Brown University

315 Thayer Street

''It's exciting to bring new life to buildings that have long been a part of the Brown landscape, making them more energy efficient while also enhancing the student experience.'' - Michael McCormick, Brown University Press Release

From 2011 to 2013, Brown University implemented major interior and exterior renovations to the historic wood and brick frame apartment building located at 315 Thayer Street, Providence, RI. The renovation of approximately 23,900 square feet within the existing building was completed to provide a new residence hall for Brown University students.

Stephen Turner Inc. provided LEED fundamental and enhanced commissioning. The commissioning process focused on building system performance verification, energy usage, and thermal comfort. Technical commissioning services included installation verification and functional testing procedures, which were performed on the HVAC, domestic hot water and lighting control systems.

In addition to obtaining LEED-NC Gold certification, Brown University required the project to achieve at least 25% energy usage reductions compared to current energy codes. This was achieved by replacing all existing mechanical, electrical, and life safety infrastructure with new upgraded systems, including energy recovery. Detailed start-up planning and technical analysis of enthalpy wheel performance helped achieve the energy goals of this successful renovation project. Commissioning of the upgraded systems and controls helped the University achieve its sustainability goals for the project.