Residence Hall Receives LEED Gold Certification, Sparks Green Philosophy at Campus
In the fall of 2004, Plymouth State University faced a difficult challenge: There was not have enough on-campus housing to accommodate upperclassmen seeking affordable rent and available housing.
Located in Plymouth, N.H. , a town-and-gown community about 45 minutes north of Concord , the 6,800-student university is nearly the same size as the town. Students were putting pressure on the off-campus community to provide affordable housing, and community officials in turn pressured the university to increase the number of juniors and seniors housed on campus.
The university decided the best solution was to provide on-campus housing for up to 60 percent of its student body. In order to accomplish that, they had to build a new residence hall that would be attractive to older students, while improving the relationship between the university and the community and increasing the percentage of on-campus beds.
“It was important to the university to have a stronger sense of community by bringing a broader range of students on campus — more than just first-year students,” says Bill Crangle, vice president for financial affairs at the university. “We wanted to encourage more upperclassmen to be here.”
University officials wanted to provide additional housing as quickly as possible and enlisted the services of Cannon Design, a Boston-based architectural firm, in fall 2004, before embarking on an ambitious schedule: project completion by August 2006.
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University officials and the design team knew they could meet the rigorous deadline, but they did not know that they would create what would become the university’s first LEED-certified building and one of the largest residence halls in the United States to receive gold-level certification.
Design
Located on the north end of campus, the five-story,114,000-square-foot Langdon Woods Residence Hall houses 347 sophomore, junior and senior students in various configurations of suites and two-person rooms. The project came on the heels of a 10-year master plan, during which time the university explored sustainable design, but did not actively pursue an environmentally friendly building.
“We had our toe in the water in terms of trying to understand sustainability,” Crangle says. “When we sat down with Cannon and talked about what we wanted to achieve, our list of goals included an energy-efficient building. We wanted to achieve sustainable goals, even though at the time we didn’t really understand what that meant.”
Cannon met with the project steering committee, including campus officials, students and representatives from the state university system, and conducted several campus workshops to discuss the possibility of a LEED-certified building that would not only be energy-efficient, but water- and cost-efficient, as well.
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As the project took shape, the campus grew excited about the idea of a LEED-certified building. Three faculty members who were familiar with LEED and taught planning, environmental sociology and biology, respectively, incorporated the project into their class curriculum during the design phase to give students hands-on experience with the sustainable design process.
One class analyzed proposed construction material choices, such as wood, glass and brick, and their potential carbon footprint. Another class developed a sociological manifesto that examined how to live in a sustainable environment. One group of students even gave a presentation about LEED to the steering committee and architects.
Spurred by the momentum growing on campus, the goal of the project grew beyond basic LEED certification to silver and eventually gold certification
“We were surprised we were able to achieve gold,” Crangle says. “We were originally talking about just getting certification and how that would be a great statement. Then we were hoping for silver. When all was said and done, we came through with gold, which was a pleasant surprise.”
Sustainable Features
It was important to the university to build a residence hall that would attract older students and improve the quality of life on campus, and also conserve natural resources and reduce overall operating costs.
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The hall abuts a natural wetland, a forest preserve and a stream leading to the Baker River . Two plateaus and a solitary hill give the site a dramatic topography. Architects wanted the building to resonate with its surroundings by mirroring some of the natural features, while minimizing its environmental footprint.
“The building steps down the two plateaus and looks like it’s in four parts,” Hourihan says. “We tried to reduce its footprint by making it a long thin building so that it could get the maximum amount of daylight.”
The hall’s layout hugs the natural curve of the nearby stream, creating a gentle S-shape.
Inside the building, low-flow fixtures and dual-flush toilets are expected to save the university 1.4 million gallons per year — a 36 percent reduction in water use. Low-maintenance, native landscaping outside the hall requires no irrigation and contributes to water savings.
Rooms feature operable windows, individual airflow, and temperature and lighting controls to promote individual comfort. Low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints and carpeting contribute to indoor air quality. Large windows on all sides of the hall provide ample daylighting and views to 90 percent of living spaces.
Project Data Facility Name: Langdon Woods Residence Hall Project Team Architect: Cannon Design Product Data Brick/Masonry: Watsontown Brick |
The project’s most efficient feature is also its most innovative and largely responsible for the hall’s gold status. Langdon Woods is located adjacent to the campus cogeneration plant, which provides the bulk of electricity needed to operate the campus, while also exhausting a generous amount of steam.
To reduce energy use and heating costs, architects installed a water jacket heat-recovery system to capture excess heat from the plant and funnel it to the residence hall. The captured steam supplies the hall with all the heat necessary for hot water and heating, eliminating the need for boiler system.
“In effect, they have free heat and hot water,” Hourihan says. “We did spend the money to put the jacket on and capture the heat, but that will probably be paid back within a year.”
As a result, the hall is expected to use 58 percent less energy than a conventional building of similar size, a savings that amounts to $230,000 per year for the university.
The project also received several innovation points from the U.S. Green Building Council for exceeding requirements in certain LEED categories, including innovation and design, and materials and resources.
The features from these categories include an educational installation that explains the building’s sustainable design principles; the implementation of a green housekeeping program; ensuring that 40 percent of construction materials were locally manufactured and harvested; using 20 percent recycled content during construction; and the installation a stormwater management system with the capacity of a 50-year storm, which is designed to collect runoff from parking lots and roads.
Epilogue
More than a mere home for its 347 tenants, Langdon Woods has become a symbol of efficiency and sustainability that has influenced campus policies, provided new educational opportunities and raised awareness throughout the university community.
Following the opening of Langdon Woods, PSU President Sara Jayne Steen signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, an initiative designed to neutralize campus greenhouse gas emissions by enforcing stricter building codes, the use of Energy Star-certified products and increased access to public transportation by faculty, staff, students and visitors.
All future renovation and new construction projects on campus will strive to meet LEED silver — or equivalent — standards, under the new plan. The university is currently working on a renovation of Mary Lyon Residence Hall, a 1912 building that will receive new insulation, windows and a heating system to improve overall efficiency and reduce operating costs. Upon completion, the refurbished hall will help the university meet its goal of housing 60 percent of the student population on campus.
As part of the climate commitment pledge, a new commission will be formed this fall to study the integration of environmental sustainability into the school’s curriculum.
“You won’t just talk about sustainability when you’re in the science building,” Crangle says. “You will talk about it when you are writing English papers, sitting in business classes or in your art and music classes.”
Crangle, along with fellow faculty member Brian Eisenhower, is now co-director of the school’s newly opened Center for the Environment. Officials are also planning to introduce a new undergraduate degree program in the sciences for students interested in majoring in environmental sustainability.
Since the hall’s completion, students have petitioned to convert all shuttle buses to bio-diesel fuel. Shuttle buses are also sporting new signs that encourage students to recycle, reuse and restore and to turn off computers when not in use. The university is also in the process of installing waterless urinals across campus and implementing recycling programs.
Most importantly, students feel a sense of pride and excitement about their new digs.
“I recently gave a tour for a local environmental group and was very impressed by the cleanliness of the place,” Crangle says. “It felt like the students treat it with respect. I think they appreciate it a great deal.”