KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — East Hall, the oldest building on the Western Michigan University campus, was the most-difficult to heat because it was built with brick, had no insulation, and had windows that made the building leak energy like a sieve.
But that was then.
When the remodeled building opens next week as Heritage Hall, it will be the most energy-efficient on campus. It may also be one of the few structures in the state that gains LEED platinum certification.
It’s all due to LED bulbs, a geothermal heating and cooling system and new foam insulation.
David Dakin, who does engineering work for the school, says the building used to be drafty with single-pane windows and cracks in the bricks. Its occupants would bake in the summer and freeze in the winter.
“The steam radiators, which had very little control, are going,” Dakin said. “(Now the rooms will have) digital controls, which can control the temperature in a room to within a degree or two.”
The building was no longer square and could barely support its own weight when the project began. Now it’s state of the art.
The grand opening will be a week from Friday.
– John McNeill
