UC Davis Health + SMUD: Advancing clean energy together

UC Davis Health was recently recognized as SMUD’s first Clean PowerCity Business Champion, celebrating a 15‑year partnership focused on clean energy, electrification and long‑term sustainability for the Sacramento region.

Powering our facilities with carbon‑free energy

UC Davis Health was one of the first business customers to ensure that 100% of our SMUD‑provided electricity is carbon‑free. Early collaboration with SMUD’s technical teams has helped integrate energy‑efficient and electrified systems into new construction projects across our health system.

Folsom Medical Care Center

UC Davis Health’s Director of Physical Planning Creed Kampa and Project Manager of Capital Projects Lisa Hinton, both in the Department of Facilities Planning and Development, coordinated with SMUD’s Integrated Design Solutions program on the new all‑electric Folsom Medical Care Clinic. The site includes an innovative heat‑recovery system featuring a dedicated air‑to‑water heat pump, an air‑cooled chiller and hydronic heat recovery.

These efforts resulted in almost $200,000 in incentives, which UC Davis Health will reinvest into future sustainability improvements. The site also includes 20 Level II electric vehicle chargers, with 30 more planned.

“The UC Davis Health team engaged SMUD early in the design phase for both projects, bringing value, not only in potential incentives, but technical support for electrification technologies,” said SMUD Senior Mechanical Engineer Ryan Hammond.

48X Outpatient Surgery Center

For the 270,000‑square‑foot 48X Complex, early partnership with SMUD helped shift equipment from gas to electric and optimize mechanical design. SMUD provided over $28,000 in incentives for this work.

“UC Davis Health and SMUD are both community anchors, prioritizing resiliency through responsible and clean energy management,” said UC Davis Health’s Sustainability and Energy Director Kristina Bair.

This partnership demonstrates how strategic planning and teamwork can reduce emissions, enhance community well‑being and serve as a model for organizations across the region.