5 ways the Hellems renovation is reducing the building’s environmental impact
The Hellems Arts and Sciences building renovation is underway, and the project includes multiple aspects designed to reduce the building’s environmental impact:
The Energy Use Intensity (EUI), or the amount of energy used in a building per square foot annually, in Hellems is projected to decrease by 68% even with the addition of air conditioning.
The building will have a new high-efficiency mechanical system designed to accommodate the campus’s future conversion to a low-temperature hot-water heating system.
Increased thermal performance: The building will have triple-pane high-efficiency windows, increased insulation in the walls and roof and local, LEED-certified materials.
Sustainability consultants performed daylight studies to maximize access to natural light.
Another benefit of the renovation is the reduction of embodied carbon due to building and material reuse. For example, the existing terrazzo and wood flooring is being refurbished and reused, and wood transoms are being salvaged and integrated into the finishes of the office wing.
Hellems is expected to reopen in winter 2025–26. Learn more about the renovation project.