Built Environment
6.0 Module Overview
Much of the modern built environment is designed in ways that are energy and resource inefficient. The way we build our future communities, including campuses, will dictate how well we can mitigate climate change, reduce waste, and make low-impact living easy for everyone to take part in. At UC Berkeley, we can use architecture and planning to create regenerative solutions that give our campus community the opportunity to live within the planet's ecological boundaries.
UC Berkeley produces 1 megawatt of electricity with solar panels!
6.1 More Sustainable Cities
This TED talk featured on the right articulates how we can both combat climate change while addressing our world's physical infrastructure needs. The speaker details examples within California in demonstrating the errors of city sprawl landscape.
6.2 UC Berkeley's Sustainable Development
Similar to the way in which a city has a general plan, UC Berkeley also makes a Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). The Long Range Development Plan outlines the campus's goals in regards to sustainability, academics, campus infrastructure, and accessibility. The current LRDP (2) along with its Environmental Impact Report are available to the public (3). The campus undergraduate population is expected to grow as is the campus built environment in the coming years, and thus the LRDP serves to bring these objectives into fruition by developing new and existing infrastructure.
The Campus Master Plan establishes a renewed long-term vision for the physical development of the Berkeley campus. The 2022 Campus Master Plan is a collection of proposals for big ideas and individual projects, all in support of UC Berkeley's recently updated strategic goals. The plan functions as a guide to help shape future capital project proposals and assist decision-makers in the review process.
In 2021, the Office of Sustainability spearheaded the UC Berkeley Sustainability Plan. The plan includes the more traditional environmental indicators like energy efficiency, green buildings and transportation, and provides a framework for intersectional and emerging topics. The vision statements for each section also serve as a guiding light to focus prioritization of goals and strategies.
Click the link on the right to learn more about Cal's sustainable development within Sproul Plaza.
Seismic Issues
As detailed in the LRDP, much of the schools funding for updating infrastructure has been going into updating outdated standards for earthquake resiliency. Seismic standards are currently in the process of evaluation, and the school plans to update the buildings with the most urgent demands first. Read this Berkeley news report on the left about current updates with Berkeley's seismic problems.
University LEED Certification
Watch this short video to learn about Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification, a metric used by many institutions including the UC system to measure the sustainability of buildings. The UC Policy on Sustainable Practices (4) requires that all new buildings achieve at least Silver certification and Berkeley stretches this goal requiring the higher Gold certification. Additionally all renovated buildings must achieve a LEED-ID+C rating. UC Berkeley also has an energy policy that outlines required efficiency measures and our campus design standards define additional measures to support sustainable water, indoor air quality, zero waste and more. According to the 2019 Berkeley Zero Waste Plan (5), as a prerequisite to LEED certification, construction projects must have a construction waste management plan defining material types and how to divert and dispose of them.
Learn about Chou Hall
Chou Hall is a LEED Platinum certified building and the first certified Zero Waste academic building in the country. Read more about Chou Hall's accomplishments in this report on the left which outlines the groundbreaking success of the building's sustainable design.
The campus currently has 21 LEED certified building projects, representing over 14% of total square footage.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
As part of Berkeley's commitment to a university community, all buildings must be designed with a Universal Design for Accessibility, as guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (6). To comply with this law, major renovations and new building must accommodate for everyone.
Buildings off the Main Campus
To ensure new buildings and large renovations off of the main campus energy system are more sustainable and low-carbon, the UC Policy on Sustainable Practices (9) requires them to be powered by 100% clean electricity. At Berkeley our newest building projects off of the central campus will be operated on clean power.
6.3 The College of Environmental Design
The Image above shows a side view of Wurster Hall, the main building on campus for the College of Environmental Design. Wurster Hall's design on campus is unique and is frequently associated with the architectural style of Brutalism. The building is meant to be timeless from freedom from stylistic quirks and stands as a unique building to teach future students of architecture.
Berkeley's own College of Environmental Design (CED) (11) proudly teaches the disciplines of architecture, city planning/urban design, landscape architecture, and sustainable environmental design under the need for a sustainably built world. Founded in 1959, the College of Environmental Design is a unique and integral resource that the University can draw upon. While traditionally seen as a professional practice, the College of Environmental Design engages its students with an intensive study of the theory behind their work. With sustainability courses integrated into their majors, students are encouraged to view architecture through an environmental lens. The College of Environmental Design is an integral part of Berkeley as an educational institution and it is important to recognize Berkeley's own contribution to the future of our built environments.