State University of New York at Buffalo, William R. Greiner Hall, Achieves LEED Gold

Residence hall features universal-design best practices

Completed in 2011, Greiner Hall, a 600-bed residence hall at the north campus of SUNY Buffalo (UB), concludes a 1970 master plan for the northern campus zone. Seamlessly connected to the main academic spine, the $62 million, 200,000 sf, six-story building allows students to cut through it, removing barriers between the campus’s residential village and the academic core.

The building also removes impediments for students with disabilities, fostering both independence and social interaction. In addition to fulfilling the university’s LEED Gold standard for new construction, Greiner Hall incorporates universal-design best practices to create a simple, intuitive space that can accommodate everyone, regardless of physical ability. Universal-design features were incorporated without increasing project costs.

To connect the residence hall to the campus central plant loop and facilitate future expansion, the university implemented a new roadway, new pedestrian connections and the first campus roundabout – improvements that together save the university $100,000 annually in fuel costs and substantially reduce its carbon footprint.