Theme: Water Conservation & Efficiency

These projects focus on how to reduce the amount of water we use on campus, how to ensure that campus waterways are free of harmful pollutants or educate our campus community about the importance of water conservation and water use reduction strategies. 

Rainwater Harvesting System III

Project Description

Project RISHI is a nonprofit organization committed to the sustainable development of rural Indian communities. Since 2013, the UC Berkeley chapter has worked in Bharog Baneri, Himachal Pradesh to address the key challenge of agricultural water stress. Our Water and Sanitation project group focuses on Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RHS), which collect and store rainwater for use during dry seasons, ensuring reliable water access for subsistence farmers. These systems support water justice, food security, and stable livelihoods. Since 2018 we have installed 29...

Cal Enviro Water Treatment

Project Description

Cal Environmental Team (Cal Enviro) is a Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) competition team and DeCal. Our mission is to impart the fundamentals of wastewater treatment and sustainable engineering design, provide hands-on laboratory and construction experience, and opportunities for students to improve their public speaking and technical writing skills.

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Clark Kerr Rain Garden Community Garden Project

Project Description

Our focus will be on the Building 2 Courtyard at the Clark Kerr Campus. Currently, because of poor landscaping and irrigation, water is constantly flooding directly into the entrance of the building and off into the street. Recently, an orchard was planted in the courtyard; however, when it rains, the water flows directly down the side of the building to the door, rather than to the newly planted trees. It is vital that this area be modified, not only for functionality, but for sustainability purposes as well.

Please note due to permitting challenges...

Autoclave Replacement

Project Description

Proposed funding for this project will aid continued student research throughout the following academic year. Through an in-depth evaluation of the outdated autoclaves housed in the Life Sciences Addition (LSA) building, findings have since spurred a broader discussion among other campus labs and a desire to continue research on behalf of future sterilizer upgrades based on their autoclave needs.

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Rainwater Harvesting Program

Project Description

The Rainwater Harvesting Project was founded with the ideals of sustainability and conservation firmly rooted in mind. It aims to address two issues: UC Berkeley mostly uses municipally supplied water that is treated to the standards of drinking water for irrigation, while rainwater from many campus-building rooftops is diverted directly into Strawberry Creek without filtration. Additional money and energy resources are wasted when potable water is consumed for non-potable demands and excess chlorine from treated water runs off into the stream during rain...

Elimination of Single-Pass Water Cooling Systems in Support of the UCOP Sustainability Policy

Project Description

Scientific instruments that go to low temperatures generate large amounts of waste heat along the way. Water-cooling is the primary method used to cool such equipment. Water-cooling is often open loop (also called "single pass"), meaning all the cooling water used runs through the system only once, with a continuous supply and drain of water through the system, leading to enormous water waste. In contrast, recirculating water systems, which consist of a water chiller that uses common refrigerants to cool a recirculating, closed water loop, use the same quantity of...

Water Conservation in the Cal Greeks Community

Project Description

This grant will fund a water conservation competition amongst the fraternities and sororities, the installation of water conservation retrofits & appliances, and an education & outreach program.

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Installation of Bottle Refill Stations 2012

Project Description

Funding will be used to install three bottle refill stations and sixteen bottle filler retrofits.

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Water Metering and Sub-metering of UC Campus Buildings

Project Description

Update water meters on several buildings and install efficient toilets in Wurster.

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Project Application

Water Efficiency at the Goldman School of Public Policy

Project Description

The Water Efficiency at the Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) project will enable GSPP to save water, reduce waste, lower its water bill, and be recognized as a “Water Smart Business.” With an accompanying education component to encourage students to be conscious of resource use and keep their reusable water bottles, this project will increase water efficiency and conservation through the replacement of an aged fountain with a water bottle filling station, installation of waterless urinals, hosting educational student events, and achieving recognition...