Better Buildings Alliance: Plug and Process Loads (PPLs) Webinar

How people use plug load devices can strongly affect their energy consumption. This webinar highlighted what factors are most important for certain types of devices, and how to reduce inefficiencies. Speakers: Felipe Leon, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Joy Pixley, University of California, Irvine Our Research Director, Dr. Joy Pixely talks about- Beyond Energy Efficiency:Adjusting How You […]

CalPlug Earth Day Workshop

CalPlug Workshop #16: April 22nd, 2021–Presented Online Even though many sustainability efforts have been made in the past 50 years such as reducing plastics, increasing recycling efforts, passing environmental regulations, protecting endangered species, etc., there is still much to do for our planet. CALIT2’s CalPlug continues to work with all stakeholders to find solutions to […]

On the Road with Wall of Power

One of the more popular demonstrations in the CalPlug Center housed at Calit2 is the “Wall of Power.” The living room simulation, equipped with everyday entertainment and household devices that plug into outlets, allows “consumers” to control energy usage by powering devices on and off, while seeing their energy consumption in real-time.

Exchanging Expertise to Improve Energy Efficiency

Policy makers, manufacturers, utility representatives and academic researchers joined forces last week at Calit2 to learn from each other in an attempt to advance energy efficiency measures in the rapidly growing plug load sector of electricity use.

Computer Power Use Research Phase 2 Begins

When Calit2 researchers launched a large-scale online survey at UC Irvine last spring to learn more about how people manage their computers’ energy usage, more than 2,000 people participated. The respondents included students, staff, faculty and retirees.

DOE Makes it Official at Calit2

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman announced that a UCI-led team of four Orange County colleges and universities was one of 20 chosen to design and build a solar-powered house for the national 2015 Solar Decathlon.

CEC Commissioner Tours CalPlug

California Energy Commissioner Chair Robert Weisenmiller made a stop at the CalPlug research and demonstration center to see first-hand the numerous energy-efficiency projects underway.

CalPlug welcomes Embertec!

Embertec is the latest member to join CalPlug. Embertec provides energy efficient solutions for consumer electronics and similar appliances.

CalPlug attending the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2013

CalPlug presented its latest progress in energy efficiency research, representing UCI at the Solar Decathlon this past October. The Set Top Box (STB) project was on display, which is focused on developing a prototype of next-generation energy-efficient set top boxes.

The Max Tech Competition Team: ZotWatt

The ZottWatt team aims to decrease the overall power consumption of the home entertainment system by changing the power states of the peripheral devices by adapting to predicted user behavior patterns and using innovative sensor technology.