RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—Global integrated design firm Stantec and Northern California based general contractor XL Construction have been selected by UC Davis Health to lead the forward-looking design and construction of new administrative office spaces that will house members from the University’s executive leadership team, as well as employees in the Finance, Human Resources, Revenue and IT sectors.

The project aims to improve collaboration and efficiency for UC Davis Health’s functional support teams by providing a central location that enables these operational groups to better serve the University’s patient network. The project construction manager is McCarthy Building Companies.

Located at 10850 White Rock Road in Rancho Cordova, Calif., the 194,000-square-foot office building was originally constructed in 1998 and will include structural upgrades as well as a modern design on both the first and second floors to foster a collaborative team culture well into the future. The space will comfortably accommodate the University’s current team while providing flexibility for future growth and the ability to adapt the space in alignment with the ever-evolving workplace.

The Stantec-XL design-build team will modernize UC Davis Health’s administrative space. The functional and aesthetic design will include open workstations for flexibility; numerous huddle areas for eventual use and conference rooms for team member collaboration and training; focus rooms and enclosed offices to facilitate concentration and privacy; as well as gathering spaces to support technology, socialization and work-life balance. The design will include ample parking for staff who occupy the facility, and the building will be designed in support of LEED Gold and University of California Carbon Neutrality guidelines.

“We pride ourselves on designing beautiful and thoughtful workplaces where employees can thrive,” said Kristine Townsend, Stantec design manager. “We envision this facility as a modern space with a nod to the future, and look forward to getting underway in partnership with UC Davis Health and XL Construction.”

Stantec’s latest work on the UC Davis Rancho Cordova administrative facility builds on the firm’s longstanding relationship with the UC system. Stantec is currently providing lead architectural, interiors, buildings engineering, and landscape architecture services for the UC Davis West Village project, the largest student housing development in the US. The $575 million project—currently in construction with developer, the Michaels Organization—will add nearly 3,300 beds to the University’s West Village neighborhood.

Renovations for the UC Davis Rancho Cordova administrative building are set to begin in winter of 2020.

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SANTA ROSA, Calif.—Sonoma Academy’s Janet Durgin Guild and Commons was recently awarded LEED Platinum, the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest green building rating. The $17 million project—at the private co-ed college preparatory high school—has also been recognized for its low carbon footprint and material transparency.

Designed by architecture and planning firm, WRNS Studio, the two-story, 19,500-square-foot nature-inspired building houses the school’s student and education center — a hybrid maker space, student dining with an all-electric commercial kitchen, and indoor/outdoor learning facility.

This project showcases how architecture can make nature part of the classroom experience while meeting strict sustainability and energy efficiency objectives. Focused on health and regional considerations, the project is also targeting WELL Education Pilot and LBC Material and Energy Petals— certifications expected later this year.
“Rooted in a culture committed to sustainability, Sonoma Academy’s decision to embrace multiple rigorous benchmarks, demonstrates how they lead by example, working to understand and transform the wider market towards a more sustainable future,” explained WRNS Studio Partner and Sustainability Director Pauline Souza.

“We are excited to achieve this level of certification, and are grateful to our engineering and construction partners who helped us reach this target.”

Sited on a 34-acre campus at the base of Taylor Mountain in Santa Rosa, the Y-shaped, steel-glass-and-wood structure employed several creative design and engineering solutions to lessen its carbon footprint and establish a safe, healthy environment for students to learn.

Leading with biophilia, the building integrates active and passive systems allowing for a ZNE approach that decreases high-energy-component demand by 75+%. To reduce operational energy consumption, the building is 80% naturally lit, wrapped with operable windows and coiling doors for natural ventilation, and has high-performing, low-e glazing. Deep overhangs provide shade and shelter from the elements. Adjustable exterior sunshades and moveable screens tune for user-comfort and curb heat gain.

In more extreme months, heating and cooling is through geoexchange and radiant systems. These efficient methods drive down energy use and reduce water demand compared to traditional HVAC systems. Other energy saving strategies include a photovoltaic rooftop array, a living roof that helps insulate and keeps the PV’s undersides cool, naturally heat-regulating earth block, an all-electric kitchen with induction cooktops which reduces energy consumption while idling, and a waste water management system that accounts for 88% of the building’s total non-potable water demand.

To ensure a space that promotes well-being, a reductive, low-VOC material palette was the foundation for the project. With an emphasis on health and transparency, material selection was guided by LBC Materials Petal, and in compliance with ILFI’s Red List imperative and CDPH.

RHAA Landscape Architects was the landscape and garden architect on this impressive project. The contractor was XL Construction.

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