Le Shana Residence Hall

The university’s newest building, Le Shana Residence Hall, is a model of sustainable building practices, materials, and energy efficient systems. Completed in 2007, the LEED-certified three-story apartment building features:

  1. Le Shana - Radiant floor heatingRadiant floor heating
    All regularly occupied rooms in Le Shana Hall have radiant floor heating. Water, a more efficient carrier of heat than air, flows through tubes, which saves fan energy.
  2. Le Shana - WallboardWallboard
    The wallboard used in Le Shana Hall was constructed with recycled materials. The materials were produced locally, reducing the amount of transportation fuel used to ship the finished product.
  3. Le Shana - Window glazingWindow Glazing
    The windows have glass with improved insulating properties to help provide a well-insulated building and efficient heating.
  4. Le Shana - Eyebrow Architecture‘Eyebrows’ architecture
    Aesthetic metal eyebrows above the building’s south-facing windows allow wintertime sun to permeate the residence hall rooms while blocking the sun during warm summer days.
  5. Le Shana - Drought resistant grassDrought resistant grass
    The tall fescue-blend grass has deep root systems that require less water and fertilizer. The drip irrigation system and the drought-resistant lawn require half the water of traditional landscape designs.
  6. Le Shana - Permeable asphaltPermeable asphalt
    Rainwater percolates through the asphalt. This process filters impurities before it reaches the storm-water system.
  7. Le Shana - Roof stacksRoof stacks
    Wood-clad stacks on the residence hall’s roof provide ventilation to cool the building without electrically powered fans. An automatic-control system opens the vertical shafts when the building needs to be cooled, and the warm air is carried out by natural convection.
  8. Le Shana - Water efficiencyWater efficiency
    Water use inside the building is reduced by 30 percent over a typical building of its size through the use of low-flow fixtures. As a result, each apartment is expected to save hundreds of gallons of water annually.
  9. Le Shana - ConcreteConcrete
    Much of Le Shana Residence Hall is constructed with concrete that provides “thermal mass” and improved heating and cooling efficiency.
  10. Le Shana - Building orientationBuilding orientation
    Orienting the building on a north-south axis takes advantage of the sun’s path and allows for diffuse day lighting. Prevailing winds enable natural ventilation using high and low pressure zones to create a flow of fresh air through the building.