With cities now banning plastic bags at grocery stores and the rising popularity of reusable water bottles and organic foods, Loyola University Chicago is also doing its part to “go green.” San Francisco Hall, the freshman and sophomore dorm that opened in the fall of 2013, was built with the environmental sustainability in mind.
From the inside-out, San Francisco Hall’s infrastructure works to save energy and recycle water, plastic bottles and oil. The glass building is shaped like a cylinder to harvest rainwater for the greenhouse as well as the toilets. The glass allows for natural light to be let in for plants and fish farming. Tanks of live fish are used to nourish the plants inside the greenhouse instead of soil. The waste water from the fish provides nutrients to the plants and in the process of extracting these nutrients, the water is cleansed and returned back to the tanks. 500 feet below the ground, wells are located to heat and cool the building, cutting electricity costs by 30 percent. Not only is the structure of the building environmentally friendly, but the decor is as well. One hundred and eleven plastic soda bottles make up the chairs located in San Francisco’s Engrained Café.
The most influential development of San Francisco Hall, however, might be the building’s clean energy lab that produces and sells biodiesel. It is the only licensed school-based operation in the United States and is entirely run by students, according to Loyola’s website. Bala Chaudhary, lecturer at Loyola, recognizes that “it’s so rare that a research space is located where students live and learn and eat,” “I think it’s going to help draw students into our research programs,” she said.
Since the construction of San Francisco Hall, Loyola has offered multiple Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in the field of Environmental Studies. The residence hall is home to students working towards futures in sustainability and environmental research. “It’s great to have access to so many different green initiatives. I don’t put in any effort, but I know it’s making a difference,” says Taylor Read, a senior resident assistant living in San Francisco Hall. “I am honored to be a San Fran resident and call this beautiful building home.”