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Ohlone College Opens Environmentally Sustainable Campus
Ohlone College Opens Environmentally Sustainable Campus
Published 01-28-08
Submitted by Ohlone College
Ohlone College Opens Environmentally Sustainable Campus. (PRNewsFoto/Ohlone College)FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ --- California Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi joins Ohlone College in celebrating the opening of a new environmentally conscious campus, the Ohlone College Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology, Thursday, January 31. Constructed to achieve the highest levels of environmentally sustainable construction and operations practices available, the campus is on track to receive LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Ohlone College Newark Center will join a prestigious group of only 50 buildings in the world* to achieve this status.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080128/AQM043)
Features of the sustainable practices include solar energy cogeneration that will supply up to 42% of the building's energy needs with one of the largest array of PV panels in the Silicon Valley. Additional energy savings will be garnered from geothermal ground coils and enthalpy wheels, added elements that will continuously contribute to the building's operational efficiency. Water conservation measures, including storm water filtering, wetlands restoration, Bay Friendly Landscaping(R) and indoor water saving fixtures further enhance natural resource conservation efforts.
Ohlone College, under the direction of President Douglas Treadway, Ph.D., has been a leader in adopting environmentally sustainable practices. Treadway lead the college in establishing an environmental sustainability operations policy, in creating a Sustainability Coordinator position, and in forming a joint-venture partnership with the governments of China and Singapore to enhance environmental efforts and develop an exchange and training center through the Science and (Ecological) Technology Industries Park in Suzhou, in the Jiangsu province of China. Ohlone is the only institution from the U.S. invited to participate in the early phases of development in this project.
The campus, a 135,000 square foot structure, has an initial capacity for 3500 students, with additional phases planned to allow for increased enrollment. Focusing on high growth, high pay workforce training, the center will feature programs in Registered Nursing, Respiratory Therapist, Physical Therapist Assistance, Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences, as well as General Education courses. Ohlone College is part of the California Community College system, serving the San Francisco east bay region. Classes begin Monday, January 28. The campus dedication takes place Thursday, January 31st to coincide with Focus the Nation; a nationwide event that brings unites the voices of those concerned with our environmental future.
