Facilities

STLCC’s new "green" campus reduces operating costs, conserves natural resources and minimizes strain on local infrastructure.  STLCC is pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold-level certification.  LEED emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.  

The facility design incorporates a number of green elements in an effort to achieve gold certification, including:

• A green roof, accessible from the central atrium, planted with sedum -- a drought-tolerant plant.  The sedum will overcome the heat island effect from the building by reflecting heat from summer sunlight.  In the wintertime it will insulate the building.  A light-reflecting membrane has been applied to the remainder of the roof.
• Optimal energy efficiency through the use of numerous ceiling fans that uniformly distribute cooled air and enhance ventilation. The structure is 30 percent more energy efficient than a typical code-compliant building of its size.
• Artificial lighting that automatically balances to accommodate variations in natural light with fenestration consisting of "T"-shaped windows with sunscreens and interior light shelves. Seventy-five percent of the building is capable of harvesting natural light.
• An east-west solar orientation to fully capitalize on sunlight for heating, cooling and natural light.
• Two- and three-story cisterns at the entrances that collect rainwater for irrigation.  Other conservation features include waterless urinals and drought resistant landscaping.
• A quarter-acre retention pond landscaped with trees, bushes and native prairie grasses.
• "Healthy building" elements such as low emissive building materials that spread minimal airborne particles and greater occupant control of temperature, ventilation and lighting.  

The upper floors host 17 classrooms, a science lab, art studio, computer labs and faculty and administrative offices.  Integral technology includes campuswide high-speed Internet and wireless connectivity.