Hyland Hall

Hyland Hall is the home of the College of Business and Economics and was constructed in 2008 in accordance with the Wisconsin Department of Administration – Division of State Facilities Sustainable Facilities Standards, which closely reflect the LEED specifications for their Building Design and Construction (LEED-BD+C) Silver certification level at the time the Standards were written.   It is the use of these standards that could allow Hyland Hall to potentially achieve LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) certification.  Hyalnd was completed when this document was in development and many of the best practices contained in the document were part of construction practices and principles used for the design and construction of this building.  The objective of pursuing LEED-EB would be to extend the practices adopted through the certification process as best practices for operating other buildings across campus.  Even though Hyland lacks any LEED certification like Starin Hall or Laurentide Hall, it still has many features that make it a sustainable building.  

Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion

The construction of Hyland Hall was a significant project because it involved tearing down three existing buildings that were all residence halls at one time. When they were torn down, Baker Hall and Salisbury Hall served various academic and administrative functions and Sayles Hall was still a functioning residence hall that made up a complex with the currently empty White Hall. The demolition waste generated over 14,000 tons of debris and nearly 98% of it was recycled! The construction of Hyland Hall itself generated another 869 tons of debris and Miron Construction, the general contractor for this project, was able to recycle about 66% of this waste stream. The full WasteCap Wisconsin report can be viewed here.  This project received recognition as the WasteCap's 2007 Big Diverter Award in the demolition category for the highest recycling rate for the three residence halls. We were also chosen as a site to host WasteCap Wisconsin's Talk and Tour Series in 2008.

Energy Efficiency and Daylighting

Some of the design components that help achieve a modern level of sustainability involve improving the daylighting of the building spaces.  The majority of the building is oriented as southern-facing to permit the most amount of natural light.  The southern-facing windows also feature “window eyebrows,” which are designed to diffuse light into each window by scattering it through the window.  This also has the added benefit of scattering direct light, which also helps avoid excessive warming through direct sunlight. 

“Jewel boxes” and bump-outs help these small gathering areas to be bathed in sunlight.  Most rooms have windows that span the entire length of the wall. The front atrium and open design of the front staircase also permits a great deal of natural light to diffuse through the front of the building.   The central hallways and classrooms also have interior windows so even interior office spaces can get a nominal amount of natural light and light can diffuse between rooms easily. Stairwells also feature large windows that permit natural light to limit the need for artificial light sources. There are also daylight sensors that automatically reduce the artificial light in some common areas.  

The rear of the building has a central clerestory that helps light come in through skylights and travel down several floors of the building.  The light-colored (blonde) woodwork and white are also designed to help illuminate spaces through their natural albedo properties.

Solar Panels

The 32.4 kW solar array helps add to the overall level of sustainability.  This array roughly provides enough power to sustain the needs of the Trading Room and adjoining research computer lab, including all lighting and electronic components.

Building Envelope

Energy efficiency relies heavily on the materials used for the exterior walls, but more importantly, how the openings in those walls are managed using windows and doors.  Modern buildings like Hyland Hall have a larger percentage of window surface area than older building envelopes, including many of the older buildings found on our own campus and those that were torn down to make room for Hyland Hall.  Window technology has advanced to the point where windows do not cause the same level of heat gain/loss they once did, which often contributes significantly to the inefficiency of older buildings.  You can review some of the spec sheets for Hyland Hall's window components:

• Entrances and Storefronts
• Glazed Aluminum Curtain Wall
• Glazing
• Horizontal Louver Blinds
• Roller Shades
• Sealants

Other Plumbing and Mechanical Systems