UC Merced Tops Out LEED Platinum Educational Building

MERCED, Calif. — Construction workers recently topped out the structural steel on University of California (UC) Merced’s new Science and Engineering Building 2. The 102,000-square-foot facility was designed by SmithGroupJRR, an architectural firm located in Detroit, while St. Louis-based construction firm, McCarthy Building, served as the general contractor. The project is scheduled for completion in time for the 2014-15 academic year.

School administrators envision the building as an edifice for on-campus education and research that will solidify the character of the Carol Tomlinson-Keasey Quad. The structure will provide a home for multiple programs, including computer science, environmental studies, mechanical engineering, material science and bioengineering studies. The building will feature classrooms, faculty offices, laboratories and other research spaces, support facilities and administrative areas. The new three-story science and engineering center will also hold high -tech facilities for specialized research, like an imaging suite and a wind tunnel lab.

The design process was very forward-looking, utilizing building information modeling technology and a state-of-the-art virtual planroom.

“Our project team has adopted what we at McCarthy call a ‘True Builder’ approach. We are managing this complex project with a focus on innovative, effective and schedule-driven building solutions to achieve the highest quality and best fiscal outcome for the university,” said Tim Albiani, project director for McCarthy Building.

The innovative structure was designed to target LEED Platinum certification, with solar arrays intended to provide hot water and power generation. The solar installation will also function as a living laboratory, allowing students to study renewable energy education first-hand right outside their classroom. The interior will feature a high concentration of recycled materials, with a focus on reclaimed wood, which will be included in ceiling and wall panels. The emphasis on wood products will also cut down on the occurrence of indoor air pollution, as it will allow the construction team to avoid other materials that would introduce more chemical agents into the building’s interior.

“We have kept a clear focus on the environmental sustainability goals of the campus. It is exciting to see progress on projects that will provide much-needed academic and recreational space for the university’s growing enrollment,” Albiani added.

The new facility fits into the university’s overall focus on green construction. UC Merced is the first university campus in the nation to have all of its buildings reach at least the LEED Silver level of certification, making it one of the country’s most sustainable campuses. In fact, only one of the buildings on campus failed to meet the LEED Gold standard.

The building company has become a regular on the UC Merced campus, working as general contractor or construction manager on four of the five projects under construction at the university in the past year. McCarthy Building also worked on the recently completed Student Activities and Athletics Center; the Student Services Center, which broke ground in October 2012; and the Site Development and Infrastructure Phase 4 project, which is scheduled for completion in Fall 2013.