CIEE postdoctoral researcher and Fulbright scholar Dr. Isabel Méndez is working with Dr. Therese Peffer to develop AI-powered thermostats that use language and empathy to make smart energy technology more intuitive and human-centered.
The Thermostat that Talks: How Dr. Isabel Méndez is Humanizing Smart Technology Read More »
The BEST Center hosted its fourteenth Building Automation Systems workshop in Milwaukee, bringing instructors from across the country together for five days of training, peer collaboration, and ideation for the future of energy-efficient building design.
CIEE postdoctoral scholar Phillippe Phanivong reflects on his two years spent with the Oakland EcoBlock project, sharing lessons on advancing California’s decarbonization efforts through technical innovation and community collaboration.
Dr. Phillippe Phanivong on EcoBlock and Our Environmental Future Read More »
Associate Director Dr. Therese Peffer and CIEE affiliate Dr. Miriam Aczel recently visited Europe to present their research on responsible AI use and sustainable buildings as part of a multinational project supported by the France-Berkeley Fund.
The California Institute for Energy and Environment at CITRIS and Banatao Institute has been awarded a $2 million grant from the California Energy Commission for Super-GX, a project that will demonstrate demand response strategies in large commercial buildings.
CIEE is pleased to announce Aoyu Zou, a third-year PhD student in Architecture, as the 2025 Art Rosenfeld Award for Energy Efficiency winner. His research tackles the challenge of matching building HVAC operations with renewable energy generation from the grid.
Aoyu Zou Named 2025 Art Rosenfeld Fellow Read More »
A recent episode of KQED’s housing and climate podcast, Sold Out, revisited the Oakland EcoBlock pilot project since it was first featured in 2023. Led by researchers at the CIEE and the CITRIS Climate initiative, EcoBlock is addressing climate change at the urban block scale.
As Heard on KQED: EcoBlock Revisited Read More »
For over three decades, CIEE’s logo has evolved alongside its work in energy and climate research. As the Institute’s mission has changed, so too has its visual identity. The latest logo refresh honors the Institute’s legacy while balancing accessibility, versatility, and recognizability for the modern age.
CIEE’s Evolving Visual Identity: A New Look for 2025 and Beyond Read More »
Rich Brown joins the California Institute for Energy and Environment as an academic researcher, where he will work on the Oakland EcoBlock project.
Rich Brown Joins CIEE as an Academic Researcher Read More »
Over 150 building professionals, college faculty, and students attended the annual conference, which was co-hosted by CIEE’s Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).
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