San Diego State University Opens Sciences and Engineering Laboratories

San Diego State University opened the Sciences and Engineering Laboratories in August of 2025 on the Imperial Valley campus in Brawley, Calif. Spanning 37,000 sf, the flexible structure houses teaching labs, interdisciplinary lecture spaces, specialized environments for research, core facilities, and 45 faculty and administrative offices. A STEM innovation hub is augmented by collaborative venues for public and private partners to work side by side with faculty and students. An outdoor courtyard with an integrated photovoltaic canopy serves as a year-round destination for informal interaction and study. 

The transformative development will accelerate the discovery and commercialization of sustainable energy solutions and expand access to STEM education, creating a pipeline of skilled workers to address critical workforce needs in the geothermal sector. Supported by $80 million in state funding, the sophisticated building aligns with Imperial County’s Lithium Valley Specific Plan, catalyzing efforts to establish California as a hub for lithium extraction and production.

AC Martin served as architect with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant. General contractor Sundt Construction utilized a collaborative design-build delivery model. The project team also included Coffman Engineers, Glumac, Brightworks Sustainability, Acoustical Engineering Services (AES), Lighting Design Alliance, KM Architectural Consultants, Linespace, and Spurlock Landscape Architects. Ground was broken in February of 2024.