Energy & Technology

Technology continues to advance and expand, creating environmental challenges and potential solutions.

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Awards

Lorena De la Puente Burlando Awarded 2024 Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship

The Institute of the Environment and Sustainability is proud to announce that Lorena De la Puente Burlando has been awarded a 2024 Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship. The program supports doctoral students in the humanities and interpretive social sciences as…


Headline

Deepak Rajagopal for WalletHub—Greenest States (2024)

WalletHub compared America’s 50 states to identify the most environmentally friendly ones, ranking them based on three categories: environmental quality, eco-friendly behaviors and climate-change contributions. California took the top spot,…


Headline

Downtown S.F.’s office buildings are guzzling tons of energy no one is using

Building experts say it’s no surprise that empty offices are burning so much energy. Electrical infrastructure like elevators consumes energy even when not in use, as do the pumps that maintain water pressure for faucets and toilets, said Eric Fournier, research director at UCLA’s California Center for Sustainable Communities. Turning these off would make it hard for buildings to “maintain a posture of openness.” A building is “kind of a living thing,” he said. “You can’t just cut the cord on it and expect it to carry on in good health for a long period of time.” Air conditioning systems are also kept on in empty buildings to avoid structural problems, mold and water-borne illnesses. The design of these large offices, many of which were built over a century ago, typically assumes a certain range of temperatures, Fournier explained. “If you deviate from that for a prolonged period, weird things happen that could be very expensive to fix.”

Salesforce West at 50 Fremont St. is among the office buildings in San Francisco using lots of energy.

Blog

UCLA Decarbonization Study Paves the Way for a Greener Campus

UCLA is leading the charge in combating climate change with its yearlong decarbonization study, showcasing its commitment to sustainability. This proactive initiative aims to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions, aligning…


Awards

Karen McKinnon Receives NSF CAREER Award for Heat Extremes Research

The World Health Organization identified heatwaves as one of the most dangerous natural hazards, and they’re on the rise worldwide. UCLA climate scientist and assistant professor Karen McKinnon has been…

Videos

UCLA’s Comprehensive Sustainability Plan

UCLA has a long history of sustainability leadership — from early energy efficiency efforts and the formation of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability in the 1990s, to the establishment of…

How Climate Change Will Impact California, Interview with Dr. Alan Barreca

Interview on The Young Turks ScIQ with UCLA environmental economist Alan Barreca by Jayde Lovell about climate change effects on public health, vulnerable communities, and the state of California. They also…

Publications

Advancing a Net Zero Urban Water Future in the United StatesSouthwest: Governance and Policy Challenges and Future Needs

Courtney Crosson*, Stephanie Pincetl, Caroline Scruggs, Neha Gupta, Rashi Bhushan, Sybil Sharvelle, Erik Porse, Andrea Achilli, Adriana Zuniga-Teran, Gregory Pierce, Dominic L. Boccelli, Charles P. Gerba, Melinda Morgan, Tzahi Y. Cath, Bruce Thomson, Steve Baule, Steve Glass, Mark Gold, James MacAdam, Luke Cole, Mead Mier, Catlow Shipek, and Thomas Meixner

Published Work | 2024 | ACS EST Water

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LADWP LA100 Equity Strategies Chapter 13. Energy Affordability and Policy Solutions Analysis

Pierce, Gregory; Coffee, Daniel; Sheinberg, Rachel; Patterson, Shona; Trumbull, Kelly ;Dunlap, Lauren; Sundar, Shweta; Pugh, Carolyn; Murillo, Alberto

Working Paper | 2023

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