UC Davis Health’s pathway to decarbonization: The Central Utility Plant Expansion (CUPx) receives Regent approval
December 19, 2024
By Wes Ramirez
The UC Board of Regents has approved the Central Utility Plant Expansion (CUPx) project, a critical initiative to support the growth of the UC Davis Health campus and advance efforts to reduce fossil fuel use.
In 2017, UC Davis Health started master planning to modernize utility services and expand infrastructure to achieve UC Davis's goal of reducing fossil fuel use by 2040 and support growing utility campus demand for electricity.
The first major component of the master plan is constructing a new two-story building, the CUP Annex, next to the Central Utility Plant. This 33,000-square-foot structure will house electrical infrastructure and emergency generators, increasing capacity and meeting California and University of California air quality standards, as well as strengthening utility resiliency.
The CUPx marks the first step in transitioning the medical campus from onsite gas-fired generation to green power resources supplied by SMUD, Sacramento’s community-owned utility. SMUD offers a 100% renewable energy program called "Greenergy" that will enable UC Davis Health to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.
Of the 10 University of California campuses, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and UC Santa Cruz are well ahead of schedule in phasing out fossil fuels, with UC Davis and UC Davis Health at the forefront. Historically, UC Davis has been a national leader in sustainability and was named the “greenest” campus in the United States eight years in a row, according to the 2023 UI GreenMetric World University rankings.
While the Davis campus works on transitioning to green energy through a project called “The Big Shift,” the Sacramento campus is well underway with its own efforts, including the CUPx as well as five megawatts of rooftop solar systems on parking structures and the 48X Complex (currently under construction).
The Central Utility Plant will be the predominant power source for the 48X Complex when it opens July 1, 2025. The remaining energy will draw from onsite photovoltaic roof panels that will offset approximately 8% of the building’s annual energy consumption. The 48X Complex is projected to achieve a 35% reduction in energy use compared to the green building LEED rating system baseline to achieve LEED Gold Certification.
The CUPx project is scheduled to commence construction in early 2025 and will be completed in time to help support the opening of California Tower in 2030.