By Michael Duncan

Building its first new campus in 30 years presented the University of California with a rare opportunity to create from scratch a model for 21st century education. Set in the rolling grasslands of the San Joaquin Valley, the new Merced campus, which would eventually accommodate 25,000 students, also faced added responsibilities.
Defining an academic environment that would provide a sense of wholeness and identity even in its fledgling years was crucial to building initial enrollment. From the big picture perspective, UC leaders made a pioneering commitment to build a campus that establishes a paradigm for sustainable design and environmental stewardship.

Though new buildings in California were already subject to some of the highest energy-efficiency standards in the country, UC set a goal of exceeding the state’s Title 24 energy-efficiency requirements by 30 percent. They also pledged that all campus buildings would achieve LEED Silver certification.

In fact, the first buildings have met or exceeded these goals. The Library and Information Technology Center (designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with Fernau & Hartman) and the Central Plant Complex (Arup and SOM) have achieved LEED Gold certification. The housing has been certified LEED Silver and the Science and Engineering Building (EHDD Architects) and the classroom and office building (Thomas Hacker Architects) are expected to achieve at least LEED Silver.

Planning for Sustainability

The long-range development plan by SOM and architectural design guidelines are the principal tools establishing the framework of sustainability for the campus. The 940-acre campus is sited to provide strong connections with downtown Merced and the Yosemite Lake recreation area. The balance of the 2,000-acre site is divided into a 750-acre natural reserve to protect existing vernal pools and its endangered inhabitants and a 340-acre land reserve for future campus expansion.

The master plan defines a development grid that recalls the "main street" organization of typical Central Valley towns and allows for flexible and incremental growth. The campus’ first buildings are clustered along the main street and oriented to take advantage of views to Yosemite Lake and its cooling prevailing breezes. The university’s social heart is centered in the Library and Technology Center (LITC), which marks the gateway to the academic core.

Over time, the project will evolve into activity-based zones that enhance the campus’ sense of community and association with the city of Merced. Social sciences, humanities, and arts are centrally located near the library to enliven the campus core, while sports and professional schools are located at the outer edge of the plan to engage the larger community. Heavy utilities-based facilities are grouped along a compact corridor that encourages researchers to share expensive equipment that not every program can afford.

The Central Plant, a 41,000-sq.-ft. complex including a 2-million-gallon thermal energy storage tank and telecommunications hub, is a key element of the campus’ sustainability strategy. The plant draws energy from the grid at night, when prices are cheaper, and then uses this energy to chill water that serves air conditioning needs during the day. In keeping with principles of compact development and sustainability, the Central Plant is sited within the academic core and designed to serve as a symbol of the campus'  commitment to environmental stewardship.

Responding to the Environment

The firms commissioned to design the first four buildings collaborated on the development of the Architectural Design Guidelines, which outline design principles for responding to the climate and site without dictating an architectural style. With this unique approach, design principles rather than a particular style would define and unify the campus architecture.

To counter the Central Valley’s often intense sun, the guidelines emphasize shading strategies including protected outdoor circulation (colonnades and awnings). These circulation routes become habitable spaces where students can study or talk, enhancing the sense of community.

Similarly, the guidelines recommend different façade strategies that respond to the building’s solar orientation and internal use. Deeply set windows allow light in and views outward while tempering the direct sun. High-performance glass, fritted glass, and metal sunscreen also moderate light and heat. Natural ventilation improves indoor air quality and further reduces energy consumption.

Lastly, the guidelines call for flexible spaces that allow the building use to change as the campus expands and each building contributing a significant outdoor room. These outdoor rooms take advantage of the temperate climate and extend the activity generated by the mix of services and amenities located along the main street.

First Report Card

After two years of operation, UC Merced has become a model for the University of California system, other academic institutions, and the city of Merced. Since the campus opened in 2005, the Central Plant has contributed to energy and demand savings of 30–50 percent per year and the LITC uses 50–75 percent of UC’s benchmarks. The performance of the Central Plant has helped to elevate the LEED scores of the other buildings.

Of course, green design is just one facet of UC Merced’s environmental stewardship program, which encompasses transportation, purchasing, operations, and even its curricula. Perhaps most importantly, the new campus demonstrates how design and practices work together to build a thriving learning community that benefits the region in the most holistic sense—socially, culturally, and environmentally.  

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Michael Duncan, AIA, is a director at SOM’s San Francisco office.