The University of California has reported significant financial savings from its sustainability initiatives, according to its latest Annual Sustainability Report. Since 2010, the university system has saved about $620 million by improving energy efficiency across its facilities, with $100 million in savings realized in 2024 alone.
Nathan Brostrom, Chief Financial Officer for the University of California, addressed common concerns about the cost of sustainable operations. “There’s a general misconception that environmentally sustainable operations are more costly than doing business as usual,” Brostrom said. “But what we’ve found over 22 years of setting and meeting ambitious sustainability goals at the University of California is that environmental and financial sustainability are two sides of the same coin, because using resources more efficiently often cuts costs as well. Decision-makers across the university are prioritizing sustainability projects and programs that also provide cost savings.”
UC Berkeley is undertaking a major project to replace its central power and heat plant with an electrified heating and cooling system and thermal energy storage tank. The campus estimates this transition will save $670 million over 25 years by reducing fossil fuel purchases and avoiding maintenance on older infrastructure. This initiative was highlighted in a recent report detailing strategies for decarbonizing UC operations by 2045, which involved input from students, faculty, and staff at all campuses.
In healthcare settings, all six UC Health locations have adopted reprocessing protocols for medical devices such as surgical instruments and blood pressure cuffs. By following FDA-approved procedures for cleaning and sterilization, these sites saved $11.7 million last year while diverting nearly a quarter million pounds of waste from landfills.
UCLA Health replaced around 10,000 fluorescent lights with LED bulbs during the past year. This upgrade resulted in $120,000 in utility savings and reduced carbon emissions equivalent to driving a gas-powered car over half a million miles.
At UC San Diego, adaptive reuse played a role in construction cost savings when transforming an old fishery building into the Marine Conservation and Technology Facility. The project achieved a 12% reduction in costs compared to new construction while earning LEED Gold certification.
Student-led efforts at UCLA included purchasing 2,000 reusable to-go containers with grant funding from UC’s Global Climate Leadership Council. In their first year of use, these containers helped save $56,000 previously spent on single-use items along with $8,500 in waste management expenses.
UC San Francisco upgraded over 130 specimen freezers to more energy-efficient models through its ULT Freezer Rebate Program. This change led to $174,000 in electrical cost savings within just over one year; expanding this program could yield up to $2.3 million annually if applied campus-wide.
The university continues to track progress toward its goal of eliminating carbon emissions by 2045 through annual reporting and evaluation of decarbonization strategies.
