Overview Facts
- Location: Santa Rosa, CA
- Construction type: Renovation
- Project type: College classroom
Project Team
- Owner: Santa Rosa Junior College
Estimated Energy Savings & Incentives
- 17,805 kWh Annual Energy Savings
- 8,400 kg Annual CO2e Savings
- $5,015 Annual Energy Cost Savings
- $37,256 Total Incentive
Picture of rooftop units (RTUs) and roof insulation on Forysth Hall
Introduction to the Project
Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) completed a major renovation of Forsyth Hall, a 13,600-square-foot classroom building on its Santa Rosa campus. In alignment with the college’s sustainability and decarbonization goals, the project was developed in partnership with the California Energy Design Assistance (CEDA) program to explore and implement energy-efficient design strategies.
The renovation offered an important opportunity to improve the building’s performance, reduce environmental impact, and support the college’s long-term climate action commitments. Notably, SRJC enrolled five projects in the CEDA program, demonstrating a deep institutional commitment to sustainability and high-performance design across campus.
Project Goals
The central focus of the project was to significantly improve energy performance beyond code-minimum systems by replacing fossil fuel-based heating with high-efficiency electric solutions. A key feature was the integration of a ground-source water-to-air heat pump system that leverages the campus’s geothermal loop, marking a major step toward full electrification. This system replaced the building’s existing gas boiler, making it a standout feature in SRJC’s transition away from fossil fuels.
As part of a larger campus-wide energy renovation effort, SRJC approached this project with clear sustainability goals and sought out the CEDA program specifically for both energy design assistance and access to incentive financing. This alignment of design support with financial incentives was a key driver for their participation.
Energy Efficiency Strategies
By engaging with the design team early, the program helped identify and evaluate a range of strategies to reduce energy use and support long-term performance. Measures discussed during the design process included:
HVAC Systems
- Ground-source water-to-air heat pump system utilizing the existing campus geothermal loop.
- Approximately 30% improvement in heating and cooling efficiency compared to a code-minimum heat pump baseline.
- Sensible heat recovery to capture waste heat and reduce heating energy use.
- Demand control ventilation across all building zones to optimize airflow and reduce energy use.
Envelope Enhancements
- Roof insulation options up to R-60 were evaluated, with R-40 determined to be the most cost-effective and ultimately installed.
- White roof system to reduce heat gain and improve thermal performance.
SRJC prioritized connection to a ground-source heat pump for additional benefits. These include limiting peak demand through consistent thermal exchange in the geofield versus air-source systems. The system also adds resiliency to handle projected extreme heat days through greater cooling capacity and the use of consistent ground temperatures versus air. Geothermal systems can reduce energy consumption by approximately 25% to 50% compared to air-source heat pump systems. Additionally, geothermal heat pumps reach high efficiencies (300%–600%) on the coldest of winter nights (DOE, EERE, energy.gov). Although the ground-source heat pump was the project’s sole high-performance measure incentivized by the CEDA program, the evaluation process provided SRJC with valuable insights to inform future projects.
Picture of rooftop units (RTUs) and roof insulation on Forsyth Hall
Client Testimonial
“The Forsyth HVAC & Roof Project is an example of SRJC leading the way in both energy efficiency and building decarbonization while accounting for the need to adapt to our changing climate. SRJC submits all major energy projects and renovations in the CEDA program. The program helps us with additional energy and carbon modeling which the college then uses to verify its building performance after construction is complete and years’ worth of operational data is gathered. Thanks to the CEDA program we could make better decisions with the information provided by CEDA. The CEDA team was very communicative and informative.”
David Liebman
Energy & Sustainability Manager
Santa Rosa Junior College
