Rio del Sol STEAM School

PBS provided MEP&FP design services including the new HVAC design, new electrical service, power& lighting along with utility coordination, fire protection design and plumbing design services. The Rio del Sol STEAM School is a new 900-student K-8 campus in Oxnard, California that provides a one-of-a-kind educational experience to a largely underserved and migrant population. It is the first K-8 campus for the Rio School District and the first STEAM School for Ventura County. PBS Engineers provided design services with shimmering their knowledge and expertise complying with project requirements and design criteria as ecological sustainability, environmental education/stewardship, and economical building operations. Passive sustainable strategies include: thoughtful building orientation; natural daylighting; translucent insulated panels to maximize natural light and minimize heat gain; southern exposure punched windows providing deep seating nooks and simultaneously enabling shade; translucent panels in maker-spaces to maximize natural light; tubular skylights in classrooms; High Efficiency roof top package unit design with natural ventilation and operable windows in each classroom / shared space. The project’s goal was accomplished to make a highly functional space for users that is energy efficient for all-day use, highly controllable for various event types, and aesthetically impressive through scale, palette, and integration.