BNIM designed the District Maintenance and Operations Complex for Palomar Community College in San Marcos, California.

While campus operations facilities are often relegated to secondary locations, the Maintenance and Operations Complex for Palomar Community College District is located at a highly visible campus gateway. The design integrates traditionally segmented shop spaces, office spaces, and warehouse space into one facility. Designed as a Net Zero building, this facility is also intended to achieve LEED Platinum certification and become the first Living Building Petal certified community college building in the world. A unique passive design system embraces the southern California climate, and a narrow building footprint provides year-round optimal temperatures throughout the building. Innovative design strategies, such as thermal chimneys and roof monitors, create increased natural ventilation, lower building energy consumption, and decrease mechanical infrastructure. Other sustainable strategies, such as rainwater harvesting, renewable energy, and daylight harvesting, provide the user with a “long life, loose fit” building, which allows the Maintenance and Operations Complex to remain useful and operational well beyond the life many similar buildings.

Architect: BNIM
Photography: Nick Merrick