San Diego, CA – September 21, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — C.W. Driver’s work building the Ramona Library in the San Diego town has resulted in the 21,000-square-foot structure being granted LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. C.W. Driver, a premier builder serving the Western U.S. since 1919, left its environmentally conscious mark on the Tuscan and Southwestern-style building, which is the second-largest library in San Diego County. It opened this spring and is four-times larger than the original library it replaced.
“As C.W. Driver continues making a positive impact on the San Diego area with structures such as the Ramona Library, we take special pride in the fact that sustainability plays a prominent role in our work here,” said Joe Grosshart, C.W. Driver’s regional VP of San Diego. “To build a true cultural center for the people of Ramona, we used local materials that make the library uniquely indigenous to its locale. In the process, we achieved our goal of setting an example by creating something that was truly sustainable for the public to take pride in for decades to come.”
The Ramona Library, located at 1275 Main St., was developed in a design-build method between local companies C.W. Driver, Ferguson, Pape Baldwin Architects and Manuel Oncina Architects. It is one of two C.W. Driver-built, San Diego-area libraries that opened this year. The other, the Fallbrook Library in the San Diego town, is certified LEED Silver.
At the Ramona Library, C.W. Driver installed a 5,000-foot photovoltaic system on the roof comprised of two types of panels producing approximately 20 percent of the energy the library needs. Additionally, the library’s energy consumption and production are digitally displayed inside the building for patrons to follow. Outside, native plants and colorful species adaptive to the climate were incorporated to help reduce water and fertilizer usage, as well as the maintenance necessary to sustain the landscaping.
Along with utilizing local materials, C.W. Driver also incorporated reclaimed concrete and low-flow plumbing fixtures, which use approximately 40% less water than state industry codes call for.
The Ramona Library joins other recently completed C.W. Driver projects in San Diego, including the Fallbrook Library, R. Roger Rowe Elementary & Middle School in Rancho Santa Fe and the Multidisciplinary Building at Palomar College.
About C.W. Driver
C.W. Driver, a premier builder serving the Western U.S. since 1919, specializes in general contracting and construction management services by remaining on the cutting-edge across a broad spectrum of industries including higher education facilities, K-12, healthcare, entertainment, hospitality and military. C.W. Driver has offices in Los Angeles, Irvine, Ontario and San Diego. For more information, please visit www.cwdriver.com
