Already a celebrated fixture on the San Marcos campus, the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) complex combines energy-saving features with a host of functional upgrades for the college\u2019s Facilities Department.<\/p>\n
Pictured above, left to right: Palomar College Governing Board Trustee Norma Miyamoto; Trustee Nina Deerfield; Board Vice President Dr. John Halc\u00f3n; and Superintendent\/President Dr. Joi Lin Blake.<\/em><\/p>\n SAN MARCOS, CA \u2015 On a picture-perfect afternoon at Palomar College, officials and guests gathered on Friday, April 12 to celebrate the opening of the award-winning M&O complex that cuts a striking presence off West Mission Road with clean lines of brushed metal and glass.<\/p>\n Recognized by Engineering News-Record (ENR) Magazine as a national \u201cBest of the Best\u201d project in green design, M&O won wide acclaim before it was even occupied. On Friday, the college celebrated the official opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.<\/p>\n \u201cOur first-rate Facilities team has driven the modernization of this beautiful campus, and this building is truly representative of the great work they have done over the past decade,\u201d said Palomar College Superintendent\/President Dr. Joi Lin Blake. \u201cI am thrilled to see our Facilities Department moving into a space that is as innovative, as attractive, and as functionally valuable as the many projects they have made possible\u2014with many more to come.\u201d<\/p>\n Besides its good looks, the M&O Buildings have been recognized for eco-friendly features like thermal chimneys and a rainwater-harvesting system. Dr. Blake called the project \u201ca model to the rest of the campus and the region at large for what a modern building can be in Southern California.\u201d<\/p>\n The complex consists of an \u201cOperations\u201d building, most visible from Mission Road, that houses administration and other staff offices and conference rooms. The larger building to its north is the \u201cMaintenance\u201d building and includes a break room, warehouse, and shops and work areas for the various skilled trades that a part of the college\u2019s Building Services. Together, the complex comprises 27,000 square feet.<\/p>\n Among the most notable features of the Operations building is the abundant natural light it provides via towering panes of glass and other passive lighting features: \u201cWe will never need to turn on a light during the day in these offices,\u201d said Dennis Astl, Manager of Construction and Facilities Planning, before closing with, \u201cWelcome to our new home.\u201d<\/p>\n For more information about the M&O project\u2019s various accolades, please visit https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/news\/national-award-m-and-o-building\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"