Western Washington University will be home to Washington State’s first carbon neutral college building

Western Washington University is in the final stages of its capital campaign to raise funds for the construction of a new computer science and engineering facility that will include the first net-zero energy/carbon neutral building on a college campus in Washington state.

Designed by Perkins&Will and located on the south end of the main campus, the building will house the university’s advanced technology and engineering programs, including electrical and computer engineering, computer science, and the Institute for Energy Studies, as well as a multicultural student center. The mass timber facility will include a welcoming, accessible layout meant to accommodate an increasingly diverse population of students and support the learning styles of all.

WWU carbon neutral building interior

Sustainability features will include:

100% of the energy consumed by the building will be renewable
Advanced battery technology to provide on-site energy storage
Architectural design that includes a high efficiency energy envelope and maximizes illumination and shading
High embodied carbon structure through sustainably sourced Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)
Smart Building technologies and controls, as well as high efficiency electric heating and cooling
A construction management process that reduces waste and transportation inefficiency

“The building will represent the next generation of STEM facilities, merging electrical engineering and computer science learning with active industry engagement and collaboration,” said Anthony Gianopoulos, Principal and Operations Director at Perkins&Will, in a release.

Architectural concrete as we know it today was invented in the 19th century. It reached new heights in the U.S. after World War II when mid-century modernism was in vogue, following in the footsteps of a European aesthetic that expressed structure and permanent surfaces through this exposed material. Concrete was treated as a monolithic miracle, waterproof and structurally and visually versatile.