St. Louis Community College Completes LEED Gold Education Center

St. Louis Community College opened its 29,700-sf Harrison Education Center in September of 2010. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility, which features abundant natural light, low VOC interior finishes, an energy efficient HVAC system, and low flow water fixtures. KAI Design & Build provided architectural, MEP engineering, interior design, and cost estimating services on the $7.5 million project. The center will serve 400-500 credit students and 4,500 continuing education students in the areas of environmental worker training, art, general science, small business entrepreneurship, automated office skills, healthcare, and culinary arts. The two-story building includes an art studio, general science lab, multipurpose community room, computer labs, classrooms, bookstore, commons area, outreach center and administrative offices. The facility also features a public entrance facing the corner of the site, emphasized by a glass elevator tower; high-tech audio-visual equipment throughout; a large, central atrium; and open seating areas on the second floor overlooking the atrium. Simms Building Group, C. Rallo Contracting, Wachter Construction, and Birkel Electric all served as general contractors on the project. The construction manager was Kwame Building Group of St. Louis.