Research Areas

BEARS was launched in January 2012 to conduct two major research programs of broad scope.

The Singapore-Berkeley Building Efficiency and Sustainability in the Tropics (SinBerBEST) program is led by Professor Costas Spanos, and engages 10-12 Berkeley faculty members. SinBerBEST focuses on use-inspired basic research in novel demand side energy and carbon footprint reduction for tropical buildings.

The Singapore-Berkeley Research Initiative for Sustainable Energy (SinBeRISE) is led by Professor Connie Chang-Hasnain.  SinBeRISE engages 6-8 Berkeley faculty and adjunct faculty members. SinBeRISE explores novel, inexpensive approaches to convert solar energy into electrical energy (photovoltaics) and to catalyze the conversion of CO2 into liquid fuel (photoelectrochemical cells).