California State Chico Gateway Science Museum

The new Gateway Science Museum at CSU Chico incorporates principles of sustainable development concepts from design to construction.

Space planning includes two exhibit halls, the James W. Cornyn Valley Gallery, a demonstration lab, a discovery room, an education station, and a lobby with a volcano-shaped skylight. Exterior features include Founders Plaza, an amphitheater, and five ecoregions representing northern California’s natural habitats.

The building is heated and cooled via air handling units connected to dual duct VAV boxes which will be serving all individual zones. Each air handling unit will be equipped with appropriate hot water or chiller water coils, associated fans, filters, and appurtenances. Controls will monitor and maintain the minimum outdoor air, and automatic economizer dampers will be installed and programmed to take the advantage of free cooling when outdoor conditions are favorable.

A packaged evaporator cooled 35 tonne nominal capacity chiller will provide chilled water to the cold air handling unit. A boiler room will house a condensing boiler, distribution pumps, control, and will provide heating water to the hot air handling unit. The estimated cooling load for the new structure is approximately 39 tons. The temperature control system is a direct digital control system per campus standards.