The Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences (TCES) was just 5th LEED Platinum laboratory in the world. The design for a combined UC Davis and Sierra Nevada College teaching and research laboratory included a state of the art capstone cogeneration microturbine that provides electricity and heat, skylights to naturally light the atrium, radiant heating, light grey lab tables oriented perpendicular to the windows and automatic daylighting controls to maximize daylighting use in lab spaces and building integrated photovoltaics. IDeAs Consulting also performed the electrical system design including power distribution, photovoltaics, lighting controls, communications and data infrastructure, security and fire alarm systems. They were also the electrical engineers for the nearby UC Davis’ Tahoe City Field Station (TCFS) which was in a historic fish hatchery that was remodelled into a field station for researchers.
