculty on our campus and across the entire UC system! We sat down with engineering project manager Alex Malm to talk about the annual Global Energy Managers Workshop and the Path to Zero Net Energy class offered to students. 

Supporting a More Sustainable Campus: The Green Buildings Team

As one of the most sustainable college campuses in North America  ,UC Davis works hard to make sure campus buildings maintain high standards of sustainability. Leading this effort is the Green Buildings Team, whom we had the pleasure of speaking with about their role on campus.

Campus commits $55.5 million to the next phase of Big Shift

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. 

Undergrad Expands College Career to Master of Sciences

This month, we are getting to know William (Billy) Evans, a student intern at Energy & Engineering. After completing his undergraduate studies as a Biological Systems Engineer, Billy is now a first-year graduate student pursuing his Master of Science in Energy Systems.

Uncovering Energy Savings at Vet Med 3A MPT

A team effort between the Energy & Engineering team, and Building Maintenance Services (BMS) shops for sheet metal, ventilation, plumbing, and electrical created a big win at the Vet Med 3A Multipurpose Teaching (MPT) facility. 

Grad Students Make Their Mark With Energy Projects

The ECO office gained four new Graduate Student Researchers in the Fall of 2021. All are first-year graduate students pursuing their Master of Science in Energy Systems and using their knowledge to reduce energy use on campus. Each student focuses on niche aspects of energy conservation on campus, ranging from COVID-19 ventilation to housing and dining innovations. They enjoy the blend of fieldwork and data that the Energy & Engineering Energy Conservation Office offers when solving problems.  

Beneath the Surface - Fish Tank Heater Saves Thousands in Energy

When an outdated heating system caused the water temperature in Storer Hall’s tropical fish lab to drop to dangerously low levels, Facilities Management’s Building Maintenance Services (BMS) HVAC and Energy and Engineering team collaborated with the Laskowski Lab researchers to improve operations.