Radford University College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Academic Building

The 143,600-square-foot academic building houses all of the College of Humanities & Behavioral Sciences’ (CHBS) academic units as well as the Dean’s office. The state-of-the-art space features a 90-seat tiered classroom, multiple collaborative learning spaces for student use, office space, research spaces and the CHBS Advising Center. It also houses a mock trial/mock courtroom, a professional quality broadcast studio, digital video and audio editing facilities, a forensic laboratory, and an Emergency Operations Center.

The largest academic building on campus, it is located between two other campus buildings, the CHBS building features Georgian architecture facing the main campus. The Main Street side of the building has a contemporary flair.  There is also a landscaped courtyard adjacent to the building’s Starbuck’s.

The building is constructed with materials containing 20 percent recycled content, 23 percent of which were developed locally. Ninety-nine percent of the facility’s wood products are Forest Stewardship certified. Water usage in the building is reduced through low-flow toilets, sinks and showers, creating an annual savings of about 221,000 gallons per year. There is exterior shading for reduced solar heat gain. LEED requirement was exceeded which allowed the project to be awarded LEED Gold.

Vertical circulation for the staff, students and general public use is accommodated by:
> Four (4) enclosed egress stairs connecting all floors.
> One (1) open ‘‘monumental’’ stair (Quad side lobby)
> One (1) enclosed stair connecting floors 1 — 3 (Main Street Lobby)
> Three (3) elevators: two standard and one service size passenger elevator, connecting all floors

The project includes an outdoor sloping lawn and terrace (allowing Radford University to embrace the natural terrain as an added feature that will be an asset to the entire campus community):
>Exterior hardscape terrace seats 40
> Sloping terrace

The Owner procured all design services separately from the construction services and the project as designed was approximately $900,000 over budget. Value engineering efforts were required by CM, Owner, and the architect. SBBCC successfully accomplished a VE list, resulting in design changes that enabled the GMP pricing to meet the project budget so that construction could commence.

One design change initiated by SBBCC in the pre- construction phase of the project included the re- design of the site’s utility infrastructure. The original utility tunnel on the construction site provided steam to heat multiple buildings on campus. The steam line was part of a system that served the entire campus’ steam needs and had to remain in service 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

This design change removed 400 feet of tunnel and steam piping, providing over $400,000 in savings on materials and labor. The new design also allowed for safer installation and relieved the owner of further complications due to many undocumented and unforeseen conditions that existed under the service road on the north end of the building.

BUILDING FEATURES:
> Tiered Classroom
> Multiple Collaborative Learning Spaces
> Integrated Inquiry Environments
> Advising Center
> Mock Trial / Mock Courtroom
> Professional quality Broadcast Studio
> Digital Video and Audio Editing Facilities
> Forensic Laboratory
> Emergency Operations Center
> Georgian Architecture and Contemporary Flair
> Campus Dining Options
> Dean’s Suite