On December 16, 2013 Saddleback College students, faculty, staff, and administrators gathered at the future site of the college’s new Sciences Building for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate construction of the building, slated to open in 2015. This new building was designed by Dougherty and Dougherty and constructed by CW Driver. The 51,244 sf, three-story building is LEED certified and includes many sustainable design features including a courtyard, with a ‘themed’ demonstration garden planted over an underground element to provide on-site retention of storm water, reducing impact on the campus storm water system. It houses 26 modern laboratory spaces for academic programs in astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, marine science, and physics.