Energy & Water Conservation

Water you doing to save water and energy?

See a leak in a RSSP housing location? Report it to facilities at this link.

Though California may not currently be in a drought, that is not an excuse to forget about water conservation! California has a history of severe droughts that date back to the early 1900s, and with climate change looming, our state reservoirs, aquifers, and groundwater levels continue to be at risk. By being more conscious of our water usage and making it a habit to save water, our combined efforts will improve the sustainability of California’s water resources.

  • General Facts
      • 50% of water on campus is used in showers, bathrooms, and kitchens.
      • Rainfall in 2015 was a record low–the lowest since 1580.
      • Although rainfall has increased, California’s reservoirs have not yet recovered.
      • Saving water also saves the energy needed to transport and treat water.
      • The UC Berkeley Energy Office is currently working to conserve energy on campus by improving energy conservation practices for heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, equipment, construction and renovation projects.
  • What are UC Berkeley’s goals?
      • Reduce water use by 10% below 2008 levels, and reduce water use by 20% by 2020. This goal has been met.
      • In total the campus currently uses 614 million gallons of water, which is almost 20% less than in 2008 – meaning the campus goal has been met twice over. Use is estimated to be down 10% since the drought declaration.
      • The goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2014 was achieved.
      • Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2025, which is still in progress.
  • What can you do to conserve water and energy?
      • Take shorter showers.
        • Shortening your shower by 5 minutes can save more than 12 gallons of water. If everyone on campus did this for a week, we would save 3 MILLION gallons of water.
      • Only turn on the faucet when you need to rinse the soap off your hands. This can save ½ gallon of water each time.
      • Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth, and check all faucets for drips.
      • Fix any leaks in your home!
      • Turn off lights and other electronics when not in use. Unplug any cords not being used to charge or power devices – they sap a lot of energy when plugged in regardless.
      • Open your windows and use natural light to brighten your room.
      • Shift toward reusables and only buy things you really need. Always buy locally when you can, to avoid energy costs of packaging and shipping.
      • See additional tips on saving energy from the Office of Sustainability, here.

Read more about UC Berkeley’s Water Goals here and Energy Goals here.