The project was developed as a partnership between University of California, Davis and Sierra Nevada College (SNC), to be a leading environmental science and education center. The three story, 45,000 square foot facility houses classrooms and laboratories for students and research facilities for the University of California, Davis, Sierra Nevada College, Tahoe Environmental Research Center, the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Desert Research Institute. The programs developed by the collaboration of these institutions serve as models for public/private partnerships focused on researching and solving our pressing environmental problems.

According to Peter Rumsey, president of Rumsey Engineers, "The fact that TCES has achieved a LEED Platinum rating at relatively low additional construction cost will have a lasting impact on how we build sustainable labs in the future. The combination of innovative design features in every aspect of the project - architectural, mechanical, electrical, lighting, and plumbing - has resulted in significant reductions in energy and water use as well as optimal user safety and comfort and building performance."

About Rumsey Engineers

Rumsey Engineers, Inc., is a Bay Area-based design engineering firm that specializes in innovative HVAC system solutions for the most demanding commercial installations and critical environments, including green buildings, data centers, cleanrooms and laboratories. The company's philosophy is based on the premise that the best design is simple and elegant, and results in substantially lower energy costs. For more information, visit www.rumseyengineers.com.