Sustainable Peralta

Merritt College — Last week Chevron Energy Solutions subcontractors Legacy Roofing and Waterproofing (San Jose, CA) began mounting a truckload of shiny new SunTech 210 solar PV panels on to steel structures anchored into the hillside next to the Merritt College Track & Field. By Friday, the contractors will have finished mounting and fastening nearly 3,000 individual panels. BEI Construction (Alameda, CA), responsible for clearing the hillside in July, is also on-site connecting the panels together and building electrical disconnects that will eventually route the power to the inverters. Despite the rapid pace of construction, several delays in planning and design (earlier this year) had pushed the completion date of the project towards the end of September.

Vice Chancellor Ikharo with Adan Rosillo point towards the carport PV site.

Merritt College – Construction for Peralta’s first ever solar photovolatic project begins in earnest as Peralta heads into Spring Break. With students, faculty and staff away for the week, Chevron Energy Solutions will begin moving construction trailers, fencing, and heavy equipment onto parking lots and hillside where the structures supporting 1.2MW worth of solar panels will be built. Solar projects of comparable sizes takes about 6 months to complete, but Chevron Energy Solutions aims to flip the switch by August, an ambitious 4-month construction timeline.

The 18,000 sq. ft. building will be made of steel, glass and concrete. Source: Gould Evans Baum Thornley

Beginning this month (December), Gilbane Building Company begins construction on Laney’s Athletic Field Complex, a new two-story 18,000 sq. ft. athletic facility for Laney men’s and women’s sports. The building is part of a larger project that also includes the complete replacement of the baseball diamond and the multi-use field. When finished, Laney will host events on a new turf fields and have an additional 100 parking spaces on the East side of the campus.

“This building has everyone in the Department [of General Services] excited,” said Dr. Sadiq B. Ikharo, Vice Chancellor of General Services. “Using a Design-Build method, our staff and our designers consulted with many faculty and staff at Laney, and the result is a building that fits their program requirements and our desire to build green.” … continue reading »