AMHERST — Not even 30-degree temperatures and a 25-mph wind could stop the progress made on Crotty Hall, the first net-zero facility at the University of Massachusetts’ flagship campus.
In frigid weather last week, the ribbon was cut to the new $10 million, 16,800-square-foot economics department building at 412 North Pleasant St.
“I’m literally blown away by this,” James Crotty, UMass professor emeritus of economics, said with a smile.
The building was dedicated to Crotty and his wife, Pamela, a UMass alumna who once worked as a registered nurse and served on the Union for Radical Political Economics (URPE) steering committee.
A net-zero building produces as much energy on-site as it uses in one year, explained Pratik Raval, associate director at Transsolar Engineering. Crotty Hall is equipped with many sustainable features, including photovoltaic panels on the roof, natural ventilation and lighting, heavy insulation and a geothermal heat pump system.
The building was designed by UMass professor of architecture Sigrid Miller-Pollin. The three-floor building contains 35 offices and four conference rooms, three of which can be converted into classrooms.
The project was funded by an anonymous donation of $10 million. According to Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, this is one of the largest donations in UMass history.
“It’s a really exciting day,” Subbaswamy said in a speech. “We thank James and Pamela Crotty for their commitment to the campus and to the community.”
Construction began on Crotty Hall about a year ago and finished in December. Staff began moving into the building in early January.
Crotty Hall is one of 20 net-zero office buildings in the United States, said Raval. It is designed to use one-fifth of the energy used by the average office building in our climate, he said.
“University and college communities can lead the way in terms of setting an example for how we should treat the planet,” Miller-Pollin said.