These are exciting times at the UC Santa Barbara Institute for Energy Efficiency. We’ve been riding a wave of growth and success, but what lies ahead looks even more remarkable. UC Santa Barbara has world-leading strengths to rapidly advance energy efficiency research (LED lighting, Photonics, Building  Efficiency, Organic Batteries, and Computing) and to train future scientists and engineers eager to tackle these challenges and identify solutions.

Investing in new talent through providing critically needed new lab space, supporting our current faculty “brain trust,” and pursuing new support for our research and program mission will take us to the next frontiers in energy efficiency. Today’s advances lead to tomorrow’s solutions. Support for the institute is an investment in a healthier environment, a more robust economy, greater national security through more energy independence, and a brighter, more hopeful future.

We broke ground in August 2018 on a new building that will be the future home of the Institute for Energy Efficiency. Projected to open in 2021, Jeff and Judy Henley Hall will have 18 labs, an auditorium and lecture hall, conference rooms, and collaborative working spaces. We invite individuals, foundations and industry partners to join with us to realize this bold effort to move energy efficiency research and education forward, and to provide the resources necessary to achieve goals that will benefit our students, our faculty, our community, and most importantly, our world.

That’s the promise of the Institute for Energy Efficiency, and that’s the power of solutions.


New Building for the Institute for Energy Efficiency Henley Hall

Institute for Energy Efficiency $25,000,000

A transformative investment of $25,000,000 will name the Institute for Energy Efficiency at UC Santa Barbara. The Institute for Energy Efficiency brings together brilliant researches from across disciplines to generate practical, measurable solutions to global problems in energy use. Our Institute is leading the way to dramatically improved energy efficiency, as well as innovative and stronger sources of cost-effective, clean, sustainable energy. A commitment at this level will help complete our new home for the Institute, as well as create an endowment to permanently support leading talent engaged in teaching, research, and programs.

Research Hub $3,000,000-$1,500,000

Research addressing key challenges will be taking place in 17 state-of-the laboratories that bring together scientists and engineers from across disciplines to identify and develop solutions. Labs around key research clusters (2-3 labs) can be named. Research teams will work together to address a series of key challenges and solutions. Funds will be used to support the capital and equipment, as well as faculty recruitment and retention, graduate student support, research and programs. Packages can be tailored to meet the interests of the investor.

Research Lab 

Research addressing key challenges will be taking place in 17 state-of-the laboratories that bring together scientists and engineers from across disciplines to identify and develop solutions. Research teams will work together to address a series of key challenges and solutions. Labs around key research clusters can be named. Funds will be used to support the capital and equipment, as well as faculty recruitment and retention, graduate student support, research and programs. Packages can be tailored to meet the interests of the investor.

  • The laboratory provides a state of the art research data center where novel architectures, novel cooling technology, novel application and virtualization software, novel networking gear and novel processor and memory technology can be tested.
  • High efficiency solid state laser and LED testing and characterization is the focus of this laboratory with emphasis on fundamental limits to emitter efficiency.
  • This lab is focused on a systems level approach to optimizing building efficiency in general and the IEE building in particular.
  • Low power, high efficiency photonic devices, photonic integrated circuits, optical subsystems can be tested in one lab. Enterprise, metro, long haul and submarine networks can be demonstrated using novel photonic elements in a second laboratory. A third laboratory is focused on high efficiency photovoltaic devices and systems.
    • Optics Lab (Photonics) $1.5 Million
    • Optics Lab (Networks) $1.5 Million
    • Optics Lab (Photovoltaics) $1 Million
  • Low power, high speed circuits for data centers, supercomputers and mobile devices will be investigated in this state of the art electronics laboratory. A second laboratory is focused on thermoelectric and energy conversion devices. A third laboratory is focused on novel high efficiency energy storage ideas. A fourth laboratory is focused on high efficiency power conversion and power technologies.
    • Electronics Lab (Data Center) $1.5 Million
    • Electronics Lab (Energy Conversion) $1 Million
    • Electronics Lab (High Efficiency Storage) $1 Million
    • Electronics Lab (Power Conversion) $1 Million
  • These labs are devoted to the demonstration of new materials to solve a variety of needs in our society. One is focused on improved lithium batteries. Two other labs are focused on novel photovoltaic devices with organic PV the focus of one laboratory and inorganic PV the focus of the other laboratory.
  • Efficient data center algorithms are the focus on one laboratory. More efficient signal processing and computation algorithms are the focus of a second laboratory. Supercomputer computation and algorithms and networks are the focus of the third laboratory.

Lobby/Atrium $2,000,000

As you enter the building, this large open space with an atrium welcomes students, faculty, and visitors alike to Henley Hall and offers a pleasant view of the Patio Terrace. The space may be used in conjunction with the Patio Terrace as a gateway space for both indoor and outdoor events.

Student Collaborative Working Space $1,500,000

These spaces are configured for students to work in groups (4-8 students). Individual desks, tables, and white boards offer tools for joint work in a non-lab setting and are inductive to discussion-based tasks for research.

Large Conference Room $500,000

The large Conference Room will accommodate 30 and will be a regular meeting space for researchers, students, industry and the public. This space will bring together leading stakeholders from industry, government and academia for Industry Roundtables focused on accelerating the development of a target
energy efficient technology. A highly utilized space, the large conference room will be equipped with state-of- the-art technology for video conferencing and media display.

Small Conference/Seminar Rooms (2) $250,000

Two Conference/Seminar Rooms will accommodate 15 each and will be used as regular meeting spaces for researchers, students, industry and the public. Highly utilized spaces, these conference rooms will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology for video conferencing and media display.

Breakout Rooms $150,000-$100,000

Located throughout the building, indoor terraces with white boards utilize the building design to offer accessible work spaces for small group discussion. Some collaborative spaces offer views of the outdoors.