Grossmont Student Services & Administration Building 10

Description

Located within the Grossmont Community College campus in El Cajon, California, the Student Service Building is a one-stop center for student services, including admissions and records, assessment, financial aid and more. The remodeled building offers colorful, large and open, naturally lit spaces that provide an inviting and energy efficient home to the campus service building.

This project achieved LEED Gold Certification through sustainable building strategies, such as dedicated parking spaces for fuel-efficient and low-emitting vehicles.  A cool roof was installed to reflect the sun’s rays and reduce heat transfer to the building.  The team also specified high-efficiency lighting systems and custom hydronic heating and cooling air handling units, which help reduce the building’s energy cost by over 27%.  Water efficient landscaping and plumbing fixtures help the building reduce water use.

Over 20% of the building materials used in the renovation of this building are made from recycled content, and over 95% of the wood installed in this building is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.  The FSC standard incorporates many criteria that contribute to the long -term health and integrity of forest ecosystems.

Traditional construction sites can produce a large amount of waste; however this project used construction practices that diverted over 85% of construction waste materials, measured by weight, from landfills. This was done by carefully monitoring project waste, separating on-site, and sending materials to an appropriate recycling facility.

This building was also designed to provide its occupants with a healthy indoor environment.  The construction team implemented an Indoor Air Quality plan to keep the project clean, dry and smoke free during construction, and utilized low-emitting materials such as adhesives, sealants, paints, and carpet systems.  Outdoor air ventilation rates have been increased 30% above the minimum rates in all of the regularly occupied spaces to keep fresh air circulating throughout the building.

Project Info
Location: 8800 Grossmont College Drive, El Cajon, CA  92020
Project Area: 35,798 square feet
Project Type: Education
Version: LEED NC v2009
Certification Level: Gold
Points Achieved: 60
Certification Date: 7/19/2012

Project Team
Owner: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
Architect: Architects Mosher Drew
Program Manager:  Gafcon
Construction Manager: Rudolph and Sletten
Civil Engineer: Nolte Associates
Landscape Architect: KTU+A Planning and Landscape Architecture
Electrical Engineer: Sparling
Mechanical Engineer: SC Engineers, Inc.
Commissioning Agent: Testmarcx Associates
LEED Consultant: Drew George & Partners