2024 Planet Positive Awards > Education > Higher Education Winner

Walker Hall is an adaptive reuse of a modest building that was constructed in 1927 at the University of California, Davis to house its agricultural engineering program.

The life of the structure has been extended for another 100 years, reducing operational energy use by 84 percent below baseline, embodied carbon emissions by 57 percent in comparison with a new structure, and potable water use by 64 percent. The university’s original project goal was LEED Gold certification on a budget 20 percent below benchmark for similar projects. Through careful design, Walker Hall ultimately achieved LEED Platinum certification at no additional cost to the client.

Existing single-pane glazing was replaced with high-
performance, thermally broken windows and extensive shading. The existing concrete walls were insulated at the interior, and the existing wood roof framing received both rigid and batt insulation. Daylight modeling supported the introduction of new skylights to reduce lighting loads. An efficient, easily maintained VAV system provides heating and cooling using existing chilled and hot water from the central campus plant. An on-campus PV 16.3-megawatt solar farm meets all of Walker Hall’s electrical needs.

The design minimized interior partitions, simplified finishes, and prioritized the use of new low-carbon or carbon-sequestering materials, including 50 percent fly ash concrete, 75 percent recycled content structural steel, 50 percent recycled content gypsum drywall, FSC-certified wood products, and Cradle to Cradle Certified carpet.

Walker Hall illustrates the multiple economic and environmental benefits derived from harvesting the embodied carbon in existing structures.

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