LEED Platinum for Beck Academic Hall

What goes beautifully with the warm glow of Kasota limestone and the sparkle of natural light? The luster of platinum.

The Warren and Donna Beck Academic Hall at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, the highest rating from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Building Rating System.

The three-story, 125,000-square-foot building opened in September 2011. It was the largest construction project on the Gustavus campus in 30 years and the result of a long, thoughtful planning process focused on public and academic space, technology, rich finishes and environmental stewardship.

Beck Academic Hall houses five academic departments, including classrooms, offices, psychology research laboratories, television and radio studios, and computer classrooms.

Numerous faculty and staff members were deeply involved in the design and development of the higher education building. Strong communication among the owner, architect BWBR and construction manager Kraus-Anderson began during early preconstruction and guided decisions related to mechanical and electrical systems, daylighting and other project considerations.

Early construction input also helped the college meet high aesthetic goals through practical approaches, including a precast exterior clad in Kasota limestone quarried just five miles from campus.

“Beck Academic Hall has been a wonderful addition to our campus,” said Warren Wunderlich, director of the Gustavus Adolphus College Physical Plant. “The five departments that occupy the building include three of our largest majors. The buildings they came out of were not at all generous in informal study and gathering spaces. Beck Hall’s department-specific student interaction rooms, its central atrium and other informal spaces provide lots of study space opportunities.”

“A number of LEED-influenced design decisions, like its locally quarried limestone exterior and its abundant daylighting, contribute to Beck Hall’s appreciation by the campus community,” Wunderlich said. “And its exceptional energy performance and highly durable finish materials have helped keep operating expenses low.”

A Central Atrium Designed for Daylight and Collaboration

The building’s hallmark is its three-story central atrium, which serves as a primary gathering place for students, faculty and visitors.

The atrium supports daylighting strategies that include controls to dim or brighten artificial light based on available natural light. Occupancy sensors dim lighting in unoccupied areas and signal the HVAC system to adjust temperatures accordingly.

Other energy-saving features include a comprehensive solar panel system with both photovoltaic panels, which convert light into electricity, and solar thermal panels, which use solar energy to support heating during cold months and dehumidification during warm months.

The building exceeded State of Minnesota Sustainable Building 2030 targets and was modeled to use 44 percent less energy and 30 percent less water than a typical code-compliant building.

Learn more about sustainability services, Building Science services and Kraus-Anderson’s higher education construction experience.

Indoor Air Quality and Construction Waste Reduction

A rigorous indoor air quality program was supported throughout construction, including wrapping and enclosing ductwork to prevent dust infiltration. For additional perspective on healthy building practices, explore indoor air quality considerations.

In addition, 75 percent of construction waste was recycled, including in some creative ways. Kraus-Anderson Superintendent Riley Smith gave the college’s then sculptor-in-residence, Greg Mueller, permission to search the construction dumpster for art materials. The effort yielded steel conduit cutoffs that Mueller refashioned into candelabra for the Christmas in Christ Chapel performance.

That is sharing the light, indeed.

In this article, Kraus-Anderson explored how Warren and Donna Beck Academic Hall achieved LEED Platinum certification through integrated planning, daylighting, solar-energy systems, energy and water performance, indoor air quality measures and construction waste recycling. Learn more about the Beck Academic Hall project, LEED Gold certification at Gustavus’ Anderson Hall and Kraus-Anderson’s sustainability services.