+ Project Details

About
St. David’s School of Nursing
Texas State University
Round Rock, TX
77,740sf

To address a growing demand for education in the health services professions, BGK designed the St. David’s School of Nursing with Richter Cornbrooks Gribble for Texas State University. The building is the second on the 101-acre Round Rock Higher Education Campus, fitting within the campus Master Plan while defining a large central open space through its relationship with the existing Avery Building. The School of Nursing features classrooms, clinical practice laboratories, student study spaces, seminar rooms, a research suite, and administrative spaces. The building features a multitude of sustainable features, and in-turn was awarded LEED Silver certification.

Sustainability
Since this building is devoted to health education, it was very important to the University and the design team that the building itself serve as a model of a healthy indoor environment. Low VOC materials, finishes, and furnishings used throughout the building help reduce the amount of harmful chemicals released into the air. CO2 sensors monitor air quality to control air flow levels, and the building’s HVAC system was designed to provide a higher ventilation rate than required by code. Outside of the building, native and drought-resistant landscaping reduces the demand for potable water, and also affords opportunities for stress-relieving relaxation in the courtyard labyrinth. This labyrinth, set in the paving, replicates the design of a meditative labyrinth originally constructed in Chartres Cathedral in 1200 C.E. Research has shown that walking meditation can have significant long-term health benefits, including lowered blood pressure, minimized chronic pain, and reduced anxiety. Other sustainable features include the use of high efficiency plumbing fixtures that have cut water use by more than 40%, encouraging occupants to drive low-emitting vehicles or carpool, diverting 89% of construction waste from landfills, incorporating a substantial amount of recycled and regional materials, and plentiful daylighting within interior spaces.

Recognition
Excellence in Construction Award, Associated Builders and Contractors, Central Texas Chapter LEED Silver Certification, United States Green Building Council