(SI04) Designing Sustainable Second Lives for Industrial Infrastructure: How a Coal-Burning Powerplant was Reinvented as a Low-Carbon Student Center

The collective impact of the built environment is now more critical than ever as architectural practice unites to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Careful and holistic consideration of the environmental impacts of material production, sourcing, construction processes, and operational energy use are key to minimizing the carbon footprint of our buildings. This presentation will demonstrate the sustainability benefits of a large-scale adaptive reuse project in the Midwest and provide the profession with the information to advocate for the importance of building reuse. We will explore the transformation of a shuttered coal-burning powerplant in Beloit, Wisconsin into a student union centered on wellness, recreation, and sustainability. This project, the Beloit College Powerhouse, enhances the student experience at the college and also minimizes carbon emissions through the innovative adaptive reuse of a decommissioned building. Join our presentation to explore how design decisions impact the embodied and operational carbon of a reused building. The research presented through this case study will assist by informing peers inside architectural practice and the construction industry of the net benefits of adaptive reuse. Both predicted and as-built data results supporting the reuse of the existing building stock will be presented in a clear and concise fashion. The design team will also educate attendees on the array of innovative systems implemented at the Powerhouse, which include radiant heating & cooling, advanced thermal mass concepts, and direct use of Rock River water for cooling and heat exchange. The application of LEED v3 will also be discussed, as LEED v4 transitioned to include and consider carbon reductions across both materials and operational energy.