Climate & Sustainability
UC Santa Cruz adopts future climate reality data to design resilient buildings
In collaboration with the University of California Office of the President, the campus is utilizing “future-shifted climate data” to assist campus facilities in withstanding the changing temperature realities of the 21st century.
As part of its commitment to long-term sustainability and environmental resilience, UC Santa Cruz has adapted how campus buildings and infrastructure are designed. In collaboration with the University of California Office of the President, the campus is utilizing “future-shifted climate data” to assist campus facilities in withstanding the changing temperature realities of the 21st century.
Designing a building’s mechanical network using past weather records is no longer viable if campuses want these structures to maintain occupant comfort and energy efficiency for decades to come. By applying this future-shifted weather data, UCSC can intelligently right-size our buildings and systems. This work is effectively building the infrastructure today that can seamlessly evolve alongside our environment tomorrow, avoiding costly future retrofits while keeping our carbon reduction goals in sight.
Past industry practices have utilized historic weather data to size to our current climate. Utilizing historical weather files from decades past poses operational risks as global temperatures rise. To address this, future-shifted data arms project teams with predictive tools tailored to the future climates anticipated at UC campuses.
By leveraging advanced modeling toolsets, designers can now simulate building performance under changing levels of heat and humidity. Rather than oversizing equipment—which leads to unnecessary capital costs and energy inefficiencies—the project’s design guidance emphasizes intentional, cost-balanced engineering, based on overall lifecycle costing.
Designing buildings for future climate realities is just one component of UC Santa Cruz’s comprehensive approach to sustainable construction. The University’s new buildings are designed to achieve LEED Gold certification and include all-electric systems that utilize carbon-free electricity supplied through the University of California’s Clean Power Program. Campus building projects maximize energy efficiency through thoughtful building design, high-performance systems, and careful material selection. Water conservation is also prioritized through high-efficiency fixtures and innovative strategies such as rainwater harvesting and water reuse where appropriate. Together, these efforts reflect UC Santa Cruz’s commitment to creating resilient, high-performing buildings that reduce environmental impact while serving students, faculty, and staff for generations to come.