Two renovated Radford University residence halls will open this week with new furniture, air conditioning and other amenities.
Improvements to the Madison and Jefferson residence halls were made to enhance students’ campus experience and underscore the university’s commitment to sustainability, said Roy Saville, director for Facilities Planning and Construction.
The two dorms now feature a suite arrangement with a private bath for each two-student room, Saville said. Students also will have three study areas on the first floor in each building and one equipped with a kitchen on the second and third floors. Each remodeled dorm will accommodate 174 students.
The basements now feature large multipurpose lounges, laundry and vending areas. Renovations to the buildings, each of which comprises 49,500 square feet of space, also include new fire suppression systems, accessibility upgrades and indoor bicycle storage areas.
The renovations conform to Radford University’s sustainability initiative, Saville said, including bamboo flooring in the lounges. Bamboo can regenerate within 10 years, a key component in gaining a silver LEED certification for the buildings through the U.S. Green Building Council, he said.
The buildings also feature “smart” controls, which cut off heating or cooling in individual rooms if a window is opened. High-efficiency lighting and occupancy sensors will turn off lights when rooms are empty.
Conserving water and energy was a key concern in the renovation project, said Mark Shanley, vice president for student affairs. “Our goal is to combine a sustainable environment with the latest in amenities and living/learning opportunities for students throughout our housing program,” Shanley said. “Madison and Jefferson are the newest arrivals, and Moffett Hall will benefit from the same privacy and safety features when it returns online next fall.”
Through the use of low-flow toilets, sinks and showers, Jefferson and Madison occupants will use about 52 percent less water than before. This computes to annual savings of 987,000 gallons of water – enough to fill 25,000 bathtubs. A high-efficiency chiller will result in a 15 percent energy reduction, saving the university $39,465 a year.
The buildings were renovated by VMDO Architects and Thor Inc. at a total cost of $10 million.
