SRJC Decarb + Rehab Tour of Forsyth Hall (CEDA Project) & of STEM Building / Architecture & CM Program

Come check out our local community college, the SRJC for a tour - Forsyth Hall, a recent CEDA project focused on Decarbonization & Electrification; learn about the new STEM Building and Architecture and Construction Management program!

Course Description:

This course examines the renovation of Forsyth Hall at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) as a case study in the decarbonization of existing educational facilities through high-performance, all-electric building design. The 13,600-square-foot classroom building was renovated to exceed minimum energy code requirements while advancing the college’s long-term sustainability, resilience, and carbon-reduction goals.

Participants will explore the design strategies, systems integration, and technical considerations involved in replacing fossil-fuel-based building systems with high-efficiency electric technologies. The course will review approaches to improving energy performance, reducing peak demand, enhancing indoor environmental quality, and supporting long-term operational efficiency within an existing building context.

The session will also address the broader impacts of building decarbonization on campus resilience, occupant well-being, and community sustainability. Through the Forsyth Hall project, attendees will gain insight into how renovation projects can contribute to greenhouse gas reduction goals, support equitable and healthy learning environments, and serve as replicable models for the modernization of existing campus facilities.

The STEM Building is an approximately 95,000 gross square foot building that showcase SRJC’s Facilities Master Plan Sustainability and Decarbonization performance standards. The building uses zero fossil fuels for space heating and domestic hot water. The building also ties into the Quinn Central Plant which is connected to the campus geothermal field showcasing advance thermal energy networks. The STEM building houses SRJC’s Engineering & Applied technologies program which includes the follow programs; Engineering, 3D Modeling & Animation Courses, Architecture, Construction Management, Interior Design, Civil Engineering, Surveying & Geospatial Technology.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize how an existing campus building renovation can transition from fossil-fuel systems to all-electric technologies to support decarbonization goals.
2. Understand how early design assistance can influence building performance by identifying cost-effective efficiency strategies and supporting informed decision-making during renovation projects.
3. Identify key electrification and efficiency strategies that contribute to energy savings in higher education facilities, including HVAC upgrades and envelope improvements.
4. Recognize the role of cross-sector partnerships in supporting electrification and decarbonization efforts in existing building renovation projects.

Parking at Zumwalt Parking Pavilion, 1501 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 | Meet at Forsyth Hall