Kaiser Borsari Hall, Western’s first zero energy building for electrical and computer engineering, energy science and computer science, is nearing completion and set to open to students and classes in early 2025.
Designed to meet the International Living Future Institute’s “smart building” standards, Kaiser Borsari Hall will achieve a 63 percent reduction in embodied carbon over conventional construction methods and a 100 percent reduction in operational carbon, using a mass timber structure, green energy purchases, and rooftop solar panels for on-site energy generation.
The building will house unique programs that expand access for an increasingly diverse population of students, including the nation’s only interdisciplinary undergraduate energy program. It will also house one of the most advanced electrical and computer engineering programs in the region, with faculty expertise in designing systems and controls for our smart, connected, and energy efficient future.
Kaiser Borsari Hall will also be the state’s first publicly funded zero-energy academic building on a university campus. The building is funded through both private and public funds, including $2.45 million in federal funding for advanced technology laboratory and research equipment.
The building was honored by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction with a Bronze Award for the North American Region. The award was presented in Venice, Italy, in November 2023 to the building’s design team at Perkins&Will.
