Disney, Igoe and Schulz residence halls will each receive new windows to replace the aging, single-pane, steel-framed windows currently in place. More than 350 windows will be replaced with high-performance windows as part of ongoing window replacement projects that began in 2013 and will be completed in 2017. Wausau Window and Wall Systems will supply the new windows; new entrances from Tubelite Inc. and architectural finishes by Linetec will also be installed. All three companies are part of Minneapolis-based Apogee Enterprises Inc.’s building retrofit strategy team.

The high-performance window and entrance systems are intended to help optimize natural daylight and thermal comfort, according to a statement by Kevin Robbins, an account executive for Apogee’s building retrofit strategy team. “These attributes are proven to support better learning environments, promote happier and healthier residents, and lower operating costs for building owners,” Robbins added.

“In many aging buildings, existing windows can be leaky, single-glazed sash with conductive framing systems,” Robbins continued. “They can be difficult, or even dangerous, to operate, promote unhealthy condensation, mold or mildew formation, and force occupants to keep their distance from exterior walls due to glare, drafts and noise.”

TGR Enterprises Inc., a West Seneca, N.Y.-based glazing contractor, installed 190 of Wausau’s project-out, project-in and fixed units on Disney Hall. These projected windows allow for natural ventilation, which offers a seasonal opportunity for air-conditioning energy savings when included as part of a facility’s HVAC design. They also meet stringent industry testing for air, water and structural performance, which improve Disney Hall’s energy performance by 24.5 percent over the ASHRAE standard for residential buildings.

The updates to Disney Hall, which was built in 1967, were part of the $6 million Kirkland Complex window replacement project. Today, the three-floor building is a co-ed residence that primarily houses junior and senior students. It features three-bedroom kitchen suites with shared dining and living areas.

Opened in 1970, Igoe and Schulz halls also are primarily used as residences for upperclassmen. They make up two of the four buildings within the Andrews Complex, and both feature shared common areas and private four-bedroom suites. Window Specialists Inc., a Lancaster, N.Y.-based glazing contractor installed 120 INvent Retro-XLT 2250i Series windows plus 70 Wausau 3250-Z Series project-out zero sightline windows on Igoe Hall as part of the $6.1 million Andrews Complex window replacement project.

In addition, a combination of Tubelite’s T14000 I/O Series thermal storefront and 17 Wide Stile entrance doors were installed within the Andrews Complex. Linetec provided the aluminum-framed window, storefront and entrance systems with a durable anodize finish to maintain the intended appearance and performance of both halls far into the future.
 

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The 42,000-square-foot facility is slated for completion in 2014 and is part of a $185 million campus-wide capital campaign to expand and modernize the school. Islandia, N.Y.-based Stalco Construction is working as the general contractor on the new School of Business along with New York-based architecture firm, Urbahn Architects.

“The new, three-story, $26.7 million School of Business will be one of the most architecturally prominent higher education structures in the Northeast, said Joseph Serpe, vice president at Stalco Construction. “The building, which aims at LEED Silver certification, will feature a striking, modern, charcoal and ivory-colored façade, expansive glass curtainwall and a high number of environmentally responsible design and engineering solutions. The school’s energy efficiency performance will exceed New York’s state requirements by 30 percent.”

The need for the facility is due to the college’s increasing enrollment — which in 2012 exceeded 8,000 students. The school will help to prepare students for careers in the business industry by providing the latest technologies and services.

The building features a 1,050-square-foot computer lab that students will be able to work on assignments and projects as well as conduct research. While students have the option of working solo in the lab, the interior classroom space gives them the opportunity to work collaboratively.

The classrooms and lounges were designed with collaborative learning in mind. The first floor of the building features the largest classrooms in the building, and in order to promote active discussion and learning, each of these classrooms is tiered on each side around a centrally located teaching stage area. One of the 64-seat classrooms will feature a central folding partition, allowing division into two smaller, traditionally laid out classrooms.

The flexibility of the classrooms gives students and teachers endless learning possibilities, strategies and approaches.

“From the beginning of the project, it was the goal of Farmingdale State College for the building to promote a casual interaction between students and faculty,” said Peter Verne, senior associate at Urbahn Architects and project’s lead designer. “We reflected this concept in our design approach by locating the faculty offices immediately across the main corridors from the classrooms.”

The interior of the building also features mini-lounges for students, which further promotes interactivity. In addition to the public spaces, there are also two main lounges for students who prefer to work in a quiet working environment.

Green Elements

The building has many environmentally friendly features, including the mechanical, electrical and plumbing services.

“The building will incorporate high efficiency heating, cooling and lighting systems that will significantly reduce energy use,” said Gregory Sibley, associate principal for Vanderweill Engineers. “The entire building will be managed by the Direct Digital Control (DDC)-controlled Building Energy Management System, which will optimize the energy use based on occupancy, air quality, natural lighting levels and other variable factors. The college’s facility management team will be able to control the building’s systems remotely, from the campuses’ central control room.”

The cooling system at the facility will include two high efficiency, water cooled, 135-ton chillers in the basement as well as cooling towers, tied to the basement chillers, on the grade level outside of the main building. The chilled water will be distributed through piping networks to custom manufactured air handling units with multiple fans for an increased redundancy and reliability. The units will also feature internal service corridors for easier maintenance.

“In order to develop the optimal structure, the architectural and engineering team performed multiple modeling tests for the entire building’s design, including walls, ceilings, roofs and MEP systems,” said Sibley. “This analysis has led to the development of an extremely efficient structure that will serve as an example for future higher education facilities across the nation.”

The greening of the new building will also serve as an example for other campus projects — along with incorporating collaborative learning spaces within other new facilities.

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