UC-Santa Cruz new Coastal Biology building – TRUEGRID Pavers
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  • WHAT: Five Green Parking Lots
  • WHERE: Santa Cruz, CA
  • SIZE: Five TRUEGRID parking lots over 100,000 sq. ft.

The new Coastal Biology Building at the University of California in Santa Cruz at the UC Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus is located right on the northern coastline. The campus houses laboratories, office and teaching facilities for students and marine scientists. The adjoining coastal area is extremely important for marine research. The university directors, site architects and engineers recognized the need to naturally filter auto pollutants from the parking areas to prevent damage to marine life and the fragile ecosystem in the area. UC Santa Cruz vetted several permeable options and decided TRUEGRID PRO PLUS was the right fit for aesthetic, reliability, and cost. The first daily use parking lot and three following high traffic parking lots were built with TRUEGRID PRO PLUS. The clean stone used for infill and base used filters rainwater through the natural bio-remediation process to remove vehicular hydrocarbons, oils and gasoline drippings, nitrogen, phosphorous, etc. as it enters the soils and makes its way to the ocean. One parking lot was designed with added filtration by directing infiltrated, collected water from the TRUEGRID lot into a vegetated swale area…that then then went into the ocean filtered and cleaned.

"The building itself is beautiful..." said department chair Ingrid Parker." Our department is know for its deep commitment to linkages across disciplines... the links between land and sea.... The natural light inside is beautiful ...designed for us as field biologists and people who love nature."

- UC Santa Cruz

Project Scope

Filter stormwater and design natural, aesthetically complimentary parking lots

Solution

Five TRUEGRID parking areas were completed on the campus and add to the natural beauty of the area while protecting the coast from runoff pollutants.

TRUE RESULTS

Clean water. Happy fish.

LEED Credit Opportunities
  • Stormwater Management
  • Recycled Content
  • Innovation & Design
  • Materials & Resources
  • Heat Island Effect - No Roof

TRUE IMPACT SCORECARD

CO2 Saved

296.67 TONS

Equivalent To

62,456 Trees Planted

Plastic Recycled

132,000 LBS

Equivalent To

1,000,000 PLASTIC GALLON JUGS

Stormwater Detained

194,480 GAL

Equivalent To

4,862 Large Bathtubs