SAN DIEGO – San Diego Continuing Education’s (SDCE’s) new North City campus has been awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for sustainable and green design by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC is an organization that promotes sustainable, efficient, and healthy building design and operation. The North City campus, which finished construction in August 2013, is one of a total of 43 projects in the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) awarded or tracking certification.
The North City Campus is a two-story, 42,000-square-foot facility designated as the Campus of Excellence for Business and Information Technology for San Diego Continuing Education. The new facility provides state-of-the-art, technology-rich classrooms, computer labs, multipurpose areas, and administrative offices to support the business technology curriculum and was constructed using materials with high recycled content.
Chancellor Constance M. Carroll remarked, “The San Diego Community College District is committed to sustainability in all ways, especially in construction projects. The LEED Gold certification for the North City Campus of the District’s Continuing Education division is a perfect example of innovation and sustainability in design, which will match the facility’s mission of providing innovative multimedia programs.”
Sustainability is incorporated into the overall design with features such as an open air courtyard that provides day lighting and natural ventilation to the majority of interior spaces. The building includes operable windows for natural ventilation with sensors to shut down mechanical units when windows are open. This and other highly efficient mechanical systems reduce energy consumption and exceed state energy efficiency standards by 35%. Additionally, Low-E glazing on exterior windows maximizes the use of natural daylight and reduces energy demand.
The project was designed by San Diego-based Joseph Wong Design Associates (JWDA). “JWDA was honored to support the SDCCD’s ongoing commitment to sustainable building through our engagement in this project. Lofty goals were set at project outset and the achievement of LEED Gold Certification is truly a result of the combined collaborative efforts of the SDCCD and the entire design and construction team,” stated Matthew Geaman, AIA, LEED AP, Associate Principal at JWDA.
Additional sustainable features:
· Daylight sensors automatically dim lights in response to available lighting.
· Low-flow plumbing fixtures reduce water consumption by over 30% as compared to standard fixtures.
· A drywell is on site for treating storm runoff.
· The building’s green roof filters rain water, helps with drainage, and minimizes the building’s heat island effect.
The North City campus was funded by the District’s $1.555 billion Propositions S and N construction bond program, which provides new teaching and learning facilities, major renovations, and campus-wide infrastructure projects at City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges, and six Continuing Education campuses throughout San Diego. As part of the Green Building Policy developed by the SDCCD Board of Trustees, all construction and major renovations included in the bond program are designed and built to obtain, at minimum, LEED Silver certification.
About the Programs:
The campus is significant to the community because business and information technology classes help San Diegans acquire and maintain business and digital literacy skills. A variety of free courses are offered from beginning through advanced levels, empowering adult learners to use technology to meet business, personal, and professional goals.
“Whether you are new to computers or an experienced professional, we have free classes to meet your needs,” explains Rudy Kastelic, Interim President of SDCE. “Classes are taught in modern, state-of-the-art labs and rooms with the newest technology for teaching and learning.”
New equipment allows an expansion of the current Business and Information Technology program to include new classes for computer repair and a hands-on Cisco lab, creating a real-world environment for students. Plus, two fully equipped Mac labs allow the entire multimedia program and other advanced courses to be instructed on iMacs.
Project Team:
• Architect: Joseph Wong Design Associates
• Construction Manager: Balfour Beatty Construction
• Structural Engineer: TMAD Taylor & Gaines
• Electrical Engineer: Johnson Consulting Engineers
• Civil Engineer: Burkett & Wong Engineers
• Mechanical Engineer: Bender Dean Engineering
• Fire Protection: Aon Fire Protection Engineering
• LEED Consultant: KEMA
• Landscape Architect: Parterre
• Propositions S & N Program Manager: Gafcon, Inc.
• Campus Project Manager: Scott Ellis, URS Corp.
• Project Manager: Brian Browning, Gafcon Inc.
• Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (FF&E) Project Manager: Eloisa Raymundo, Gafcon, Inc.
For high-resolution photographs or renderings, please contact Alicia Cook at (832) 627-8073 or acook@gafcon.com.