The following message was shared with all UC Berkeley students, staff, and faculty on May 12, 2026:
Dear Campus Community:
As the 2025-26 academic year concludes, we are excited to share that UC Berkeley is beginning a transformational project that will redefine our campus infrastructure. This summer, work will begin on the Clean Energy Campus initiative, a comprehensive utility modernization that represents one of the most significant and forward-looking investments in our university's history.
To understand the scope and institutional impact of this initiative, we invite you to watch the video below. It provides a strategic overview of Phase 1, outlines the technical requirements, four-year timeline, and critical role this modernization project plays in our collective future:
This is not merely a project to replace aging pipes. By the conclusion of Phase 1 in just four years, we will reduce our total campus carbon emissions by an astounding 60%. And future phases will drive those emissions down even further as we transition toward a fully renewable energy future.
While years of intensive behind-the-scenes planning have been underway to reach this milestone, you will begin to see activity on the ground in the coming weeks. Following this year's commencement, initial "make-ready" work will begin. This involves rerouting existing campus utilities in the area around North Field to prepare the site for construction of the new Electrified Heating and Cooling Plant (EHCP) in spring 2027.
We recognize that a project of this magnitude necessitates careful coordination with daily campus operations. To maintain operational continuity and ensure project milestones are met efficiently:
- Building Managers: Your building managers are a vital two-way conduit for information. We have been meeting with them for quite some time to discuss the technical aspects of this project, and we will continue to meet every few weeks to discuss progress and proactively address any operational or instructional concerns.
- Strategic Scheduling: To minimize disruption, we will begin the initial make-ready work during the summer months when the campus population is at its lowest. During the academic year, work will be scheduled during off-hours to the extent feasible.
- Resources: We have added a detailed FAQ to the project website, which will be updated regularly with construction schedules, noise forecasts, and progress reports as initial work begins this summer.
This project is an investment in the long-term excellence of UC Berkeley. By modernizing our infrastructure today, we are building the foundation for the next century of groundbreaking research, world-class education, and environmental leadership.
Thank you for your patience and your partnership as we undertake this historic work together.
Fiat Lux, and Go Bears!
Marc Fisher
Vice Chancellor, Administration
Sally McGarrahan
Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities Services