The University of Maryland, Baltimore, has broken ground on a $120 million, six-story facility for the School of Social Work.
The university says the facility is slated to be the first net-zero emissions building within the University System of Maryland and downtown Baltimore.
The 127,000-square-foot building will consolidate the Master of Social Work and Doctor of Philosophy programs — now housed across three locations — into a modern, flexible space that is within walking distance of light rail and subway stations. The building is scheduled to open in late summer 2027.
The facility is designed to enhance collaboration among students and faculty and serve as a bridge between the university and the surrounding community. It will have cutting-edge classrooms, research spaces, a coffee lounge, bike lockers and showers, plus communal gathering areas, all within a framework that prioritizes equity, accessibility and sustainability.
The project will seek LEED Net Zero Energy certification through its innovative use of geothermal exchange wells, on-site solar panels, and a usable outdoor roof garden. The building is configured to use 65% less energy than a traditional building of its size and zero operational fossil fuels.
