As the focus on sustainable building design continues to grow among students and administration at Cal State Northridge, and its Institute for Sustainability expands, it was determined a facility was needed to house its classes and faculty and serve as a showcase for their work. The existing recycling yard was tapped as a space for its new Sustainability Center.

The facility has achieved Net Zero Energy and earned LEED Platinum certification. It is also designed to meet the Living Building Challenge.

Designed to work with the strengths and weaknesses of the San Fernando Valley’s natural environment and climate, the Sustainability Center will house faculty offices, meeting spaces, and will maintain the recycling yard. As sun light is plentiful in the area, the 5,000 sf recycling yard will be covered with a 2,000-square-foot solar photovoltaic canopy that will supply energy to the building. And a solar hot water system will provide heated water needs for the Inside the facility. And as water is scarce in area, composting toilets will be used to negate water usage for waste removal, and a system for rainwater and greywater capture will meet landscaping irrigation needs.

Glumac MEP engineering experts continue to work closely with Cal State Northridge students on the design of the Sustainability Center, and the project has become an educational opportunity for students in the sustainability program. Glumac has held daylong design charets with the students to both learn about their needs for the facility, and in turn educate them on the cutting edge sustainable building solutions.

The Sustainability Center was named ENR California’s Best Green Project in 2018 (Higher Education/Research Category).

Size: 4,000 square feet inside/5,000 square feet outside
Cost: $2,340,000
Start Date: November 2014
Anticipated Completion: March 2017
Architect: Gensler
Owner: California State University Northridge
Services: MEP Engineering

Images courtesy of Ryan Gobuty/Gensler