The university says the development is one of the largest net-zero energy communities in the United States.

As a zero net-energy development, U.C.-Davis West Village is designed to generate as much energy as it consumes. On sunny days, the solar panels will generate more electricity than is needed for the site and send some back to the power grid. At night, the community will pull electricity from the grid, balancing out the excess power produced throughout the day.

Besides sustainable energy, the campus is using sustainable products. More than 40,000 total linear feet of metal wall, roof and canopy panels from Metal Sales Manufacturing Corp. have been used on the buildings.

“We chose Metal Sales panels because they bring an interesting aesthetic to the exterior of the buildings,” said Michael Todd, project superintendent with Carmel Partners, the developer and property manager. “Metal Sales matched the colors we needed, which makes the buildings pop.”

All of the panel colors from Metal Sales are listed with Energy Star, improving energy-efficiency and reducing the amount of energy needed for cooling. The manufacturer also says the panels have a long life span, are 100 percent recyclable, and contain a high percentage of recycled material — contributing to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design points. 

 “Once again, Metal Sales provided us with incredible service,” said Josh Nartker, estimator at Kodiak Roofing who served as the metal installer. “They always take care of our needs more so than others. For this project, they went above and beyond meeting our color needs, met all deadlines, had the product on site quickly and provided technical support when needed.”