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Metropolis Editors, Natural Habitat, sustainability, sustainable architecture

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A mass timber dining and commons building in a higher education project
Dining and Community Commons building at Pennsylvania’s Swarthmore College, designed by DLR Group with a mass timber structure by Mid-Atlantic Timberframes. Photo: Robert Benson Photography

August 9, 2024

5 Architectural Products for Higher Education Projects

From mass timber to twisted sunshades, these new materials are positioned to be first choices on university campuses. 

By: Francisco Brown

FACING A GROWING STUDENT population, universities in the United States just keep expanding, with more and more campuses opening across the country and buildings populating existing college towns. With such growth, environmental impact and resourcefulness have become key concerns for educational facilities, and schools are now leveraging sustainable design principles to minimize their ecological footprints. From energy-efficient mechanical and lighting systems to solar-savvy construction materials, the following building materials for higher education projects are designed to lower a building’s overall carbon emissions, and new campuses opening up have an opportunity to integrate these innovative solutions from the ground up. 

ABOVE IMAGE:

MASS TIMBER

Mid-Atlantic Timberframes recently completed a new structural solution for the Dining and Community Commons building at Pennsylvania’s Swarthmore College. Designed by DLR Group, and constructed out of mass timber, the roof has a sweeping curvature achieved with laminated deck boards that reach as long as 32 feet. 

MID-ATLANTIC TIMBERFRAMES

matfllc.com

A higher education project with thermally efficient building materials

DESIGNWALL 2000 PANELS

Designwall 2000 panels are made to encase buildings in a thermally efficient, weatherproof skin with R-values of up to seven per inch. The system is designed for quick installation and highly compacted staging spaces, and the panels can be oriented horizontally and vertically for windows and door allocation with four different finishes. 

KINGSPAN

kingspan.com

TWISTED SUNSHADES

Construction Specialties’ new sunshade system reduces glare and allows filtered light to create ambience within the building. The sunshades, which come in two sizes, also minimize solar heat gain, meaning lower energy costs for university buildings to meet increasingly demanding energy-saving standards. The fixed facade barrier also enhances the overall safety and security of the building.

CONSTRUCTION SPECIALTIES

c-sgroup.com

SKYLIGHTS

Kalwall’s translucent skylights optimize the performance of traditional glass skylights by diffusing light deep into spaces without glare. In addition, the skylights reduce solar heat gain while maximizing thermal performance, and are rugged enough to handle extreme weather for university atria and learning spaces.

KALWALL

 kalwall.com

SDX3 SMARTVIEW FILM-FREE SWITCHABLE GLASS

This new film-free switchable glass design utilizes liquid crystal technology applied directly to glass, getting rid of the usual 7 to 11 percent visual haze that is typical of smart glass products. SDX3 also consumes less energy than a 25-watt light bulb per panel, making it ideal for multiuse labs and classrooms. 

SKYLINE DESIGN

skyline.glass

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