Campus Construction Projects Increase Sustainability Rollins Completes More than 40 Summer Construction Projects September 5, 2008 This past summer, Rollins College completed more than 40 various construction projects ranging from residence hall renovations to the completion of the west end chilled water loop. The most extensive renovations were completed on Lyman, Gale and Pugsley halls. In addition to new air conditioning systems, interior finish upgrades included the installation of new flooring, lighting, doors and exterior windows. Each hall also received a fresh coat of paint. Safety devices, such as fire alarms and sprinklers, were also installed. Rollins also performed complete interior reconstruction on the building at 170 West Fairbanks. The building now houses critical media & cultural studies and communication faculty offices as well as the offices of Career Services, Public Relations & Communications and Strategic Marketing. Four classrooms have also been added to the building. Rollins also completed the construction of a new cooling tower behind Olin Library. This represents the final phase of a three-year project that included new chilled water production and distribution. This new addition provides air conditioning for all facilities west of the Walk of Fame. The new cooling tower replaces five noisy, less efficient and much older chillers that previously served that portion of campus. This project has attempted to take full advantage of implementing sustainable practices in every area, it also includes both passive and active heat recovery for domestic hot water production, shared oversize cooling towers to minimize fan energy, highly efficient chillers, computer controlled operations, and a cutting-edge water treatment system that eliminates the use of chemicals for controlling scaling, corrosion, and biological growth within the cooling tower. “This represents Rollins’ ongoing commitment to sustainable operations” said Scott Bitikofer, director of facilities management. “We attempt to integrate sustainable practices into everything we do.” The Knowles Chapel lighting has also been enhanced. The lighting on the exterior of the tower has been removed and highly focused ground lights have been put in place that will light the chapel at night. The lakefront behind Elizabeth Hall has also been updated replacing the outdoor basketball courts with green space. Additional projects include the bricking of Holt Avenue from Park Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue. A project of the City of Winter Park, Rollins worked closely with the City to include raised crosswalks to help slow down traffic and provide for easier access to the Holt Avenue parking lot and the new 170 West Fairbanks building. Rollins also renovated two apartment buildings for graduate student housing. The apartments are located at New England Avenue and Welbourne Avenue, which is within walking distance of campus. They will primarily house graduate students from overseas.
Smaller projects that have been completed include a new staircase on the south side of Ward Hall (pictured at right) that will lead down to the lake, several wheelchair accessible ramps to Lyman Gale Hall, Rollins Hall, Pugsley Hall, Woolson House and Hooker Hall, new student lounges in Sutton Place and renovated lobbies in Bush Science Center.