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Environment

San Diego State Students Increase Fees To Pay For New Student Union

'ModernSpace' Project Seeks LEED Platinum Rating

A majority of San Diego State University students voted this week to increase their fees to support the construction costs of a new student union building.

Slightly more than 4,000 students voted in favor of a $94 per semester fee. Subject to final approval by SDSU President Stephen Weber, the fee increase will go into effect in fall 2013 when the building is due to open.

Called "ModernSpace," the new student union project would be nearly twice the size of the Aztec Center that it's replacing.

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The current Aztec Center Student Union was built in 1968 and needs millions of dollars worth of upgrades and repairs.

The new student union will have more study lounges, healthy dining options, a new bowling and games center, an auxiliary fitness facility, a 330 seat multi-purpose theater, and more social and recreational opportunities for future SDSU students.

Associated Students is pursuing the highest possible standards in environmentally-sustainable buildings for the new facility: a LEED Platinum certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

A few of the sustainable features of ModernSpace include reuse of demolished building materials, a vegetative roof, photovoltaic solar collection, natural day lighting, radiant floor systems and pervious paving that allows storm water collection.

Construction is scheduled to begin June 2011 and is anticipated to be completed in fall 2013.