Group photo in front of the new tech building

San Bernardino Valley College’s Technical Education Building was recognized for excellence in sustainable design with a 2023 U.S. Green Building Council Los Angeles (USGBC-LA) Sustainable Innovation Award for Merit in the Health and Well-being category. The award was presented at USGBC-LA’s annual Green Gala and Sustainable Innovation Awards on December 7, 2023 in Hollywood, California.


The 102,000 SF, all-electric Technical Education Building is designed to advance the capabilities of SBVC’s automotive, electrical, machine technology, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R), and water technology programs. It will serve as a vital campus resource for students making advancements in electric vehicles, photovoltaics, robotics, and rapid prototyping.


Visual links between instructional spaces throughout the building inspire, inform, and connect students and educators. “Sticky” spaces provide opportunities for collaboration and inspiration within and across departments. The building is designed to be a Net Zero-ready living lab that will provide exhibit space for automotive technology and feature innovations in regenerative design, such as solar glass and five solar thermal chimneys to help passively heat and cool the building’s high-bay labs.


The San Bernardino Community College District and SBVC collaborated closely with the HMC Architects design team to create the innovative space, which is set to open in December 2024.