Simmons College

The School of Management and Quad is a flagship capital project embodying Simmons College’s commitment to a future of sustainable development. The project replaces a surface parking lot with a 66,500 sf building, a 250,000 sf, five-level subterranean parking garage, and a green quadrangle for use by the college and surrounding community. Oriented to capitalize on natural light and views, the building also employs a partial vegetated roof and a high-albedo, low-emissivity roof to mitigate stormwater runoff and heat-island effect. Recycled steel, carpet, and ceiling tiles are employed throughout, and furniture and finishes incorporate sustainable materials and manufacturing practices. Bamboo, a rapidly renewable material, is used extensively in millwork, office desk surfaces, and a lobby feature wall.

A highly efficient VAV system utilizes the campus chilled water plant. High-efficiency lighting and control systems reduce energy expenditures and incorporate telephone, data, and fire-alarm systems, fully interfacing with existing campus networks. The building’s wall envelope is superior to the most current air-barrier strategies and should surpass standard performance by 25%.

The project was awarded LEED Gold certification in April 2009.

• Project siting minimizes building footprint and maximizes open space
• Facility is easily accessed via mass transit
• Bicycle storage and shower facilities are provided for cyclists on site
• Parking garage provides dedicated spaces for hybrid and shared vehicles
• Project has not increased rate or quantity of stormwater runoff
• Highly reflective roofing and landscape materials reduce heat-island effect
• Lighting reduction measures prevent night-sky light pollution

• Project-related sustainability concepts incorporated in academic curriculum
• Visual displays explain building’s sustainable strategies
• 90% of construction waste recycled

• Natural daylight is present in 90% of indoor spaces
• No-smoking policy preserves indoor air quality
• Low-VOC paints, carpets, adhesives, and sealants are used throughout

• Dedicated storage and collection area is provided for recyclable materials
• 20% of building materials are regionally manufactured
• Carpet, ceiling tiles, and drywall incorporate recycled content
• Bamboo, a rapidly renewable natural material, is used extensively in millwork, a lobby feature wall, and office desk surfaces

• Fully automated systems optimize building energy consumption
• Ventilation system uses filtered, unconditioned outside air for cooling during late fall, winter, and early spring
• Energy recovery measures transfer heating and cooling energy from exhausted air to fresh air supply
• HCFC-free and halon-free refrigeration and fire-suppression equipment prevent ozone depletion
• Calibration and efficiency of fundamental building elements and systems will be verified by independent commissioning authority

• Low-flow fixtures reduce potable water usage

• New campus quad
• 715-car subterranean parking garage located below the campus quad
• Outdoor event space on level 4 roof overlooks campus quad
• Two 70-seat tiered case-study classrooms
• Marketing suite for School of Management and College
• Dedicated executive education floor