Past Seminars & Webinars

Large Diameter, Shallow Bore Heat Exchangers for Ground-Source Heat Pumps

Webinar July 8, 2020

Ground-coupled heat pumps reduce cooling load in summer and heating load in winter by using the relatively constant temperature of the earth as the heat exchange medium instead of the outside air. By exchanging heat with the mild ground temperatures, ground-coupled heat pumps are more efficient than air-source designs and use less power during peak electricity demand. The biggest barrier to more widespread adoption of this technology is the cost.

In this webinar, researchers will describe the results from a project investigating a lower cost heat exchanger design for ground-source heat pumps. Researchers developed and validated modeling tools for simulating a ground heat exchanger (GHE) technology, and used those models to estimate the performance of these systems in multiple California climate zones. These modeling tools can be used to facilitate proper GHE sizing for a full range of applications and should streamline acceptance of this emerging technology.

Speakers

Curtis Harrington–R&D Engineering Supervisor, UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Antash Najib – Graduate Student Researcher, UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center

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Putting Vacant Buildings to Sleep

Webinar June 16, 2020

Office and campus buildings consume a lot of electricity when nobody is in them. Why? When UC Davis experienced a 90% reduction in occupancy, electricity use only fell by 15%. When the Empire State Building was nearly 100% vacant, electricity use only fell 28%. What is using all this energy? Can it be safely switched off or reduced? In this webinar, Alan Meier will share the results of a study he led at UC Davis to investigate these types of questions. One of their key findings was that audio/video racks in classrooms are surprisingly large consumers of energy. Alan will discuss some of the challenges to saving electricity and understanding building occupancy. This study and continued work in this area will help UC Davis and other campuses/offices save energy.

Speaker

Dr. Alan Meier–Adjunct Professor, UC Davis Environmental Science & Policy; Faculty Researcher, UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute; Senior Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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The Honda Smart Home at UC Davis: A Showcase of Environmental Innovation

Webinar June 11, 2020
In this webinar, Michael will provide a virtual tour and introduction to the Honda Smart Home, which showcases technologies that enable zero net energy living and transportation. After his short presentation, there will be Q&A time.

The Honda Smart Home in UC Davis West Village is capable of producing more energy on-site from renewable sources than it consumes annually, including enough energy to power a Honda Fit EV for daily commuting. A Honda-developed home energy management system and an energy efficient design allow the occupants to use less than half of the energy of a similarly sized new home in the Davis area for heating, cooling and lighting. The home is also three times more water-efficient than a typical U.S. home. In addition to showcasing Honda’s vision for sustainable, zero-carbon living and personal mobility, the home also functions as a living laboratory where the company, along with researchers from UC Davis and Pacific Gas and Electric Co., evaluate new technologies and business opportunities at the intersection of housing, transportation, energy and the environment.

Speakers
Michael Koenig, Project Leader, Honda Smart Home

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Energy Bites–May 29, 2020

Bite 1: Electrical Performance of Distributed DC Lighting Systems–Drew Harper, California Lighting Technology Center
Bite 2: Sending the Wrong Signal? Revisiting the CPUC’s Marginal GHG Emissions Assumptions–Greg Miller, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency & Energy Graduate Group
Bite 3: Energy Load Shifting Strategies for Wastewater Treatment Plants–Erin Musabandesu, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency & Energy Graduate Group
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The Path to COVID-19 Recovery–How to Improve Indoor Air Quality when Reopening K-12 Schools

Webinar May 28, 2020

Since COVID-19 could potentially be spread through the air, there is a role for building ventilation and filtration to help reduce airborne exposures to infectious aerosols. In this webinar we will review research and recommendations for improving indoor air quality in K-12 classrooms when (or prior to) reopening schools during COVID-19 recovery.

Speakers

Rengie Chan-Research Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Theresa Pistochini, Engineering Manager, UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center

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Energy Bites–May 22, 2020

Speaker 1: Cost-Constrained Optimization of Energy Efficiency for New Commercial Buildings – David Vernon, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Speaker 2: Why Are Fleets Buying Electric Vehicles and Why Aren’t They Buying More? – Claire Sugihara, Energy Graduate Group
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Energy Bites–May 15, 2020

Speaker 1: Feeder-Level Grid Impacts of Light Duty EV Charging in California – Jake Highleyman, Energy Graduate Group
Speaker 2: Demand Response and the UC Davis Central Chilled Water System – Devon Schmidt, Energy Graduate Group
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Energy Bites–May 8, 2020

Speaker 1: Addressing Key Challenges for Model Predictive Control Applied to HVAC Systems – Matt Ellis, Chemical Engineering
Speaker 2: Duct Losses for Variable Speed Residential HVAC Systems – Fred Meyers, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Time: 12pm to 1pm
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May 8 Webinar–Internship and Career Panel: Tips for Success

In this webinar, three current/recent UC Davis graduates in the energy field will share their background and internship/career experiences. There will plenty of Q&A time so please bring your questions.
Speakers:
Jean Ji – Master’s student, UC Davis Energy Graduate Group
Nick Pappas – Director of Strategic Initiatives, CalCCA
Mekdem Wright – Sustainability Consultant, Anthesis Group
Time: 10am to 11am PST
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Energy Bites Webinar–May 1, 2020

Speaker 1: High Accuracy, Low Cost Ventilation Verification Tool for Testing and Commissioning HVAC Systems – Caton Mande, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Time: 12pm to 1pm
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Energy Bites Zoom Seminar–April 24, 2020

Speaker 1: Indirect Evaporative Cooling for Residential Applications – Theresa Pistochini, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Speaker 2: District Energy & the Pathway to Carbon Neutrality on Campus – Joshua Morejohn, Facilities
Time: 12pm to 1pm
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Energy Bites Zoom Seminar–April 17, 2020

Speaker 1: Ground Source Heat Exchanger Experiments and Modeling – Antash Najib, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Speaker 2: Using Deep Space to Produce Power and Cooling – Jeremy Munday, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Date: 04/17/2020
Time: 12pm to 1pm
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Energy Bites Zoom Seminar–April 10, 2020

Speaker 1: Energy Efficiency and Load Shifting through Water Demand Management – Robert Good, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
Speaker 2: Analysis of NOx Emissions from Hybrid Heating Technologies in California – Nelson Dichter, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Date: 04/10/2020
Time: 12pm to 1pm
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Energy Bites Zoom Seminar–April 3, 2020

Speaker 1: Legal and Policy Implications of Cities’ Natural Gas Bans – Rebecca Ruff, Policy Institute of Energy, Environment and the Economy
Speaker 2: On-Sun Characterization of Microchannel Solar Thermal Receivers–Preliminary Findings – Erfan Rasouli, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Date: 04/03/2020
Time: 12pm to 1pm
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Lighting Revolutions in Technology, Design, and Application

Speaker: Morgan Pattison, Senior Technical Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy Lighting R&D Program
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 2/6/2020
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Alumni Panel

Speakers:
Nick Pappas, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Outreach, CalCCA
Sandesh Rallapalli, Sr. Manager II, Asset Digitization Strategy, Walmart
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 12/6/2019
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Getting the Solutions Right: Scoping the Risks of Mitigating Climate Change

Speaker: Rob Socolow, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/22/2019
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Presentation Slides

Understanding Transport and Chemical Phenomena in Solar Fuel Generators for Water and Carbon Dioxide Splitting

Speaker: Rohini Bala Chandran, Associate Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 11/18/2019
Time: 12:15pm to 1:30pm
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis

How Onsite Non-Potable Water Reuse Systems Can Secure California’s Water Future: Barriers, Solutions, and the Business Case

Host: UC Davis Energy Exchange Webinar Series
Date: 11/21/2019
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Negotiating the Clean Energy Transition: California's Experiment in Progress

Speaker: Meredith Fowlie, Associate Professor, UC Berkeley
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/15/2019
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Scientific and Engineering Challenges and Opportunities to Enable Net Zero Emissions Energy Systems

Speaker: Nate Lewis, Professor, California Institute of Technology
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/8/2019
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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America’s Electric Cooperatives are Meeting Next-Generation Energy Needs

Speaker: Curtis Wynn, President & CEO, Roanoke Electric Cooperative
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/01/2019
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Saving Electricity in a Hurry

Speaker: Dr. Alan Meier, Adjunct Professor, UC Davis
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/18/2019
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Determining the Role of Energy Storage in Zero-Emission Energy Systems: Assessing and Comparing Environmental Benefits and Impacts at Scale

Speaker: Brian Tarroja, Assistant Professional Researcher, UC Irvine
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/11/2019
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Exploring Residential Energy (In)Justice Across Race, Class, and Place

Speaker: Tony Reames, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/04/2019
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Ensure Effective Water Delivery and Optimize Energy Use: Enabling Data Driven Choices with Smart Software

Host: UC Davis Energy Exchange Webinar Series
Date: 08/29/2019
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Building Leakage Diagnostics with IoT Enabled Sensor Networks

Host: UC Davis Energy Exchange Webinar Series
Date: 08/27/2019
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Highlights from CLTC’s Recent EPIC Research

Host: UC Davis Energy Exchange Webinar Series
Date: 06/25/2019
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Autonomous Buildings: Data-Driven Control of HVAC Systems

Speaker: Prabir Barooah, Associate Professor, University of Florida
Date: 06/11/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Aerosol Sealing of Building Envelopes in New Construction

Host: UC Davis Energy Exchange Webinar Series
Date: 06/25/2019
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That word we’re using doesn’t mean what we think it means: Examining the greenhouse gas emissions and marginal abatement costs of Zero Net Energy homes in California

Speaker: Ben White, Ph.D. Candidate, Transportation Technology and Policy, UC Davis
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 05/24/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis

Energy Bites–May 31

Speaker 1: Siting and Integrating Hydropower Turbines within Water Distribution Systems – Celia Kitchell, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
Speaker 2: Ground Source Heat Exchanger Modeling – Antash Najib, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 05/31/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Energy Bites–May 17

Speaker 1: Assessing the Potential of Water Distribution Demand Flexibility for Accelerating California’s Energy Transition – Greg Miller, Energy Graduate Group/Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
Speaker 2: Variable Capacity Heat Pumps for Residential Systems, Including Duct System Efficiency – Caton Mande and Curtis Harrington, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 05/17/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Energy Bites–May 10

Field Trip: California Lighting Technology Center
Speakers: Nicole Hathaway and Philip von Erberich
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 05/10/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 633 Pena Drive, Davis, CA

Energy Bites–May 3

Speaker 1: TBD – Ryan Barr, Green Technology Laboratory
Speaker 2: Microchannel Heat Exchangers for Residential Applications – Erfan Rasouli, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 05/03/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Energy Bites–April 26

Speaker 1: Indoor Air–What Do We Worry About and How is it Related to Energy? – Deborah Bennett, School of Medicine/Public Health Sciences
Speaker 2: Evaluation of Behavior-Based Efficiency Programs: Overview of Recent Projects and Lessons Learned – Andrew Holguin, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 04/26/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Energy Bites–April 12

Speaker 1: Pow Wow Energy/Water Monitoring System – Daoyuan Wang, Russel Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility
Speaker 2: Estimating Agricultural Groundwater Extraction with Energy Data – Jon Martindill, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 04/12/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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21st Century Electric Power System Architecture

Speaker: Lorenzo Kristov, Independent Consultant
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 05/17/2019
Time: 10:15am to 11:30am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Next Generation Residential Space Conditioning System Technology Recommendations to California

Host: California Energy Commission
Date: 04/3/2019
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Energy Bites–April 5

Speaker 1: Cow Cooling Update – Matt Stevens, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Speaker 2: Low-cost Sensors for HVAC Duct and Building Envelope Leakage Screening – Armando Casillas, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 04/05/2019
Time: 11:45am to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Performance Evaluation of Software-Controlled Switched Reluctance Motors

Host: UC Davis Energy Exchange Webinar Series
Date: 03/19/2019
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(Re)Defining the Utility of Energy in the Built Environment

Speaker: Duzgun Agdas, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology
Host: Energy and Efficiency Institute
Date: 03/06/2019
Time: 12:00pm to 1:00pm (Lunch will be served)
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, Room 1103, West Village, UC Davis
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Alumni Panel

Speakers:
Magdalena Brum, Project Engineer, kW Engineering
Jeff Gleeson, Product Manager, Google
Michael Lingenfelter, Assistant Vice President, Relationship Manager, CleanTech Corporate Banking Group, Wells Fargo
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 12/7/2018
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 215 Sage Street, Room 1104, West Village, UC Davis

Developing new catalysts and processes for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals

Speaker: Thomas Jaramillo, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering, Stanford University
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/30/2018
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Transportation Electrification and the Low Carbon Grid: Perspectives from E3’s work in California, Hawaii and New York

Speaker: Nancy Ryan, Partner, Energy + Environmental Economics (E3)
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/09/2018
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Energy Issues in California

Speaker: Drew Bohan, Executive Director, California Energy Commission
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/02/2018
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Achieving Beneficial Electrification: Lessons Learned from the CPUC’s Clean Energy Programs

Speaker: Carla Peterman, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/26/2018
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Net-Zero Emissions Energy Systems

Speaker: Steve Davis, Associate Professor of Earth System Science, UC Irvine
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/19/2018
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Raising Voices Against Rising Seas: How Bold Policies Are Needed And How California is Meeting the Challenge

Speaker: Senator Nancy Skinner
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/12/2018
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: UC Davis School of Law, 400 Mrak Hall Dr., Room 1001

Groundhog Day: The Making of California Energy Policy and Cyclical Crisis

Speaker: Bob Foster, President, Prometheus Advisors
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/05/2018
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis
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Dreaming the Future: How Zero Net Energy Design Can Transform the School Environment

Host: New Buildings Institute
Date: 6/23/2018
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Energy Bites – June 1, 2018

Bite 1: UC Davis Tracer Gas Airflow Measurement System
Caton Mande, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Bite 2: Aerosol Sealing in New Construction
Curtis Harrington, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
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Energy Bites – May 11, 2018

Bite 1: Onsite Non-Potable Water Systems: Overcoming the Barriers
Amanda Rupiper, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
Bite 2: Carbon Neutrality Initiative: Outreach and Engagement
Maria Wong, UC Davis Carbon Neutrality Initiative
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Energy Bites – May 4, 2018

Bite 1: Improving Water and Energy Efficiency in California’s Dairy Industry
Theresa Pistochini, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Bite 2: Energy Demand Management Systems for Potable Water Systems: A Case Study
Erin Musabandesu, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
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Energy Bites – April 27, 2018

Bite 1: Energy Savings and Demand Management Impacts of the Water Sector on the California Electricity Grid
Soraya Manzor, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
Bite 2: Inferring Thermal Comfort from Human Gestures
Alan Meier, Energy and Efficiency Institute
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Energy Bites – April 13, 2018

Bite 1: Absorbent Pre-coolers/Water Battery
Jose Garcia, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Bite 2: Efficiency Improvements of Variable-Speed Residential Air-Conditioners with Ductwork
Sreenidhi Krishnamoorthy, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
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Energy Bites – April 6, 2018

Bite 1: Evaluation of Thermal Energy Storage for Utility Grid Operators
Nelson Dichter, Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Bite 2: Reducing Electricity Grid Imbalances through Energy Demand Management of Water Delivery Infrastructure
Robert Good, Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
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Beyond Energy Efficiency: How Big Data Can Lead to Socially Responsible Design

Speaker: Erica Cochran, Assistant Professor and Dream Project Director at Carnegie Mellon University
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 12/08/2017
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis

Seminar Video

Energy Owned by the People: Electric Cooperatives in the 21st Century

Speaker: Adam Schwartz, Founder & Principal, The Cooperative Way
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 12/01/2017
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis

Seminar Video

UC Davis Alumni in Energy Careers

Speaker: Wayne Leighty, Ryan Taylor, and Carolyn Weiner
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/17/2017
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis

Seminar Video

Integrating Distributed Resources into the U.S. Power System

Speaker: Marilyn Brown, Professor in the School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 11/3/2017
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis

Seminar Video

Smart Electric Distribution Systems of the Future

Speaker: Sid Suryanaraynan, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State Univerisity
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/27/2017
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis

Seminar Video

Automating Demand Response and DR Value in California's Energy Future

Speaker: Mary Ann Piette, Director of the Building Technology and Urban Systems Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/20/2017
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis

Seminar Video

Disruptive Energy Futures

Speaker: Amory Lovins, Cofounder and Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute
Host: Energy Efficiency Center
Date: 10/18/2017
Time: 4:00 to 5:30pm
Location: Kalmanowitz Appellate Courtroom, UC Davis School of Law

Seminar Video

California Goes Green–Its Road to Climate Leadership

Speaker: Michael Peevey, Former President of the California Public Utilities Commission
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/13/2017
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: 1605 Tilia Street, West Village, UC Davis

Seminar Video

Climate Change and Technical Paths to a Sustainable Future

Speaker: Steven Chu, William Kenan Professor of Physics and Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology at Stanford University
Host: Energy Graduate Group
Date: 10/06/2017
Time: 10:30am to 11:50am
Location: Kalmanowitz Appellate Courtroom, UC Davis School of Law, 400 Mrak Hall Drive

Download Steven Chu's Presentation