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Mesa building equals ‘Green Geek’ to the eighth power

by Stan Christensen

Staff Reporter 

Combined with the power of Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement, Leeds Standards Certification, and Eight Sustainability Stewardship Standards adapted by COD’s Green Council; stands a 40,200 sq ft tribute to the latest Green Technology.  The Mesa Building, also known as “The Green Geek”, was funded by the Measure B Bond Program and budgeted at nearly $17 million.

The first level of the Mesa building has the MESA Study Center, math classrooms, and a state of the art Central Data Information Center, custom built for faculty. The second level is the new home of KCOD Radio, lab centers for Chemistry, Physics, and Biology, equipped with the latest lab equipment technology.  Atop the building are the v- photoelectric solar panels that power the building, rendering it self-sustaining.

In November 2009, the COD Board of Trustees adopted the “Sustainability Stewardship Policy”, containing eight guiding principals “in the execution of its responsibilities to facilities design and operation; campus management; and teaching and learning”. (Board Policy 3001)  These eight principals (the eighth power) can be found online athttp://www.collegeofthedesert.edu/community/ss/Pages/Green-Council.aspx.   These principals are integrated in all aspects of design and construction of these buildings at the highest quality levels of “Green Engineering”.  The buildings will also be used to fund grant raising and promote green initiatives.

The Mesa Building is one of twenty building and reconstruction projects of the Palm Desert campus funded by Palm Desert voter approved; taxpayer supported Measure B Bond Program.  The bond program passed by voters in November 2004, provided $346.5m for reconstruction, and new campus building construction projects.  The Cravens Student Center received the prestigious Leeds Standards Gold Certification.  The West Campus construction project contains a 67-acre solar energy farm, and was given the Leeds Standards Platinum Certification for self-sustainability.

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