Future-proofing the nation’s largest net zero energy mental health campus
The Cordilleras Mental Health Campus, located on a wooded hillside south of San Francisco, was originally built as a tuberculosis hospital in the 1950s. It transformed into an inpatient mental health campus in 1978, and now the wooded campus is transforming once more into a modern and resilient mental healthcare facility.
Inspired by the profound influence of nature on mental well-being, the revitalized campus will harness the power of its surroundings to become a community for patients and the county alike. With CannonDesign as the design architect, the buildings are arrayed around a central open space with sheltered outdoor seating, community gardens, and recreation areas. Cordilleras also will provide administration, medical, dining, and maintenance services, plus other staff and visitor services.
In collaboration with San Mateo County, the new Cordilleras campus will be the first net zero energy mental health facility in California and the largest in the nation. The project will generate power on-site using rooftop solar panels installed on both the buildings and parking areas, offsetting its energy consumption. Data analytics based on the average weather, climate activity and types of engineering systems were used to predict the campus’s energy needs and verify that the solar arrays were sized to meet those needs. Cordilleras is targeting a Gold LEED certification.
Presenter | Sam Lin
Sam Lin, Director of Project Development Unit, County of San Mateo, oversees a team of 25 project managers that supervise approximately $1B of diverse portfolio of new ground-up construction projects for the County of San Mateo. Prior to joining the County, Sam has more than 30 years of Bay Area and international project management experience in the private sector, he held Senior Program Management positions at Intel and Apple Corps. Sam’s passion resides in bringing the innovative and sustainable design into the government architecture, while continue to focus on the collaboration amongst the stakeholders. Sam received Master of Architecture from University of Oklahoma.
Presenter | Jacky Yung
Jacky is a Senior Vice President at CannonDesign, bringing over 30 years of healthcare design experience in California. He excels at navigating the unique challenges of both large and small healthcare projects. Jacky understands that effective solutions go beyond the design of physical spaces, incorporating creative insights to enhance operational efficiency and provide planning flexibility that adapts to evolving business and care models. His extensive experience on the West Coast, particularly in the healthcare sector, provides a strong design perspective that not only benefits projects in California but also supports CannonDesign’s global healthcare initiatives.
Presenter | Lindsay Corotis
Vice President – Account Manager Lindsay Corotis brings more than 25 years of construction experience and provides direct management oversight for her project teams. Lindsay leads through curiosity, creativity and critical thinking, challenging her teams to perform at their highest levels.
After earning a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Colorado, Lindsay moved to the Bay Area to start her career. At Skanska, she leverages 25 years of industry knowledge to advise clients and help grow the company’s presence in the Bay Area. Lindsay is proud to work with San Mateo County to build a new purpose-driven behavioral health facility outside Redwood City, CA. The project is a $135 million, 77,610-SF campus consisting of four single-story mental health recovery centers, each accommodating 16 occupants, and a three-story co-housing building for 57 residents.
Lindsay also works closely with Sutter Health to deliver yearly renovation and addition projects. Recently, she led the team at 2506 Samaritan Court Medical Office Building/Ambulatory Surgery Center, a 69,000-SF facility delivered nearly three months ahead of schedule with cost savings to the client.
Lindsay is also an active member of ULI and serves on the University of Colorado’s Construction Management Program Advisory Board.
Presenter | Keith Hammelman
Keith is a Principal at CannonDesign with 26 years of engineering experience. He believes that lifelong learning is essential to the profession, and it has been a constant source of fulfillment throughout his career. As the leader of CannonDesign’s mechanical engineering team and a recognized industry expert, Keith is at the forefront of innovative building solutions, including decarbonization, electrification, and emerging technologies. He excels at finding common ground to achieve objectives and deliver effective solutions. With expertise across diverse typologies and geographies, Keith brings valuable resources to ensure clients receive the most effective solutions for their needs.
Description of Presentation | Cordilleras Mental Health Campus
We will present a case study demonstrating how sustainability, net-zero strategies, and a focus on biophilia have come together to support mental health recovery. Our case study highlights the new Cordilleras Mental Health Center in San Mateo County, located about 40 minutes south of San Francisco in a forested canyon above the bay. The new mental health campus includes four independent 16-bed mental health rehabilitation centers and a campus center with two floors of 57-bed supportive housing, replacing the existing 117-bed Cordilleras Mental Health Center. This facility will enable the county’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) to provide state-of-the-art care for its most vulnerable residents. The 80,000-square-foot Net-Zero construction will be integrated into this tranquil natural environment, creating a center for client wellness, rehabilitation, and recovery while fostering greater community involvement in the recovery process.
AIA LU Credits | Four Learning Objectives
- Implementing biophilic design | incorporating natural materials and colors, and leveraging the surrounding natural environment to foster a healthy space for mental health recovery.
- Utilizing sustainable site strategies | enhancing water efficiency to minimize environmental impact.
- Optimizing energy performance and indoor air quality | prioritizing patient well-being, while integrating on-site energy production to achieve a net-zero energy campus.
- Developing a financial strategy | supporting on-site renewable energy solutions and design for long-term resilience.
1 HSWLU Pending
Read a Building Design + Construction feature on Cordilleras’ net zero energy features
On the Building Team:
Owner: San Mateo County
Design architect and architect of record: CannonDesign
MEP engineer: CannonDesign
Structural engineer: KPFF
Construction: Skanska USA Building
Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025 6pm-7pm
Format: Virtual
Registration: Open Now!
Image Rendering: Courtesy of CannonDesign