The $40.6 million Student Recreation Center project at Cal State Fullerton was recently awarded "Best Overall Sustainable Design" as part of the 2007 Best Practice Awards for the University of California/California State University Energy Efficiency Partnership Program. The award will be presented at the 6th Annual Sustainability Conference for California campuses June 24-27, 2007, at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The UC/CSU Energy Efficiency Partnership Program developed the Best Overall Sustainable Design Award to recognize new buildings and major facility renovations that employ effective sustainable design techniques to achieve reduced use of natural resources during construction as well as on-going energy conservation outcomes throughout the life-cycle of these facilities. The CSUF Student Recreation Center's design meets these goals in several key areas.

Effective water use will be a major focus in the facility, with a projected savings of more than 415,000 gallons per year. This anticipated water-use calculation is 40% better than the baseline set by the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

Energy conservation efforts incorporated into the Student Recreation Center planning exceeds Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations for Energy Efficiency Standards by 30%.

The building design also supports sustainability through features such as: the use of interior low emitting materials (paints, sealants, carpets); the installation of additional bike racks within 200 yards of the center; and a Construction Waste Management Plan to divert large percentages of the project's construction waste from landfills and recycle for consumer use. "Green" housekeeping will also be practiced in the building maintenance encouraging alternatives to commonly used chemical-base cleaning supplies.

"The students who spear-headed the center's funding and the campus Design and Construction office staff always intended for the Student Recreation Center to be environmentally sensitive," said Kurt Borsting, Titan Student Union director. "Our goal is to provide a great, new campus facility that uses resources wisely."

The Student Recreation Center's green efforts will also be submitted for rating according to The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating SystemT from the United States Green Building Council. LEED is the nationally accepted rating system for design, construction and operation of green buildings, and rates five key elements: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

The two-story 95,000 square feet Student Recreation Center will feature a rock wall; 22,000 square feet multi-court gymnasium; 15,000 dedicated square feet for a cardio/weight room, one of the largest on a west coast campus; outdoor leisure and lap pool; and a multi-media cardio room, a signature feature of the center. Construction on the center will continue through 2007, with an anticipated grand opening in late January 2008.

For information regarding Cal State Fullerton's sustainability efforts, contact Mike Smith, CSUF Design and Construction director at (657) 278-2352. For additional information about the Student Recreation Center, visit http://reccenter.fullerton.edu or contact Dr. Andrea Willer, Titan Recreation Director at (657) 278-7529.