Pilot Block Selection Announcement
The EcoBlock Team is pleased to announce the selection of the Pilot EcoBlock site in Oakland’s Fruitvale District. This will be the first-of-its-kind block to demonstrate neighborhood-scale solutions to urban resilience, including energy and water efficiency, a communal solar-powered microgrid, and shared electric transportation.
The Fruitvale EcoBlock is home to a diverse community of residents in single- and multi-family buildings with a shared commitment to sustainable living. The project, led by UC Berkeley, will run from 2020 to 2023, with efficiency retrofits and microgrid construction planned for 2021-22.
The EcoBlock hypothesis is that the most cost-effective way to drive zero-carbon energy, deep water conservation and resilient urban systems is by addressing components together, on the block-neighborhood-district scale.
The EcoBlock concept recognizes the block as a common unit of organization in urban and suburban America – in fact, most cities in the world. Blocks come in different sizes and shapes, but the basic block structure appears in all places with moderate to high population density. The EcoBlock aims to harness that structure to make clean technology more affordable.
The EcoBlock project proposes an integrated approach that combines many disciplines related to sustainable urban living:
The California Energy Commission (CEC) funded Phase 1 and is now funding Phase 2 of the Oakland EcoBlock Project (Contract Number: EPC-18-013.).
Design and Construction team:
Energy team:
Water team:
Legal, Business, Finance team:
Transportation team:
Urban Planning team:
Community Engagement team:
Cathy Leonard
Phase 1 Sponsors and Partners:
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