Higher ed center will open doors

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Tim Prentice hangs his kinetic sculpture with wires from the third-floor ceiling of Medford's new joint Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University Higher Education Center.Bob Pennell

The newest building in downtown Medford doesn't look all that "green" from the outside, but beneath its shiny new veneer, the Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University Higher Education Center is loaded with earth-friendly features.

It's smart, too.

The $22 million building will open Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house that will trumpet the building's green components.

The opening will take place at noon on the front steps of the building at 101 S. Bartlett St. The open house is from 3 to 7 p.m. During that time, students from both institutions will offer tours of the building. Refreshments will be provided.

The project came in under budget and was completed ahead of schedule, said RCC spokeswoman Margaret Bradford. But perhaps the biggest news about the building is the cutting-edge technology used in its design and construction.

Initial plans called for the project to earn a "Silver" rating under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. The new goal of the project, built by Adroit Construction, is to earn a "Platinum" rating.

Many of the earth-friendly features — designed to save energy and create a more healthful workplace — are hidden behind the scenes. Tour leaders will illuminate those features for guests. For instance, one stop will be the restrooms, where the dual-flush toilets are designed to use less water. Low-flow shower heads are included in showers in the building, which give students and faculty, particularly bike riders, the chance to clean up before class, Bradford said.

Because of innovations such as these, the building will use 53-percent less water than the amount specified in Oregon Department of Energy codes.

The building also will use 37-percent less energy than required under state codes, which should save about $37,300 in energy bills annually.

"A sheet, it's not really panels, will be installed on the roof to harness sunlight," Bradford said of a solar array that will convert sunlight into energy.

Sensors installed in each room control the lights, which turn off when a room is vacant. Sensors also control the heating and cooling system, which automatically adjusts to keep the building at a specified temperature.

The 69,000-square-foot building houses study and lounge areas for students and 28 "smart" classrooms equipped with identical technology to make transitions between rooms easier for faculty.

Each classroom features touch-screen computers, Blu-Ray DVD projectors, document cameras and Starboards, a device that allows what instructors draw on a screen to appear on the classroom whiteboard. Wireless Internet is available throughout the building.

The building also houses offices of SOU and RCC faculty, SOU Enrollment Services, a Business Center, computer and science labs, and a Prometric Testing Center, which will offer proctored tests to students and community members.

In the past, people taking tests for the Graduate Record Examination, Certified Public Accountant, Oregon Life Insurance and Professional in Human Resources have had to travel to Eugene. The testing center will eliminate the need for local residents to commute, Bradford said.

Security features — such as doors that lock from the inside, an intercom system, and security doors that can be automatically closed and locked from a control center — were installed to keep students and faculty safe, Bradford said.

The building will lock down at a certain time each evening and only a key code will allow people inside, she said.

Total cost of the new building was $22.2 million. Each school contributed $11.1 million, splitting the construction bill equally. The property was donated in June 2006 and ground was broken in March 2007. RCC plans to close two of its old buildings after the new center opens.

The building is the result of a partnership between the schools that officials have been seeking for a while.

"This building brings us together in a way we've always wanted but haven't been able to do because of distance," said Joan McBee, director of SOU's Medford campus. "Now students can start in RCC and end in SOU in the same place."

Reach intern Stacey Barchenger at 776-4464 or e-mail her at intern1@mailtribune.com.

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