Construction is underway on San Joaquin Delta College’s first Measure K-funded project, an energy efficiency initiative expected to reduce annual utility costs by about $1 million while modernizing the Stockton campus.
College officials broke ground on the Energy Efficiency Project during a June 30 ceremony, marking the start of construction under the $598 million Measure K bond approved by voters in November 2024. The project has a total cost of $50 million, according to Alex Breitler, Delta College’s executive director of marketing and communications.
The project includes installing solar canopies over campus parking lots L3 and L4, which are closed for construction. The canopies are expected to generate three megawatts of electricity.
The project will also address deteriorating asphalt surfaces across campus. Each parking lot will be evaluated based on its condition and use to determine whether a full replacement is needed or whether a sealant application and restriping would be sufficient. The college plans to remove and replace about 1.5 million square feet of parking lot surfaces, an area roughly the size of 26 football fields.
Additionally, the work includes upgrades to Delta College’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems throughout its more than 50-year-old Stockton campus, including improvements to the central plant system and older buildings constructed in the 1970s. The upgrades will include installing internal wall piping, replacing air handling units and basement fans, and adding components designed to improve system efficiency.
The project is expected to be completed by 2028 or 2029, according to Delta College’s Energy Efficiency Project webpage.
Officials said the annual savings from lower utility costs could be redirected toward educational programs and student services.
“When the voters approved Measure K, they placed an incredible amount of trust in Delta College,” Delta College Board of Trustees President Charles Jennings said in a statement. “They trusted us to invest wisely, plan thoughtfully and build facilities that will serve students, employers and our entire region for decades to come.”
Delta College Vice President of Administrative Services Augustine Chavez said the project represents more than infrastructure improvements.
“While this project may begin with parking lots, solar canopies and energy infrastructure, it’s really about something much bigger,” Chavez said in a statement. “It’s about reducing operating costs, improving the student experience, creating a more sustainable campus and making smart investments that will continue paying dividends for years to come.”
The Energy Efficiency Project is the first of several major initiatives planned under Measure K. Future projects include a permanent building at the college’s South Campus in Mountain House, an Emergency Vehicle Operation Course training center, technology and network infrastructure upgrades and other campus improvements.
Earlier in June, the college announced it received an Aa2 credit rating with a positive outlook from Moody’s Ratings, one of the highest ratings assigned by the agency to public institutions.
College officials said the rating could help Delta borrow at lower interest rates as it prepares to issue approximately $130 million in Measure K bonds and refinance about $38 million in debt from the previous Measure L bond. The refinancing is expected to save taxpayers about $3.6 million, according to the college.
The Moody’s rating follows Fitch Ratings’ reaffirmation of Delta College’s AA- credit rating earlier this year.
Delta College Superintendent/President Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson said the ratings reflect the college’s financial position and management practices.
“This rating once again affirms the strong financial foundation of Delta College and the responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources,” Lawrenson said in a statement. “Receiving recognition from two independent rating agencies this year demonstrates that the college is well-positioned to deliver on the promises we made to voters through Measure K while maintaining long-term fiscal stability.”
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin Delta College begins first project funded by $598M Measure K bond
Reporting by Hannah Workman, The Stockton Record / The Record
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By Hannah Workman, The Stockton Record | USA TODAY Network
