Claremont, Calif. (October 20, 2014) – Pitzer College’s newest mixed-use residence halls were awarded a 2014 Gold MHN Excellence Award by Multi-Housing News (MHN) in the Best New Development: Student Housing category.
Pitzer’s LEED Platinum Phase II mixed-use residence halls, completed in 2012, are home to more than 300 students and feature more than 40 sustainable improvements.
Phase II also houses the Mosbacher/Gartrell Center for Media Experimentation and Activism, the Pitzer Archive and Conference Center, the Kallick Family Gallery and the Office of Study Abroad and International Programs. The four Phase II buildings feature seminar rooms, multimedia editing suites, a demonstration kitchen and apartments for live-in staff and faculty.
Sustainable features have been incorporated into the design of the residence halls, including:
- Solar power generates about 118,000 kilowatt-hours and reduces CO2 emissions by more than 300,000 pounds per year.
- A graywater system collects and treats water from showers and sinks to provide approximate 90,000 gallons per month for the drought-tolerant plants used in its landscaping.
- Recycled, renewable and regional: The residence halls were constructed with materials made from recycled content, including structural steel, concrete, gypsum board, carpeting and insulation. More than 20 percent of these materials were manufactured within 500 miles of campus.
- Bathrooms feature low-flow shower heads, faucets and toilets. Through these and other measures, Pitzer decreased water usage since 2002 by nearly 50 percent.
The 2014 Excellence Award winners will be featured in the November issue of MHN’s digital magazine available on www.multi-housingnews.com on November 1.
