Facility Designs for Our Brightest Minds | Page 9

Structural features of an educational facility have a direct influence on student success and faculty instruction . Enabling a collaborative learning environment for the CSU Long Beach Net-Zero CPIE facility required MEPT design innovations centered around indoor air quality , lighting , noise reduction , and natural resource utilization .

Natural Lighting and Academic Performance Increased exposure to natural light can help improve the health and academic performance of students and staff . Learning comprehension was shown to increase by 26 % in naturally daylit classrooms , according to California Energy Commission ’ s Public Interest Energy Research ( PIER ) findings . ¹

By taking a holistic design approach , the CSU Long Beach CPIE building offers students 95 % naturally daylit spaces . Our team carefully modeled the facility orientation and window placement , in order to maximize natural lighting . As a result , this design captures solar heat in winter when the sun is low and shields the facility in summer when the sun is high . Window placement directs this natural light into the interior center space , minimizing daytime electric lighting requirements .

Indoor Air Quality Management Scientific research provides evidence for a relationship between a facilities Indoor Air Quality ( IAQ ) and student performance / productivity . Low ventilation , poor temperature management , and increased levels of indoor carbon dioxide have direct associations to the physical and cognitive health of students and staff .

Scientific Research Provides Evidence for the Following Relationships