Title of Effective Practice: - California Postsecondary Education ...

Direct Connection to Policy Area 6 of The Illinois Commitment
First “Green” Student Residence Hall in Greater Metropolitan Chicago
St. Xavier University
What issue or need is addressed by the effective practice?
This new construction addresses two of the strategic directions endorsed by the Board of Trustees in May 2004:
a) to become increasingly recognized as an excellent school for talented students seeking active engagement in
dynamic learning and exceptional campus services; and b) to develop a campus master plan that supports and
fosters excellence in teaching and learning, student growth and development, and collaboration and collegiality.
Progress on both strategic goals is intended to occur through the expansion of undergraduate residents at the
Chicago campus from 570 students to over 1000 students in the coming five years. Construction of the new
“green” residence facility not only helps the university recruit a more diverse and talented undergraduate
population, it reflects a commitment to excellence in campus master planning and support services.
Description of the effective practice:
Saint Xavier University is the first educational institution in the greater Chicago metropolitan area to construct a
student residence in compliance with LEED-certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
through the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). According to criteria set forth by the USBCG, a “green”
building design is one that achieves high performance over the full life cycle with minimal energy consumption,
negative atmospheric emissions and solid wastes, and maximum quality of indoor environment including air
quality, thermal comfort, acoustics, illumination, and visual aspects. Building a “green” facility on Saint Xavier
University’s Chicago campus is more than a new system of design; it represents a change in the philosophy of
construction that gives as high a priority to the protection of the earth’s natural resources as it does to other
indicators of quality. On August 20th, 82 undergraduate students moved into the new facility named “Rubloff
Hall” in honor of the late real estate developer and philanthropist, Arthur J. Rubloff. The University expects to
earn a “Silver” rating from the USGBC in January 2007. This construction will serve as the model and standard
in the planning of all future construction on the University’s two campuses.
How does this practice achieve sustainability?
Operation of the new residence is expected to reduce annual energy costs by 34% compared with conventional
residence halls. Energy costs for the new residence are expected to be $2.38 per square foot year versus $3.61
per square foot in a minimally code-compliant building. In addition, there will be significant reductions in
annual emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and sulfur dioxide. Indoor air quality will be optimized by
means of an innovative ventilation system that is used nowhere else in the State. The Illinois Clean Energy
Community Foundation gave the University a grant of $90,400 towards the design of this new facility.
What are the results/measurable outcomes?
Construction of the new residence facility enabled the University to grow resident students by 22% in a single
year, from 585 students to 716 students. It also enabled the University to enroll the largest freshmen class in its
history (up 28% from last year), and to attract the largest applicant pool in its history (up 11%). The racial and
economic diversity of resident students is greater than that of the general undergraduate population. In Fall
2006, nearly one-half of the University residents (47%) are non-White, and 42% are Pell grant recipients. In
this regard, the resident population at Saint Xavier University is one of the most diverse living communities
anywhere in the United States. In the coming year, assessments of student satisfaction and retention in the
residence facilities will be done to further clarify the impact of Rubloff Hall.
Contact Information
Name: Kathleen Carlson
Email: carlson@sxu.edu
Phone: (773) 298-3305
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