In 2006, the first half of the John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center, the north building, opened. In 2013, the John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center – South Building was completed and it is beautiful. It was also designed with a sustainable mindset. Essential to passive solar heat control is the directional orientation of the building. During the cooler winter months, the sun, being closer to the horizon, can penetrate the southern facing windows to increase solar heat intake and reduce the need for heating. In the warmer months when the sun is more directly overhead, large overhangs and window screens are placed to limit solar radiation entering the building. White TPO (Thermoplastic polyolefin) roofing is used, which is properly insulated while the white color is effective at reflecting solar radiation away from the building, rather than absorbing it.
The design of the complex also considered the environmental impact of the surrounding area. The landscaping around the new John Brooks Williams building complex consists of native plants with water efficient multi-stream rotating sprinklers. Pervious pavers are used on walkways to reduce runoff and improve pollutant filtration. These sustainable options will help St. Edward’s University save water while still offering an aesthetically pleasing common area. For a more in depth look at the flora utilized check out our past blog post here.
The John Brooks Williams Natural Science Center – North building is proposing new variable frequency drives for the fans that ventilate laboratories within the building. Currently there are three fans in use that ventilate the labs. These fans cycle on and off, always keeping two fans operating. These frequency drives allow the fans to operate at a lower power level when the labs are vacant and will increase power and operating efficiency when the labs are in use. Considering that the John Brooks Williams North building is one of the biggest energy consumers on St. Edward’s University’s campus, this will be a welcome addition from a financial and environmentally sustainable perspective.
Blog authored by Sustainability Graduate Assistant, Thomas LaPoint ’15, Professional Science Master’s in Environmental Management and Sustainability.