a sustainable living experience

horizon village residence hall

The Horizon Village residence hall at UW-Oshkosh is a living-learning experience like no other. It is the only suite-style residence hall on campus. The five-story, 165,000 square foot building is a mixture of suite-style and traditional-plus units with several apartment units to accommodate residence hall staff. Main floor spaces include meeting rooms, a computer lab, study spaces, and a recreation area, while each floor has its own student lounges.

Facts + Figures

project size

165,000 SF

completion

2012

project type

New Construction

location

Oshkosh, WI

Project Highlights

Brick in Architecture - Bronze Award for Education

Wisconsin Masonry Alliance - Excellence in Masonry Awards: Best of Show + Best of Clay Masonry

USGBC LEED Silver Certification

Designed in association with Stantec (formerly VOA)

With its LEED Gold status, 65% reduction in standard energy load, and green education tools, the residence hall serves as a model for sustainable living.

Sustainable features include:
- Hybrid geothermal heating and cooling
- Energy meters in each suite
- Renewable bamboo and cork
- Reclaimed stone
- Geothermal well system to supplement campus loop

“Having trades in house allows us to have these conversations. ‘Well, if you’re doing that, then I do this and reduce energy use.’ Those things happen because we’re talking together.” - Ian Griffiths, president

The building's deliberate north-south orientation provides direct daylight into each unit for several hours a day.

The Residence Life data center, housed in this building, requires year-round cooling. Heat from the A/C system is captured to pre-heat the domestic water. A heat recovery chiller system moves energy from one side of the building to the other as the sun’s solar energy requires air conditioning on one side while the other building side requires heat.