Kalamazoo College is putting its commitment to sustainability into action with the construction of two new residence halls that will showcase energy efficiency and environmentally conscious building strategies when they open in fall 2027.
The structures are part of an effort to meet a growing need for affordable, on-campus housing as off-campus housing costs continue to increase. The project will provide space, primarily for juniors and seniors, for 218 beds. Associate Vice President for Facilities Management Susan Lindemann said the two buildings represent a major step in the College’s long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
“At every stage of planning, we asked, ‘how can we lower our carbon footprint and create better living conditions for students?’” Lindemann said. “Our commitment to the environment goes back years, yet our housing stock hasn’t always reflected that because of its age. With these new halls, we’re putting our money where our mouth is and showing what our values look like in physical form.”
Geothermal System Replaces Fossil Fuels
The most significant feature distinguishing these residence halls from conventional buildings is a geothermal heating and cooling system that eliminates the need for fossil fuels. Instead of running on natural gas, the buildings will use a network of underground loops where fluid circulates through the ground to pick up or release heat. That steady baseline temperature drastically reduces the energy required to regulate an indoor climate.
Electric heat pumps bring the fluid to a desired temperature, and electric backup boilers provide support only during extreme cold.
“There is no gas line going to these buildings,” Lindemann said. “That’s important because it means we are not using fossil fuels to heat or cool them. We’re literally using the earth as a battery to stabilize temperatures, and then we only need a small amount of electricity to fine-tune it. In Michigan winters, there might be days when geothermal alone can’t keep up, but even then, our backup system is electric boilers, not gas. This is a huge step forward in lessening our reliance on fossil fuels.”
The geothermal field is being installed under what will be a parking lot, maximizing space and protecting the system from weather and wear.
Mass Timber Reduces Embodied Carbon
The structures will also use fire-rated mass timber as their primary structural material. Unlike traditional steel framing, mass timber is made from layers of smaller, sustainably harvested trees laminated together. This method allows builders to use farmed coniferous wood rather than cutting down old-growth forests or using large-diameter timber.
The cross-lamination process also strengthens the beams by alternating the grain, creating components that perform much like steel.
“It’s important to say that there is some steel in the building—there are pieces that are just very difficult to do in timber,” Lindemann explained. “But the largest part of the structure is mass timber, and that dramatically reduces embodied carbon. Embodied carbon is basically the carbon footprint associated with the lifecycle of building materials. These are laminated wood products, often made from smaller trees that otherwise couldn’t be used structurally. Instead of cutting down old-growth oaks, we’re taking coniferous trees from farmed sources and engineering them into beams that are incredibly strong. And because we sourced them domestically, east of the Mississippi River, we’re cutting down on the transportation footprint as well.”
Solar Power Designed to Meet Building Demand
To further reduce reliance on the electrical grid, the College is installing a bank of solar panels, designed as canopy-style carports over parking spaces, on the north side of the new lot. Because K owns and manages its own utility infrastructure, any excess generation can be redirected to other buildings on campus. The site has been designed so additional solar can be added as funding allows.
“This one bank of solar panels is designed to entirely sustain the building at peak demand,” Lindemann said. “That means this building can run on renewable energy alone when the sun is at its highest production. It’s also worth saying that this is a truly responsible way to do solar. We’re not taking farmland out of production or clearing forests to put panels up. We’re using a parking lot, which protects the geothermal field underneath while also giving us renewable energy.”
Native Landscaping and Green Roof Elements
The project’s landscaping features only native or climate-adapted plant species, eliminating the need for irrigation and reducing strain on groundwater resources. As climate zones shift with climate change, some plants traditionally native to areas farther south than Michigan are also used as naturalized selections that will continue to thrive in future conditions.
A portion of the connector building between the two residence hall towers will also incorporate trays of green roof vegetation.
“It’s not the entire roof,” Lindemann said. “The towers have pitched roofs, so we can’t do full green roofs there. But the flat connector is designed for trays of vegetation, which will insulate the building and help with air quality. It’s another way the building itself will be working toward sustainability.”
In addition, the project will create new outdoor spaces for students, including a small second Quad between the new buildings and Crissey and Severn halls, along with a front terrace where students can eat and spend time outside.
Built-In Fresh Air and Waste Reduction
Unlike most modern commercial buildings, these buildings will feature operable windows that will allow students to regulate temperature and reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling when weather permits. Sensors in each room will help manage temperature and reduce wasted energy when windows are open.
“We wanted students to have the ability to get fresh air, not just rely on HVAC,” Lindemann said. “In a lot of modern buildings, you can’t even open a window. Here, students will have that option, and the system is designed to sense what’s happening in the room and adjust. That way, students can use outside air to cool down rather than running air conditioning.”
Waste reduction is also top of mind in the design. The halls will include space and access for pickup by the College’s commercial composting partner, an option not currently available elsewhere on campus.
“Students will be able to compost food waste easily, which is a huge step forward,” Lindemann said. “Between composting, fresh-air circulation and renewable electricity, the way students live in this building will inherently be more sustainable.”
Supporting Students and the Broader Community
The new residence halls are designed not only to reduce energy use but also to shift student housing patterns in the surrounding neighborhood. Many students currently live in older off-campus houses that are poorly insulated, heated with fossil fuels and expensive to maintain.
“When students live in these old houses, they’re often paying high rents to landlords who aren’t affected by how much it costs to heat the place because the students pay the utility bills,” Lindemann said. “Older homes can be incredibly inefficient. Heat goes right out the roof, out the windows, out the walls. By moving students into high-efficiency halls, we’re not only lowering their carbon footprint but also opening those houses for families, who are more likely to renovate, insulate and make the houses sustainable in the long run. That’s good for the community and the environment.”
Tree Stewardship and Replanting
Lindemann anticipated concerns in the community about tree removal early in the planning process. She noted that many of the trees removed were in decline and unlikely to survive construction. Plus, newly planted trees that had been added along Catherine Street were carefully relocated to other parts of campus rather than chipped or discarded. New plantings will also take place.
“For every tree we took down, we’re replanting four,” Lindemann said.
Sustainable Transportation Options
To make lower-impact commuting more accessible, the new parking area includes a secure bike storage facility with key-card access. The enclosure will protect bikes from weather and theft and will be open to all students, not just residents of the new halls.
“A lot of students have told us they’d like to bike, but they don’t have a secure or covered place to store a bike,” Lindemann said. “So, we’re building an enclosed structure with card access where students can lock bikes, keep them dry, and feel confident using them.”
An Investment in the Future
Locally sourced materials, renewable energy systems, and high-efficiency design required a significant upfront investment, one that Lindemann said aligns with campus values.
“This building could have been built less expensively in the financial sense,” Lindemann said. “But we chose to walk the walk and spend money on things that would use less energy and lessen our carbon footprint. When you look at geothermal, mass timber, solar, native landscaping and composting, I think we were able to include some really impactful items without pricing ourselves out of reach. It’s painting a picture of who we are as a college.”
Lindemann noted that as we approach future projects, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to sustainability.
“Every building has its own story,” she said. “In this case we had the open land to install geothermal and solar, so we took that opportunity. Another project might look different. But what will stay consistent is our dedication to being as sustainable as possible in every container we have to work with.”