News Article

Gonzaga University has formally dedicated and blessed its new three-story, $8.5-million PACCAR Center for Applied Science. The structure will become Gonzaga's first certified green building. The PACCAR Center is located immediately south of the Herak Center for Engineering and Applied Science. View a slideshow of the festivities (Photos by Jennifer Raudebaugh).

At the Oct. 1 dedication ceremony of the 29,000-square-foot building, key benefactors were recognized, especially PACCAR Inc, a Fortune 150 global technology company headquartered in Bellevue, Wash. PACCAR Inc provided the lead gift of $2 million to construct the high-tech facility.The PACCAR Center houses sophisticated laboratories dedicated to robotics, artificial vision, and transmission and distribution line engineering, as well as classrooms and faculty offices. The building is located immediately south of the Herak Center for Engineering and Applied Science.

The Center is designed to comply with the stringent regulations required for a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green rating of “Silver Status.” The building incorporates engineering principles that promote energy conservation and sustainability in design and construction practices. Strategies include management of natural daylight and solar gain along with using systems that make efficient use of resources and the integration of renewable, recyclable materials. ALSC Architects of Spokane designed the PACCAR Center. General contractor for the project was Hoffman Contractors.

Rev. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Gonzaga president, said the PACCAR Center has become “the technological heart of our campus and is a tremendous asset for our students and the entire Inland Northwest region.” Dennis Horn, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, lauded PACCAR for its visionary leadership in support of the project, which he said will allow Gonzaga “to provide our students with invaluable laboratory experience in cutting-edge fields using the latest technology.” Horn said he expects to see significantly more interest in Gonzaga from engineering students nationwide due to PACCAR’s gift.

Gonzaga’s School of Engineering and Applied Science has nearly doubled its enrollment in the past 10 years, increasing from 297 students in 1998 to more than 530 current students. Gonzaga’s undergraduate engineering programs have earned high national rankings among peer institutions by U.S. News & World Report.

PACCAR Inc [www.paccar.com] is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. It also provides financial services and information technology and aftermarket support for its customers worldwide.

For more information, contact Gonzaga’s Development Director Joe Poss at (509) 313-6106 or via e-mail.