Project Description
In October 2012, the University of South Carolina’s renovation of the Patterson Hall student residence recently earned LEED® Gold certification through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The project team was striving to attain at least LEED Silver, and exceeded its goal. Wausau Window and Wall Systems’ high-performance windows contribute to the residence hall’s energy-efficiency, environmental and seismic requirements, as well as offer the students daylight, fresh air and views of the surrounding campus.
University of South Carolina currently has more than 600,000 square feet of green buildings on campus and by the end of 2013, is scheduled to surpass 1 million square feet. The University estimates that these green initiatives will save the school more than $1.5 million every year in energy and maintenance costs.
Rather than completely demolish the nearly 50-year-old building, Garvin Design Group opted to strip Patterson Hall down its original structural frame. This allowed the architectural firm to redesign and rebuild to meet new seismic requirements. Additionally, the 186,000-square-foot, nine-story residence hall’s traditional dormitory-style rooms were converted to 280 suite-style units.