Northland College, Environmental Living and Learning Center
Ashland, WisconsinNorthland College is a Liberal Arts college with an environmental emphasis. In adding new residential space to the campus, the College was seeking a building that fulfilled its larger mission of creating sustainable environments. With this mission as a primary focus, HGA designed a new $3.5 million residence hall to accommodate 113 students, adhere to the campus master plan, and utilize renewable energy systems and green materials. During the design process, HGA's energy consultants and faculty helped to analyze the energy performance of the building and research environmentally friendly materials. The result is a building with three different floor plan options for students. An experimental apartment wing will utilize windpower, active and passive solar systems, low-floor bathroom fixtures, and composting toilets. Materials were selected for their regional compatibility and their ability to be recycled or made from recycled products. Computers monitor energy usage and the contribution to the energy savings made by the renewable energy systems. The building was recently named as one of the 2001 Top Ten Green Buildings by the American Institute of Architects.