SBCCD's Sustainability Plan

Kinesiology, Health Education and Aquatics Complex – Crafton Hills College 

A District’s Journey towards a Sustainable and Zero-Net-Energy Future

 "Our college district’s sustainable and zero-net-energy future is not just about protecting the planet, but also about empowering our students. By embracing sustainability, we're providing our students with an environment that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and global citizenship. Our journey towards a greener future is integral to student success, equipping them with the skills they need to thrive in a changing world." —Diana Z. Rodriguez, Chancellor, San Bernardino Community College District 

“Adopting sustainable strategies can unlock educational, health, and environmental benefits, fostering a climate-conscious mindset and paving the way for careers, communities, and education systems that prioritize climate action.” —Jose F. Torres, Executive Vice Chancellor, San Bernardino Community College District

San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) has a long-term sustainability plan in place for its college campuses. This plan emphasizes energy efficiency, with an ultimate goal of zero-net-energy district-wide, supporting their commitment to climate action.

In 2010, SBCCD recognized the need to take on a leadership role in promoting sustainability at all community colleges in the district. A thorough strategic planning effort created a set of formal sustainable goals to carry SBCCD into the future. Two years later, in 2012, SBCCD finalized their sustainability efforts into a formal set of seven goals as the bedrock of their plan: create a campus-wide culture of sustainability, incorporate sustainability into developing new and renovated facilities, invest in renewable and efficient energy programs, develop a more sustainable transportation system, develop a more sustainable procurement system for materials and supplies, enhance curricular opportunities for sustainability education, and lastly, establish a commitment to climate action. These goals were published as SBCCD’s first formal sustainability plan.

SBCCD developed its sustainability plan in response to its participation with the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Key legislative actions, including California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) and the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program (SB 100, 2018), in addition to the California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan and the California Green Building Code informed the SBCCD plan. SBCCD also hired a private energy consulting firm known for their expertise in sustainability planning for educational entities, who led the planning process and acted as technical advisor to create and define sustainability goals and the different zero-net-energy retrofit and campus infrastructure energy upgrade projects for SBCCD.

With their energy projects and goals defined, SBCCD ventured into the design of zero-net-energy buildings. A two-year project at Valley College to build a central plant with thermal energy storage was begun. In 2018, the Economic Development and Corporate Training (EDCT) Building was modernized, capitalizing on available Proposition 39 funds for energy upgrades under the auspices of the Southern California Edison (SCE) ZNE Schools Retrofit Pilot Program. Creating a partnership with SCE was instrumental in educating SBCCD in the methodology of energy efficiency and implementing the strategies that brought the building’s renovation to zero-net-energy.

Subsequently, Proposition 39 became instrumental in aiding SBCCD’s quest for energy efficiency throughout its campuses. SBCCD was the only community college district to participate in and complete the Proposition 39 ZNE Schools Pilot Program, a program that was created to assist schools in retrofitting existing facilities to zero-net-energy by leveraging Proposition 39 funding. SBCCD used the funds to provide new energy efficient lighting for their campus buildings, replacing aging fluorescent fixtures with new LED luminaires and incorporating wireless controls and daylight harvesting sensors.

In 2020, the California Community College Office of the Chancellor, Office of Sustainability Policies adopted a plan to have the State’s community colleges align their goals with the Climate Change Scoping Plan outlined in the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32). The plan established seven model goals:  reduce greenhouse gas emission levels, increase renewable energy consumption, upgrade the district fleet vehicles to zero-emission vehicles, increase the number of buildings throughout the district that will be zero-net-energy, achieve LEED Silver or equivalent in new projects, increase procurement of sustainable products and services, and reduce municipal solid waste. SBCCD modified its Sustainability Master Plan to include these goals, delivering a road map to the district-wide implementation of LEED certified projects, energy infrastructure projects, and zero-net-energy campuses.

Examples of SBCCD’s commitment to a clean energy future are the use of 170 kW solar photovoltaic carport canopies in the SBCCD Administration Office parking lots, and the implementation of solar tubes, LED lighting, and high efficiency mechanical systems in the administration building retrofit. The creation of a 1.3 MW solar farm at the Crafton Hills College campus and the construction of a new central utility plant at San Bernardino Valley College, employing a large thermal energy storage system that shifts cooling energy to nighttime hours, are other examples of how SBCCD has been able to save kilowatt hours of energy district-wide and reduce utility costs.

A district-wide, user-friendly dashboard that monitors the energy and water use for each campus was also instrumental in tracking SBCCD’s sustainability goals, serving as a data-informed process for implementing improvements where needed. Each campus tracked the use of electricity, natural gas, water, and solar energy in real time over a period of years as the campuses were upgraded, expanded, and renovated. Tracked by month and year for several years, there is an at-a-glance overview of the different types of energy use; both gas and solar energies are monitored and recorded, as is utility-provided electricity and the costs for each campus. Comparisons of solar- generated electricity to utility-delivered power are also recorded, creating a means to review on-site power generation and evaluate the potential to improve and upgrade the existing systems in place at each campus, and reduce reliance on gas powered systems. 
Water use is also monitored within the dashboard for each campus by month and year, providing a clear picture of the needs of each campus at any given point and using data to inform strategies for the use of potable and non-potable water sources.

SBCCD has also developed goals in its sustainability plan for community education and awareness, addressing the fragility of California’s water resources, extreme climate events and energy shortages and responding to the challenges faced by the communities near the campus. Emergency preparedness goals such as community resilience centers on each campus to respond to preemptive grid shutdowns and natural disasters, and community sustainability goals such as structuring water supplies to benefit both campus and municipal needs serves as an environmental and economic benefit for both SBCCD and the surrounding communities. These mutually beneficial goals contribute to the overall success of the sustainability plan and demonstrate how SBCCD’s actions have far-reaching benefit.

SBCCD’s sustainability plan has resulted in significant cost savings; therefore, the focus is on replicating these improvements across its campuses. Every five years, SBCCD re-evaluates and adjusts the sustainability plan to reflect technological advancements and current needs of the campuses within the district. Constant evaluation of the sustainability plan, both quantitative and qualitative, have been key in encouraging SBCCD to advance its zero-net-energy and sustainable future.

San Bernardino Community College District

Diana Rodriguez, Chancellor, San Bernardino Community College District
Jose Torres, Executive Vice Chancellor, San Bernardino Community College District
Farrah Farzaneh, Director of Facilities, Planning and Construction, San Bernardino Community College District 
Yash Patel, Sustainability and Energy Manager, San Bernardino Community College District