Bryant University’s newest apartment-style residence hall, the Puishys Residence Complex, not only expanded housing options for upperclass students; it also sets a new standard for sustainable campus development.
Supported by a $10 million investment from Joe ’80 and Kathi (Jurewicz) ’81 Puishys, the five-level, 85,000-square-foot complex, consisting of two wings connected by glass-enclosed bridges on three levels, offers modern living in the heart of Bryant’s campus. A fireplace lounge, gaming room, wellness room, outdoor patios, sweeping treetop views from every bedroom, and 24/7 study spaces create an environment that provides both privacy and social engagement.
But what lies beneath, and above, makes this building a milestone in eco-conscious construction.
RELATED ARTICLE: The Puishys Residence Complex: A ‘house in the woods’ and a whole lot more
“We’re especially excited about our use of cross-laminated timber, or CLT,” says Thomas Mann, assistant vice president for the Office of Planning, Design, and Construction at Bryant.
“CLT acts as both structure and finish. It’s durable, beautiful, and, most importantly, it helps sequester carbon for the lifespan of the building, which is potentially 100 years or more.”
The complex includes high-efficiency mechanical equipment such as a dedicated outdoor air system for optimal ventilation, sophisticated controls, and monitoring. This is the first building on campus to feature public energy-use displays to increase students’ awareness of energy consumption, says Mann.
An underground stormwater detention system, a pedestrian connector, outdoor gathering spaces, and new electric vehicle charging stations round out the sustainable site features.
Bryant also prioritized land preservation in selecting a site that was proximate to existing utilities and within primary walking sheds. By building vertically on a compact 1.3-acre footprint, the university significantly reduced land disruption while increasing capacity in the most compact housing development on campus, and preserving land and surrounding wetland jurisdictions.
“It’s two-and-a-half times more land-efficient,” Mann notes. “And it’s walkable from everywhere students need to be.”