The largest higher education building in New Mexico to earn LEED Gold Certification, the CNM Westside Phase III project, is a 62,000 square foot building located on Central New Mexico Community College’s Westside campus in Albuquerque, NM.
CNM’s Westside campus opened in 2003 with 3000 students which later expanded to over 4000 students. The campus was expanded on its 10 year anniversary with a new building housing a library, computer lab, earth and planetary science lab, art studio, piano classroom, lecture hall capable of seating 100 students and private study areas for individuals and groups. Total cost of the project was $24 million.
Energy-efficient features designed to meet U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, standards include ample window space to allow for natural lighting.
Stainless steel screening on the building exterior shields the windows to prevent excessive heat loss and gain. Geothermal wells beneath the building tap into groundwater that circulates to keep the space warm in winter and cool in summer. CNM opened a campus in the City of Rio Rancho, NM in 2010, which earned a gold level LEED certification and has a similar geothermal system.
