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Unique Southern College Gets EcoDorm
The 36-bed EcoDorm at Warren Wilson College, a private liberal arts college just outside Asheville, North Carolina, has just opened for students this year. The EcoDorm features energy-efficient building designs and sustainable resource construction. While the facility provides additional housing for students, it serves as an educational exhibit in the community. The total budget for the project was $1.5 million and much of that has been covered by a grant from the Steelcase Foundation of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The building’s unique design and technology includes photovoltaic panels to supply electricity for this and nearby buildings during daylight hours, as well as radiant heat from a hot water system installed in the floor and preheated by a solar collector. This reduces energy cost by 50 percent. The EcoDorm operates on natural ventilation systems rather than air conditioning. The site plan maximizes daylight in all dorm rooms to reduce lighting loads and increase use of passive solar heat. Two types of toilets have been installed on two levels of the building, a composting (non-flushing) design and a traditional design flushed by rainwater collected in a recycled 10,000-gallon railroad tank car. The same collection system is used for watering the permaculture landscape and a grey water system is ready to be implemented when state laws allow. The roof is made of recycled steel and the exterior siding is made of local wood, primarily campus trees reclaimed after the recent pine-beetle infestation required their removal from the College forest. The interior wainscoting and cabinetry have been made from reclaimed wood from older campus buildings that have been taken down. Flooring tiles have been composed of 100%-recycled material. Exterior walls and ceilings have been built from a structurally integrated panel system, greatly increasing their R-value. Windows with low-e argon-filled high efficiency designs have been used. “The EcoDorm residence hall will reap substantial savings when compared to similar, traditional buildings,” says Jim Samsel, the architect behind the design of the environmentally friendly structure at Warren Wilson College. College president Doug Orr says the Dorm will operate as a learning laboratory. Students of the College have researched aspects of the building and will be monitoring various features with regard to energy use and renewable energy sources. Tours may be arranged through the College office at 828-934-3536. For more information go online to www.warren-wilson.edu. |
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