Sustainability highlights in the TCES building

December 12, 2012

A Green Tour of the Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences building, highlighting the sustainable features.

The Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences (TCES) represents a unique collaboration between Sierra Nevada College and UC Davis. It provides a world-class center for scientific research in the understanding of alpine lakes and watersheds and the preservation of their environmental quality.

These blue boxes, Photo-Voltaic Panel Inverters, convert the direct current (DC) from the solar panels on the roof into alternating current (AC) – the kind of electricity in your home.

The Facility is the first building in the Tahoe Basin designed and built to achieve certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in energy and Environmental Design) rating system, striving to obtain the highest rating, “platinum.”

The plenum brings 100 percent fresh air into the TCES building.

Air from the plenum is filtered to remove dust and pollen.

After the air is filtered, it is humidified for occupant health.

The green tour highlights many of the green (or environmentally friendly) building features of the TCES. “Green Points of Interest” signs are posted along the tour route with information about these features.

The heat exchanger uses water from outside to cool water in a second separate system which is piped through the building for cooling.

The chilled water circulation system pumps chilled water from outdoor storage tanks to heat exchanger.

Senior Tiago Galletti gives a quick tour of the basement of the TCES building and explains what Sustainability means to him.

This 3000 gallon tank holds rainwater and snowmelt before it is filtered and sterilized for the building’s toilets.

UV and charcoal water filtration system sterilizes water for the building’s toilets.

About the Author: Jake Pollock

Jake Pollock (Eagle's Eye Photo Editor) is currently a Senior at SNC and is an avid photographer and snowboarder. He was born in San Francisco, grew up in Marin County and moved to Tahoe to follow his passions.