Story & photos by Staff Reporter
Chloe Fox
According to project manager Peter Siebert, the renovated Max Salazar hall features improvements such as added ‘agility spaces’, which Siebert said are equipped with various features such as adjustable color mood lighting, intended to help carve out spaces for students to be productive and comfortable at the same time.
Siebert said that an emphasis on improving the technology in the building was at the forefront of the project. A new wifi network, televisions, LED lighting, and self-filtering windows are a small portion of what has been added to the space.
Siebert said that one of the new technological features is the electrochromic windows, which automatically tint throughout the day and give full control to instructors of the amount of light filtering into their classrooms.
CNM is one of the first schools in New Mexico to utilize this technology in the classroom setting, he said.
In terms of inclusivity, Siebert said they’ve added two new single stall bathrooms to each floor in order to help students and faculty feel more comfortable.
The administration and faculty spaces on the 5th floor are being completely renovated, Siebert said.
There will be more collaborative spaces for students and faculty alike, and there has been an emphasis on improving natural light in those spaces, he said.
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A new reception desk will help students and faculty locate whomever they need to get in touch with, said Siebert.
Siebert said the building was built in 1991, which means a gut renovation was required in order to bring in the necessary improvements.
New sustainability efforts have been put in place including exterior telescoping solar arrays which move with the sun, all new LED lighting systems, as well as new meters for all utility usage in order to monitor the building’s consumption and using all LEED certified materials for construction, said Siebert.
