CUPERTINO, Calif. (Oct. 15, 2012) – Sundt Construction, Inc. recently completed the Mediated Learning Center at De Anza Community College, a $36 million, 67,000-square-foot facility for anthropology, sociology and world languages students.
The state-of-the-art building features two-story classrooms and labs designed for online collaboration, and a research and recording studio for broadcast, film and television production. Designed and built to achieve LEED-NC Platinum certification, the facility also contains numerous environmentally friendly elements, including an innovative buoyancy-driven air circulation system, making the school one of the first in the West to utilize the sustainable space-heating and cooling method.
San Francisco-based WSP Flack + Kurtz and its sustainable design service, WSP Built Ecology, led the design of the buoyancy-driven air circulation system and worked with project architect Ratcliff and contractor Sundt Construction to bring it to life within the facility. Focusing on energy efficiency, the innovative system is designed to ventilate more than 80 percent of the building without fan power. The system boosts indoor air quality by drawing fresh, outside air into the building and providing six air changes per hour.
“As a contractor, we were excited to work with a forward-thinking client to incorporate this innovative system into the building and advance sustainability initiatives throughout the campus and country,” said Sundt Project Engineer Jason Hughes. “What is especially interesting about the buoyancy-driven air circulation system is that it’s designed to ventilate a whole classroom building with just the laws of science, precise placement of materials and systems, and right-design principles.”
The Mediated Learning Center was recently nominated for the 2012 Structure Award for Best Green Project from the San Jose Business Journal.
Sundt continues to work on the De Anza college campus, as the construction company recently began preconstruction on a $6.6 million advanced technology center. The project will break ground in December. Sundt’s higher education projects throughout California include Tercero Student Housing Phase III and Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr. Hall at University of California, Davis; a seismic upgrade of San Jose State University’s Spartan Complex; and the renovation of Warren Hall at California State University, East Bay.
About Sundt
Sundt Construction, Inc. is one of the country’s largest and most respected general contractors. Known nationally for its innovative approach to construction services, the firm is currently ranked the 58th largest construction company in the United States by ENR, the industry’s principal trade magazine. The company is also ranked 17th on ENR‘s list of Top Contractors in California.