With the success of other apartment-style residence halls in the University of Wisconsin System, UW-Stevens Point has unveiled a new housing project due for completion in June 2011.
The building, called “201 Reserve Street Suites,” will be UW-Stevens Point’s newest residence hall on campus since 1968, according to a statement.
Each of the five floors will be comprised of apartments divided into four bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchenette, according to Campus Facilities Planner Carl Rasmussen at UW-Stevens Point.
Rasmussen believes the new building will be a step in the right direction.
“This is a completely different design,” Rasmussen said. “Our typical hall has 50,000 to 55,000 square feet with near [to] 300 beds. This hall will have 322 beds and will be in the range of 140,000 square feet.”
Rasmussen added the building type was the top choice on a survey given to students. In addition, it will be constructed to the minimum silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards certification. Two other buildings on the campus have the equivalent of LEED standards, but were not officially certified.
The standard includes energy sufficiency, use of sustainable products and the application of environmental diligence before and continuing after construction. One of the new amenities will be solar panels on the roof, which will act as a hot water preheating system, according to Rasmussen.
In addition, walls will be including insulation created from mostly sustainable products that will last 50 to 70 years, Rasmussen said. Students will have their own stake in the “going green” initiative by sorting their recyclables into chutes.
On UW-Madison’s campus, no suite-style residence halls are owned and maintained by the university. However, Lucky and Grand Central apartments are some of the most popular suite-style private apartment buildings available to students.
Lucky contains 359 apartments with mixed room sizes and bed plans, according to Bill Matchsky, associate in Lucky’s leasing department. Matchsky added hardwood floors are used on the fourth floor to soak up runoff water and prevent heat from radiating across floors.
UW’s two newest residence halls, Ogg and Smith, were built using some amounts of recycled material and recycled construction waste. They were also both designed along the LEED guidelines, but are not certified. Each has storm water management processes with small rain gardens, according to Gary Brown, director of campus planning and landscape architecture.
Plans for the new lakeshore dorm will also cater to environmental diligence.
Brown added the new lakeshore residence hall complex will have further sustainable design initiatives with a green roof to absorb storm water run-off.
Brown also said LEED will act as a design tool in the building’s construction. Solar water heaters have been discussed for the building, but no definite plans have been compiled, Brown said.
“In the residence hall, [efficiency] is a good way for students to understand sustainability and become better environmental citizens,” Brown said. “How to reduce power consumption, recycle and reuse materials are important ways to teach them.”
