Student Center
Student Center of Catawba Valley Community College. The Student Center houses Red Hawk Help, Bookstore, Student Government Association (SGA) and career and job placement resources for students, faculty, and staff.
Ultimate Adaptive Re-Use: Recycling a Building
A welcoming environment for students to study, rest, and meet with other students. Be sure to check out The Center for Workforce Connectivity and Talent Development to help with your career choice. They are located at this central location for easy access. Also, as a student or alumni, The Center for Workforce Connectivity and Talent Development is always free for you to use their resources. The Bookstore is also conveniently located in the Student Center. Food trucks are parked between the Student Center and the Student Services buildings. Seating is provided inside the Student Center.
Now let us tell you about the Student Center. Early in 2018, the leadership of CVCC challenged ADW Architects to find a way to revive an underutilized 1969 furniture and textile facility and convert it into a new Student Center. Rather than demolish the building and send construction debris to a landfill, the team proposed an adaptive re-use strategy. The approach capitalized on the positive qualities of the existing structure, bringing new line and value to the college. This facility is now a dynamic, light filled, flexible, and more energy efficient Student Center located in the heart of the campus.
Adaptive re-use restoration and implementation demonstrates how an underutilized, dark, inefficient building can be transformed rather than demolished, one of the greenest aspects of the project. Rather than just recycling products, the college recycled a building.
Saving this facility reduced energy consumption and the overall carbon footprint from what would have been required, if a new facility had been built with the same scope. Windows, walls and systems are all designed to reduce energy consumption and operating cost for the college. The CVCC Student Center is located on the CVCC main campus beside Student Services. Check out the Campus Map to see the exact location.
Sustainable Design Features
SITE
- Grey roof membrane on the flat roof to reduce the "heat island" effect and reduce heat gain compared to a black membrane.
- Permeable brick walkway pavers allow rain to dissipate through joints and into the soil rather than carry excess pollutants into storm drains.
- Reduced amount of existing concrete sidewalk to reduce the "heat island effect" and pollutants into the storm drains.
- Full cut-off exterior lights eliminating light pollution.
WATER EFFICIENCY
- High-efficiency "low flow" plumbing fixtures with motion sensors on the toilets reduce water use by approximately 25% per flush.
- Urinals save approximately 50% water per flush.
- Battery sensors on auto flushers have a full charge with every third flush, greatly increasing the battery life on the sensors.
MATERIALS
- Construction waste management and disposal during demolition reduced the amount of construction waste in landfills; existing building materials were recycled.
- Recycled materials used:
- Ceiling Tiles are made with 38% total recycled content
- Gypsum Board is made with 100% recycled paper
- Fiberglass insulation is made with 35% total recycled content
- Rigid Polystyrene Insulation is made with 20% pre-consumer recycled polystyrene
- Carpet squares used recycled materials
- All metal and aluminum framing contain recyclable materials
- Interior architectural wood obtained from forests certified by FSC-accredited certification and contains no urea formaldehyde.
ENERGY and ATMOSPHERE
- Mechanical design utilizes high efficiency HVAC unit motors which use less energy to perform the same amount of work as standard motors.
- R-410A chlorofluorocarbon-free (CFC) refrigerants utilized in HVAC; CFC refrigerants contain high amounts of chlorine that contribute to the breakdown of the Earth's natural ozone layer.
- Carbon dioxide (C02) monitors minimize the volume of outside air needed to be conditioned indoors by only bringing in fresh air when energized. When the space is occupied, the carbon dioxide sensor energizes to deliver the full amount of outdoor air needed, and vice versa. When unoccupied, system will require little energy to condition the outside air.
- Addition of skylights and more windows to reduce the dependency on artificial lighting.
- Occupancy sensors on lighting installed in selected spaces to reduce energy usage by approximately 5%.
- High efficiency fluorescent lighting used throughout the building.
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
- Low-emitting materials in all products specified where appropriate, including adhesives, sealants, paints, and coatings.
- Added windows and skylights create views to promote a healthier indoor environment.
Phillip Steele
Project Manager - Associate
What's located in the Student Center?
- Red Hawk Help
- Campus Store (Bookstore)
- Student Lounge Area
- Student Government Association Office (SGA)
- The Center for Workforce Connectivity and Talent Developmemt