Completed in Fall 2007, The Morrison Residence Hall renovation is another High Performance Building project. Long a favorite of students despite its age and lack of air conditioning, Morrison is now connected to the centralized chilled water system. A new heating system and energy-efficient windows were also installed. The existing four-room suites on the top three floors were transformed into apartment style housing with three bedrooms and one living room. Additionally, better lit common areas were added on each floor. Due to renovations, total occupancy has declined to from 1,00 students to 800 students in the 1960s era 10-story structure.
Morrison was the first building on campus to incorporate renewable energy technology. Solar thermal panels were mounted on the roof of all four wings of the building to provide domestic hot water. The plumbing system draws first on solar-heated water from the storage tank and then adds steam-heated water when supplementing is required. Submetering of the building’s electricity, water, heating and cooling loads provides real-time, web-based feedback to the students. This can be accessed online or via a special touch-screen kiosk in the building's lobby.
The student-run Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee (RESPC) committed $184,000 for the solar array. The North Carolina State Energy Office also awarded a $137,500 grant to fund the project
Morrison is also home to new sustainability themed housing. Students will participate in programs on energy and sustainability, compete in energy saving contests, and conduct research in conjunction with the Institute for the Environment. Students in the sustainability theme house are required to use Energy Star appliances.
Green features included in the Morrison renovation include:
- Replacing inefficient window air conditioners with a Variable Air Volume (VAV) HVAC system connected to the central chilled water loop will provide temperature control by suite. In addition, by eliminating window A/C’s, more light is brought into the room.
- Replacing poor incandescent room lighting with brighter, more efficient lighting.
- Reducing heat islands by incorporating a membrane roof with low heat emission.
- UNC Department of Housing & Residential Education has submitted the building into the state’s high performance building demonstration program.
- 228 energy control points that monitor electricity, steam, and chilled water use in 12 zones of the building. A web interface exhibits the solar energy generation and energy use in real-time via the web.
- Solar thermal panels on the roof use energy from the sun to produce an estimated 40% of the hot water needs in the residence hall. At peak demand and peak output the array provides 60% of the hot water needs of the hall. The annual energy savings is estimated at $11,275. 176 solar thermal panels were used, as well as a 6,000 gallon hot water storage tank.
- Geometrical optics were incorporated on the roof panels, which use a selective crystal plating and special anti-reflective coating to achieve high energy-efficiency. Mirrors reflect solar radiation onto the fluid tubes in the evacuated tube collectors. The solar collector system has a solid structure that provides excellent support, safety, reliability, heat resistance, and vibration resistance.
- The solar hot water system includes instruments to measure the amount of sunlight available, the amount of energy captured and the amount of hot water used in the building. A website display in the public area features live data about the system’s performance.
Some of the High Performance Building Guideline credits achieved by the project include water efficient landscaping, water use reduction, no ozone depleting chemicals, optimized energy performance (chilled water), building reuse, construction waste management, use of recycled content materials, local material use, low emitting materials, daylight 75% of spaces, thermal comfort and indoor chemical & pollutant source control.