Hundreds of thousands of people and businesses have joined the charge to support a healthier and cleaner region for all, and the number is growing by the day. We’re excited to showcase our Clean PowerCity Champions and share the inspiring ways they’re taking action. Today, we’re proud to welcome our first Clean PowerCity Business Champion, UC Davis Health, to the blog!
Over the past 15 years, SMUD’s partnership with UC Davis Health has helped achieve individual project electrification goals, as well as the shared goal of a sustainable, clean energy future. In fact, UC Davis Health became one of the first business customers to couple Commercial SolarShares with Greenergy, ensuring that 100% of their SMUD-provided power is carbon-free and cementing their standing as a regional leader in carbon reduction.
Most recently, the UC Davis Health and SMUD teams worked together to successfully elevate UCDH’s 2 newest projects—the Folsom Medical Care Center and 48X—to a new level of sustainability.
How’d they do it? First, UC Davis Health worked closely with the SMUD team to ensure all building and infrastructure timelines were supported. By collaborating closely with their SMUD Strategic Account Advisor Ryan Von Sossan, they got connected to the right teams within SMUD, like Integrated Design Solutions, which is a program designed to help businesses save carbon emissions by adding electrification and energy efficiency into its commercial building projects.
Thanks to the forward thinking of UC Davis Health’s Creed Kampa, AIA, Director, Project Delivery and Planning, and Lisa Hinton, Project Manager, Strategic Programs, the SMUD team was able to weigh in early on the design of the health system’s 2 new building complexes, helping to optimize the projects’ budgets and energy efficiency measures.
“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.
Kristina Bair, UC Davis Health’s Sustainability and Energy Director, says their longstanding partnership with SMUD is a natural one. “UC Davis Health and SMUD are both community anchors, prioritizing resiliency through responsible and clean energy management.”
For the all-electric Folsom Medical Care Center project, the team devised the first of its kind optimized heat recovery system, incorporating a dedicated air-to-water heat pump, an air-cooled chiller and a hydronic heat recovery system. These efforts resulted in almost $200,000 in incentives for UC Davis Health and its commitment to clean energy. These dollars are being put aside to create seed money for future sustainability improvement efforts, all so this innovative work can continue and grow, further reducing carbon emissions in our region.
For the 48X project, a major outpatient surgery center, the SMUD and UC Davis Health teams seized multiple opportunities for collaboration on the mechanical design of the 270,000 square-foot medical complex. Wherever possible, there were reductions in where electrical connections were needed and shifts made to convert technology from gas to electric. Ultimately, SMUD was able to provide UC Davis Health with over $28,000 in incentives.
For both projects, clean transportation was also figured into the plan. There are currently 20 Level II electric vehicle chargers installed at the Folsom site, and another 30 chargers identified for future installation.
Bair notes that while it does take a lot of early planning and coordination to make this kind of partnership possible, it’s beyond worth it. More than that, this kind of teamwork illustrates what’s possible for industry and clean energy. “This partnership demonstrates leadership that other businesses and their community utility providers can replicate, showcasing that with the right strategic planning, sustainability and community well-being go hand in hand.”
To become a Clean PowerCity Champion, join the charge today!
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