Capital Project: Smokestack
Smokestack
Smokestack
START DATE |
ANTICIPATED COMPLETION DATE |
TBD |
Fall 2026 |
The Smokestack, a reclamation of the college’s old coal power plant renovated according to Living Building Challenge standards, will provide an additional 10,000 square feet of space for students.
Current Phase: Planning
Project Scope
Once an operational coal-burning power plant used to fuel the campus, The Smokestack will be reimagined to energize and power our campus as an active, net-zero student life hub. It will serve as a place for students to gather, collaborate, and connect with sustainable, locally sourced food options, focus rooms outfitted with upgraded technology, sitting areas with flexible-use furniture from a carbon-neutral line, and a state-of-the-art roof deck.
Details
Location: 326 Rahauser Drive, Salisbury, NC 28144
Delivery Method: CM-at-Risk
Funding Source: Private donations
Project Team: Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Edifice Construction, Brailsford & Dunlavey
Sustainability Highlights:
To transform the original, 1950’s campus coal-burning power plant into an active Student Life hub. Catawba College is committed to sustainable design, and as part of this project, will pursue Living Building Certification, core imperative, Energy, Place, and Beauty petal.
In line with our Campus As Forest approach, the building will function as a Living Learning Laboratory for our community and feature an available dashboard for occupants to view its performance, such as energy and water consumption. The design will model a biophilic aesthetic while being integrated into the District Modernization Energy System, which goes beyond net zero and eliminates the use of fossil fuels.
The project will be the first in the region to serve as a Living Building, a challenge and certification that goes beyond the building being “less bad,” instead, the building must make the world a better place through performance-based imperatives. This building will pursue the Core Imperative and the Energy, Place, and Beauty Petals, which dive more deeply into specific challenging areas.
The building will function as a Living Learning Laboratory for our community and feature an available dashboard for occupants to view its energy and water consumption performance.
The project will be the first in the region to serve as a Living Building.
