Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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■ WEST QUAD Continued from page 1 justice student joked. Eshel and Perkins have learned to deal with the temporary inconveniences, though, and while they chose West Quad mainly for the apartment-style housing, the environmental perks are beginning to make an impact. Perkins said he and his roommates have a “little competition” to see who can save the most electricity. At the end of the year, faculty and staff will examine the energy expenditure in West Quad, and a percentage of the apartments, which conserve the most energy will receive a partial refund. But that only scratches the surface of West Quad life. With almost everything constructed from state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly materials and processes, these housing facilities aren’t just convenient for students and good for Housing. West Quad was designed to be an example for the world. LIVING AND LEARNING There was no contingency plan for housing displaced students in case West Quad wasn’t completed on time. With most other new housing facilities on USC’s campus, options are discussed with nearby hotels and other emergency preparations are made. Not this time. West Quad was going to be ready for students to move in, and construction workers and others involved in the building process were moving around the clock to make it so. Now that it is almost finished, the benefits of West Quad to USC are becoming more evident. Beyond being a well-built, new residence hall that helps with overcrowding and gives upperclassmen another place to stay, it’s a building designed to be healthy and environmentally conscious, said Kirsten Dow, a USC geology professor and director of West Quad’s Living Learning Center. “Without too much effort, (residents)' get to be part of a national model of innovation,” she said. “This building is one of the first to make the case that you can build a green-designed building for about the same price per square foot as other investments on campus, and it’s been a nationwide model.” With energy efficiency and other features, Dow said the lifetime costs are also much lower. More than that, USC has shown the world that building environmentally friendly, sustainable buildings is both plausible and cost-effective. “It’s really been a catalyst for other people picking up these lessons in so many different ways,” said Dow. For instance, USC’s next public health building will be a “green building” as well. Jimmie Gahagan, the coordinator for student learning initiatives, agreed that USC’s efforts in West Quad were attracting other schools and architects, including the University of Waterloo, Clemson, Furman University and others across the country. Furthermore, it will be the standard for new buildings and many renovations at USC. “What’s really interesting is how subtle it is,” Dow said, later recounting the story of the selection of the common area chairs, which were special-made for this project using recycled content. One company came forward, redesigned one of their chairs, and called it the Columbia. It is now marketed nationally, she said. Todd Cellini, residence life coordinator for West Quad, said students don’t realize everything that went into making the building a sustainable environment: the skylights in the learning center, the light shelves on some of the windows, recycled and recyclable carpeting, the solar-powered water heating system, the special plants that will be used to help with water treatment, the compact fluorescent light bulbs that conserve electricity and the motion-sensor lights in the laundry room-to name a few. Most students might not notice the differences that make West Quad special. Perhaps they are too preoccupied with the construction noise that awakens them at 8 a.m. Still, the faculty and staff are determined to do their best in educating them, even by simply showing them what makes their building tick. Beyond the intrigue of motion sensors, light shelves, and specially made chairs is a new wave in construction and hands-on learning. For now, Cellini said the staff will be up-front about progress as the finishing touches are put on and construction is completed (by Oct. 1, at the latest, Cellini said). “If this is the worst,” Cellini said, pointing to the unfinished learning center and un-landscaped terrace, “then, hey, we’re doing Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gam.sc. edu ■ READERSHIP Continued from page 1 % from the administration, $10,000 from the School of Liberal Arts, $16,000 from the School of Business and $6,000 from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. “Since the program was paid by students last year, we asked the deans to pay for it this year,” Scott said. The money will completely cover the cost of this year’s program, and Scott said he already has a plan to fund the program in the future. Pending student senate approval, Scott will go before the Board of Trustees with a proposal to charge students about 75 cents per semester to fund the program next year. If the Board approves the fee system, it will take effect next fall, and that money would be combined with funding from deans. “It’s going to be a collaboration,” Scott said, but added: “The fee system is up in the air.” He added that university deans and administrators have been supportive of SG’s efforts to continue the readership program on campus. “They understand the importance of the readership program,” Scott said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu Welcome Back Girls! Have you been Featuring... to Blue Cult Buffalo C & C Tees Chip and Pepper French Connection How and Wen le Max Jet Joes Engine Hil eetees achelle Mavi Gigi )h. 803.765.2243 ♦ 2820 Devine Street * Columbia SC 29205 FT I 73^B \ ■ ■*:■. 'ZJZ - - - Solving Problems Including: DUI Criminal Defense Auto Accidents 2910 Devine Street Cromer Law Offices A General Practice of Law 'J C J 7Q00 J L- "Bubba" Cromer, Jr. JOT ™ ^ Former SC. 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