Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Saddleback College Opens New STEM Facility

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/21/22

Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif., recently opened a new STEM facility on its campus. The Advanced Technology and Applied Sciences (ATAS) building measures in at 52,913 square feet and provides multidisciplinary space for labs and classrooms, general instructional areas, and administrative space. The building will serve career technical education students in subjects like architecture and drafting, environmental sciences, communications, horticulture and more.

The college partnered on the project with construction firm McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and architecture and design firm HED.

“We’re ecstatic to open this new facility for our students, faculty, staff and broader Orange County community,” said Ann-Marie Gabel, Vice Chancellor, Business Services, for the South Orange County Community College District. “It’s a beautiful space, designed to promote student-to-student collaboration and a sense of openness as the facility blends into the gorgeous Southern California landscape. Students can enjoy the local habitat and feel more connected to nature with onsite butterfly gardens, bird and wildlife areas.”

A news release notes that the ATAS building has achieved a LEED Gold rating equivalency with passive design strategies intended to minimize energy use. The main part of the building connects directly with campus sidewalks. Students enter through one of two entrances into a central collaboration space that opens into a courtyard. Two wings containing classrooms and lab space flank the courtyard, while landscape areas serve as outdoor learning gardens.

“The ATAS project enabled us to integrate the campus, with its highly beautiful natural surroundings, while exceeding the SOCCCD’s goals for the space,” said Martha Ball, Principal at HED. “The design considerations employed were a celebration of the natural habitat, which surrounds the Saddleback College campus. With energy efficiency in mind, the ATAS facility effectively harvests daylight to reduce the need for electrical lighting and derives 35 percent of its energy from solar panels. This, combined with an efficient wall-to-window ratio, are the main strategies to achieve energy savings. Additionally, the concrete structure provides thermal mass to absorb heat with nightly release, and longevity through a robust structure.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.

  • University of Pittsburgh to Build New Residence Hall

    The Board of Trustees from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently approved the construction of a new residence hall for first-year students, according to university news.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.