UC Merced Glacier Point Residence Hall

The 2020 Project is an excellent model of a sustainable Public-Private Partnership (P3) project that greatly improves campus life. Atelier Ten led the sustainability effort for this ambitious project that nearly doubled the size of the campus with 11 new LEED Platinum buildings. Glacier Point residence hall supports UC Merced’s Zero Net Energy goal by reducing energy performance by 20% and increasing energy cost savings by over 22%.

To reduce the energy use and increase occupant comfort, Atelier Ten recommended a building massing and interior organization design that prioritized daylight access throughout the building. This strategy reduces lighting energy use, reduces internal cooling loads and provides occupants with a connection to the outdoors.

Thermal comfort was a key consideration in the site design for the residence hall and its surrounding exterior spaces. Atelier Ten worked with the design team to optimize the building envelope to incorporate external shading that minimizes unwanted solar gain in common areas and shades the exterior spaces surrounding the building. To minimize the urban heat island effect, which occurs when paved surfaces absorb and hold heat, the design team developed a massing scheme that creates a partially self-shaded courtyard and used light colored pavement to reduce heat absorption, making the space comfortable and occupiable throughout the year.