The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Nuevo East Graduate Student Housing project is a mixed-use residential community that includes 712,000 total sq. ft. of five mid- and high-rise residential buildings housing 1,374 students in one- to four-bedroom apartments and townhomes. A sixth building, The Exchange, serves as a gateway to the East Campus and provides study space, meeting facilities, a yoga and fitness room and outdoor gathering spaces.
Nuevo East provides a continuous learning environment through quality housing facilities designed to support students through a mix of shared amenities such as support spaces, laundry facilities, fitness and wellness spaces, music rooms, administrative offices, multi-purpose rooms, community gathering spaces and diverse outdoor amenities, including public plazas and community gardens.
Incorporating Sustainable Innovations and Nature into Project Design
The design-build process successfully achieved the university’s sustainability goals, met the University of California Policy on Sustainable Practice and secured USGBC LEED Gold certification. The project performs 30% better than the ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard utilizing energy-efficient equipment, all LED lighting and a high-performance building envelope.
The project was designed to optimize the natural flows of prevailing winds on site. The buildings are situated with a preference for east-west orientation to maximize exposure to the westerly winds, maximize natural daylight indoors and reduce unwanted solar gain in the summer. An east-west building orientation with a central corridor locates the living spaces on the north and south facades, which are ideal for natural daylight.
Low-flow fixtures reduce potable water demand by 41%. Native and drought-resistant plantings combine with efficient irrigation systems to save an estimated 300,000 gallons of water yearly. Irrigation water is provided by a municipal recycled water system. The project diverted more than 75% of construction debris to recycling and reuse facilities rather than landfills.
UCSD was the first in the nation to install a road that utilizes recycled plastic. The asphalt contains recycled plastic instead of petroleum-based bitumen as a binder. The Nuevo East team, UCSD and the supplier collaborated to achieve early installation and testing to confirm its durability and reliability.
Design-Build Team
| Client/Owner: | University of California, San Diego |
| Design-Build Firm: | Hensel Phelps |
| Architect: | Mithun |
| Engineers: | DCI Engineers, MA Engineers, Akela Engineering (formerly Michael Wall Engineers) |
| Specialty Contractors: | Helix Electric, Atlas Mechanical, HPS Mechanical, Nevell Group, Millennium Fire Protection |
| Project Cost: | $220.4 Million |
| Construction Duration: | 28 Months |
