Benson Lab Sally Benson

The Benson Lab-SUI Partnership

Who are we?

The Benson Lab partners with Stanford's Sustainability Utilities Infrastructure (SUI) to design, implement, and evaluate innovative energy solutions across campus. Together, we bring cutting-edge academic research directly into real-world operations, making Stanford a living lab for building energy systems.

Our Shared Vision

We believe impactful research stems from mutual goals. Our partnership is grounded in a dual vision that serves both:

  • Operational excellence meeting Stanford’s evolving energy needs
  • Academic innovation advancing fundamental research in optimization, control, and energy systems
Key Ingredients of Our Success: Dual Vision, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Bottom-up Initiative, Long-term Outlook

Our Research Projects

🧊COOLER

  • Improving chilled water system performance and using Stanford’s campus as a living lab to solve operational challenges.
  • Developing computational tools for low-carbon, electrified energy systems, with a focus on flexibility and load management.

🔎 SEEKER

Identifying energy-intensive zones within buildings and designing targeted interventions to reduce load without compromising comfort. 

🔧 Campus Expansion Planning

Supporting long-term campus growth through scenario planning, including thermal energy storage (TES) and district system upgrades.

What's Next?

Our completed projects show how thoughtfully designed living lab research can achieve both academic and operational impact. As we look ahead:

  • We aim to develop medium- and long-term visions to guide future projects.
  • We continue exploring new opportunities and operational challenges.
  • We seek to scale successful ideas into action across Stanford and beyond.

Get Involved

We welcome collaborations with faculty, students, industry, utilities, and public-sector partners. If you're interested in shaping the future of energy systems, please contact Aqsa Naeem.