CSI Electric Wires Foothill College Sunnyvale Center, Replacing Iconic Blue Cube

CSI Electric wired the Foothill College Sunnyvale Center at the former Onizuka Air Force Station near Moffett Business Park, the site that once housed the Blue Cube, a secretive Cold War icon that tracked Soviet satellites for decades and was demolished in 2914, after the base was closed.

The new state-of-the-art Foothill College Sunnyvale Center includes classrooms, offices and student spaces, and offers opportunities to the community to participate in diverse scholastic activities and events. The General Contractor is C.W. Driver and the architect is Lionakis. CSI Electric’s services for the $3.8 million electrical contracting project included installation of the electrical infrastructure, power distribution to the building, lighting and lighting control, and installation of the raceways for the AV, security, data and fire alarm systems.

The building’s unique open atrium/ceiling design made the logistics of installing the power and various electrical systems within the building a challenge as the atrium was 3 stories high with exposed I-beams. As a result, CSI had to devise a wiring system that would look clean and appealing to the eye and would function efficiently. CSI ended up using a mounting system to install the lighting.

To accomplish this, they drilled a hole in the I-beams and then installed quarter-inch rods to hang the light fixtures on at the bottom of the beams. It solved their wiring issues and the result was aesthetically appealing as well. CSI Electric also installed the specialty lighting control system, Wattstopper Digital Light Management System, throughout the building. The same system controls the lighting for the exterior of the building and parking lot. The new Foothill College Sunnyvale Center, built to LEED Gold Certification, features radiant floor heating and cooling, and a natural ventilation system.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, CSI Electric opened its San Jose office in 2013 and performs work throughout Silicon Valley and the region. In addition to the higher education arena, CSI Electric is experienced in commercial, institutional and mission critical sectors. CSI also worked alongside 20 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 332 to complete the project.