Ohio University opens renovated education building

Ohio University in Athens has completed a $32.8 million renovation of McCracken Hall, which houses the college of education.

The university says the facility upgrade increased the building’s square feet from 66,000 to 100,500 and added an fourth floor, as well as a four-story addition. The renovation is a first for the building, which opened in 1959.

The expansion enables the facility to house two additional departments of the Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education—Human and Consumer Sciences, and Recreation and Sport Pedagogy.

The university incorporated several sustainable design features into the renovation:

• Rainfall is collected and distributed onto a green roof.
• LED interior lighting uses about 40 percent less energy than the building code minimum and reduces cooling demand by minimizing heat output from lighting.
• Half of the electricity used in the building is generated by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
• Green space and trees were preserved, and 44 new trees were planted. The green space of the project is more than double the total footprint of the building.
• The project was able to reuse much of the original infrastructure, including more than 90 percent of the original exterior walls and roof and floor structures. About 70 percent of the existing clay roof tile was able to be salvaged.
• Shower and changing facilities were added to the building, and more bicycle racks were installed to accommodate cyclists.
• The green roof and outdoor terrace will be used as an outdoor classroom and for informal gatherings and special events.