West Campus Opens New Building

With the start of a new semester, Valencia boasts the opening of a new eco-friendly building on its West campus.

As part of “educational specifications,” said Kathleen Hauser, Assistant to the Provost, the building was requested several years ago.

Schools and colleges alike are required to adhere to educational specifications for renovations and campus requests; however, until state funding is given, construction can not begin.

The building has been selected as the Allied Health and Sciences Building. The degree programs included in the Allied Health and Science departments are “Dental Hygiene, Cardiovascular Technology, Radiography, Sonography, Polysomnography, Respiratory Therapy, Chemistry and Biology,” said Michael Bosley, Assistant to the Provost.

Located between parking lots A and C, Building 10 is now considered the largest building on campus.

In addition to traditional classrooms, this new structure offers innovative technology for students. For Radiography program majors, the building has a live Radiography lab which offers students the use of X-ray machines.

The building also contains fully stocked Chemistry and Biology laboratories. Chemistry laboratories have added “snorkels,” a new lab component, which is used to reduce fumes.

Biology student Holly Kohler said, “The labs are set up well, they have adequate space.” She preferred these labs rather than “walking into an auditorium of labs.”
Much of the technologically advanced laboratory equipment is exceptionally expensive, so Florida Hospital may be donating cardiovascular technology for enhanced use of cardiac testing in some laboratories.

The majority of the degree programs now in the Allied Health and Sciences building were strewn about the campus in many different buildings; therefore, most of the students on campus have welcomed the new building with open arms.

Building 10 offers a large amount of the health and science degree program classes in the same building. Radiography student, Rachel Putna claims Building 10 “is more comfortable to have class in.”

Because the building opened the first day of the semester, there has been some confusion among students concerning its whereabouts.

The building is, for map purposes, Building 10; however, on the directory it is not labeled. “The campus is very confusing,” said Biology student, Anna Pryor. Complaints about getting lost were common among several students.

Building 10 was designed to be a Green Building, so the laboratories for the most part, are abundantly lit with natural sunlight, as opposed to windowless classrooms with fluorescent bulbs.

The architects that designed Building 10 are “LEED (Leadership and Energy in Environmental Design) certified,” said Kathy Hauser.
LEED certification verifies a structure has been designed to meet the highest level of energy and environmental performance.

The building was designed to be eco-friendly from the plumbing all the way to the landscaping; however, before the building is awarded certification for being Green, it must be reviewed.

If the Allied Health and Sciences building does receive the LEED plaque certification, it will be considered by the U.S. Green Building Council to be environmentally accountable, cost-effective and a healthy place to inhabit. Kathy Hauser said, “We are hoping to get gold certification.”