[ 11.17.2009 : Regents Hall Receives Platinum ]

St. Olaf College's Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. At nearly 200,000 square feet, Regents Hall is the largest and most complex academic facility to earn the U.S. Green Building Councils Platinum rating.

Holabird & Root's design of Regents Hall incorporates several key strategies including a green roof which helps reduce the building's heating and cooling load and minimizes its heat signature. The green roof absorbs stormwater that runs off Regents Hall, filters carbon dioxide out of the air, and filters pollutants out of rainwater.

Interior and exterior materials were selected for their sustainability and maintainability, as well as their reuse content and their proximity to the site. Abundant natural light reduces the need for artificial light in the public and perimeter spaces.

Regents Hall is also the first major science facility designed with an emphasis on green chemistry, which uses water-based and nontoxic chemicals and reduces the amount of fume hoods needed. Because of the innovative strategies employed throughout the facility, Regents Hall saves enough energy each year to power 250 homes annually.

related projects: St. Olaf College