New South Residence Hall models sustainability
With solar panels on the roof to heat water and touch screens in the hallways for monitoring energy usage, Wake Forest’s newest residence hall has the latest in green technology.
South Residence Hall reflects the University’s commitment to sustainability across campus. The residence hall was designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Design) certification — silver level standards.
“This is going to help students understand what it means to live in a sustainable environment,” said Donna McGalliard, dean of residence life and housing. “Sustainability is not just a fad or passing trend. We want to be good stewards and teach students to be good stewards of the environment.”
The new residence hall will house about 200 first-year students in double rooms. The four-story building, located beside Collins Residence Hall, has a two-story parlor; a classroom; a media room; a recreation room; and two study rooms and two kitchens/lounges on every floor.
Wake Forest worked with Hanbury, Evans, Wright, & Vlattas Architects and Frank L. Blum Construction on the new building.
Natural light is an essential part of the design, said Ryan Swanson, university architect. Double-paned aluminum windows match the style of older buildings on campus, but their high-efficiency and low maintenance provide an important energy-saving element.
The residence hall also has energy-efficient appliances in kitchens on each floor, high-efficiency washers in the laundry room, and thermostats that can be adjusted in individual rooms.
Additional green features of the building include:
Solar Hot Water Collection
Roof mounted panels contain liquid-filled tubes. Solar energy heats the tubes, providing a sustainable supply of hot water in tanks located in the attic. This stored hot water provides preheated tap water for showers and sinks — greatly reducing the amount of natural gas needed to produce hot water.
Natural Light
Just over 86 percent of all occupied space in the building receives 25 foot-candles or more of daylight illuminations conducive to reading and study. The correlative effects of natural daylight illumination to improved learning provide a win-win as increased daylight also reduces electrical consumption.
Recycling: Construction Activity/Recycling Centers
The initial goal of recycling 50 percent of all construction material was easily achieved. The building contractor diverted nearly 80 percent of all waste generated during construction from the landfill. Recycling centers for student use are conveniently located on each floor as part of the University’s ongoing commitment to reduce landfill volume.
Locally Sourced Materials
The project exceeded the goal of locally sourcing 20 percent of construction material (by value) within 500 miles of the building site. Common materials sourced locally included brick, limestone, roof slate, hollow core floor slabs, structural and reinforcing steel.
Dual Flush Toilets
Not every toilet use needs a “full flush.” Dual flush toilets allow the user to release the minimum amount of water needed. Using dual flush conserves fresh water supply and reduces the amount of water sent to the treatment plant.
Low-Flow Shower Heads
Low-flow shower heads increase the effectiveness of the same volume of water — much like placing your thumb over the end of a garden hose when trying to wash the mud from your car. Low-flow showerheads conserve water supply and the energy to heat it, and lessen treatment plant volumes.
Building Monitoring
Through convenient, technologically savvy, and user-friendly screens, residents can visualize consumption of energy, water and solar resources in their new home away from home.
Water: Bio-Retention Cells
Bio-retention cells reduce the quantity of rain water leaving the site during a storm by slowly releasing the water over time. Natural vegetation in these cells increases the quality of water by removing silt and solids discharged into downstream flows.
Categories: Campus Life, Environment & Sustainability, Experiential Learning
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