UNC Asheville’s New Hall Classroom Building
Fact Sheet
February 24, 2006

·         New Hall, which opened for classes on February 6, is home to the History, Foreign Languages, Classics, and Philosophy departments; the Women’s Studies, Humanities, Arts & Ideas and Master of Liberal Arts programs; and the Office of Academic Conferences and Institutes.  

·         The name -- New Hall -- signals both the University’s pride in its newest classroom building and a future naming opportunity for a generous donor.

·         The 31,855-square-foot building has 40 faculty and staff offices, eight classrooms, two seminar rooms and two computer labs. The $5.5 million project was funded by the statewide 2000 Higher Education Improvement Bond Referendum.

·         Building highlights include the Drama Department’s first tailor-made rehearsal room, complete with a sprung floor for movement technique classes, and a voice-over recording studio for voice production classes where students learn how to improve their vocal qualities and produce demo tapes for television, film and radio. In fall 2006, New Hall will also house the Drama Department’s first dedicated design lab for scenery, costumes, lighting and sound.

·         New Hall’s environmentally friendly design features include UNC Asheville’s first “green roof,” which will reduce heating and cooling costs by providing additional insulation for the building’s west wing. The green roof is engineered to accommodate the greater weight and to slow dispersal of rainwater, which is another plus for the environment. It will be planted in March with a variety of native shrubs and grasses to provide a park-like setting.

·         New Hall also features the University’s first use of geothermal pumps for heating and cooling. This new technology, also known as a ground-source heat pump system, operates by continuously circulating liquid through a system of pipes bored 500 feet deep. The earth’s constant 58-degree temperature is used to warm the building in winter and cool it in the summer. In winter, a series of heat pumps extract warmth from circulating liquid to warm the air. During the summer, heat is extracted from the air and carried underground through the closed loop system. The geothermal pumps are expected to reduce heating and cooling costs by up to $17,000 per year when compared to conventional methods.

·         The project architectural firm for New Hall is Pearce, Brinkley, Cease & Lee of Asheville. The general contractor is H&M Construction, also of Asheville.
 

Image credit: Pearce, Brinkley, Cease & Lee

 Southeast View of New Hall

·         In 2000, the North Carolina voter-approved Higher Education Bond Referendum provided $50.2 million toward upgrading facilities at UNC Asheville. It is the single largest capital project in the history of the University. In addition to New Hall, completed projects include the renovation/expansion of Highsmith University Union, a three-phase campus electrical system upgrade, and technology infrastructure expansion. Additional projects under construction include the Steve and Frosene Zeis Science and Multimedia Building, scheduled to be competed in fall 2007; a new Facilities Management Complex, scheduled to be completed in winter 2006; and renovations to Zageir Hall classroom building, scheduled for completion in summer 2007.

Image credit: Pearce, Brinkley, Cease & Lee

Lower Lobby View of New Hall