Project Data:

Completion Date:     6/2/2014

Square Footage:      79025

Building Use:           Community College Humanities Building

Design Architect:      LPA Design Studios

Project Description:

INTRODUCTION

Located in the small coastal valley of San Marcos, 30 miles north of San Diego, Palomar Community College serves a population of 25,000 students and life-long learners. The Humanities Building is the home of a wide range of programs that teach a diverse community the critical thinking skills necessary for personal and professional growth. Program components: Reading, Writing, World Languages, English as a Second Language, Journalism, Speech, American Sign Language, and a Free English Library.


DESIGN FOR EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES/SOCIAL EQUITY
Making education accessible to all: A porous ground floor

The project strives to create welcoming learning environments that empower minorities and underprivileged demographics. All the learning centers were located on the ground floor for easy, independent, and direct access. This enables them to operate after regular hours and on the weekends, reaching the critical worker-student subgroup.


DESIGN FOR EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES/PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Connecting commuter students to their communities

As a commuter institution, Palomar College has developed a robust network of public transportation that covers the North San Diego County region by bus lines with additional reach to San Diego and Orange County by light rail. The Humanities building within a 5-minute walk to the Transportation Center.


DESIGN FOR ENERGY/PASSIVE SOLAR FEATURE
Ideal solar orientation

The three-story ‘bar-building’ was ideally aligned along the east west axis to leverage solar exposure and Ocean breezes. The north side maximizes glass for natural light and views of the surrounding hills. For other orientations, vertical slots of glazing were recessed in the facade and protected with terracotta louvers.


DESIGN FOR RESOURCES/MATERIAL SELECTION
The aim for ‘NetZero Maintenance’
The minimal maintenance budget of a community college resulted in the selection of durable materials and assemblies. For the building base, a tough, polymer-enhanced cement plaster system was used. The material withstands years of abuse in high-traffic areas and incorporates a through-color mix eliminating the need to paint it. The upper levels were clad in a terracotta tile rain screen system.


DESIGN FOR DISCOVERY/LESSONS LEARNED
Footprint reuse = Big savings

The team learned of significant blue granite rock formations on the site. To avoid expensive blasting and utility relocations, the building reuses the footprint from a demolished single story building.


SUSTAINABILITY SUMMARY

LEED Gold Certified
Meets the AIA 2030 Commitment
EUI: 72% reduction over benchmark
Energy: 29.6% improvement over California Title 24
Renewables: 172 kW roof PV array (offsets 30% of demand)
100% of classrooms have views, operable windows, mixed mode ventilation.
100% of faculty offices have views, operable windows, mixed mode ventilation.
Most common areas, vertical circulation and social spaces were moved outside to limit the HVAC loads (6% of the building area).
Skylights and ‘light-shafts’ bring natural light to the building core at lower levels.
78% construction waste diverted.
20% use of recycled materials, 19% use of regional materials used.
35% potable water reduction. No potable water for landscaping used.