The University of California Davis (UC Davis) West Village is designed as a model community for zero net energy buildings in California. The 130-acre campus is expected to house nearly 3,000 people in 662 apartments and 343 single-family homes. The project is located in Davis in Yolo County and uses a variety of innovative energy savings measures and a large solar photovoltaic system that is expected to generate enough power to meet the needs of apartment residents and commercial entities.
To date, a four megawatt solar photovoltaic system, solar-reflective roofing, aggressive energy efficiency features, radiant barrier roof sheathing, high-efficiency light fixtures, and added insulation have been put into place. Units are equipped with high-efficiency air conditioning systems and appliances. On the horizon is an anaerobic digester that will produce biogas to generate electricity for the West Village neighborhood and the UC Davis campus.
Photos courtesy of UC Davis
Benefits
- Sustainable design of the site and buildings will reduce reliance on cars, limit energy consumption, enable energy production, and contribute to a healthy environment.
- The project created 20 permanent positions (on-site property management); nine full-time positions and employed 350 subcontractors during construction. (These figures do not include product manufacturing workforce.)
Key Developers and Partners
- West Village Community Partnership
- University of California, Davis.
- California Energy Commission
- Energy Commission matching American Reinvestment and Recovery Act grant program
- Energy Commission's New Solar Homes Partnership
- U.S. Department of Energy's Community Renewable Energy Deployment
- California Public Utility Commission's California Solar Initiative
Type of Project
Zero net energy mixed use, multi-unit housing community
Status
UC Davis West Village opened in August 2011. To date 662 student-resident apartments are available. . Future plans for single-family model homes are underway and timing for completion is still being determined.
SEE LOCATIONS ON THE TOUR
Alta Wind Farm Powers Homes
Wind
CleanWorld Sacramento BioDigester
Anaerobic digester
Desert Sunlight Solar Farm
Solar photovoltaic
Electric Vehicles International
Electric vehicle manufacturing
Eos Energy Storage
Energy Storage
The Geysers
Geothermal
Helms Pumped Storage Facility
Hydroelectric storage
Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System
Solar thermal
New Solar Homes Partnership
Solar Incentives
Playa Vista Elementary School
Green school
Proterra Zero-Emission Buses
Public Electric Vehicle Charging at the South Coast Air Quality Management District
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure
Santa Rita Jail
Smart grid/solar/wind/fuel cell/advanced energy storage/solar thermal
Shiloh Wind Power Plant
Wind Power
Solar Star Projects
UC Davis West Village
Zero net energy mixed use, multi-unit housing communities