Skanska completes $89 million renovation <br>and addition to UNH’s Spaulding Hall

Durham, NH Skanska has completed the $89 million, 130,000 s/f renovation and addition project for University of New Hampshire’s Biological Sciences Building, Spaulding Hall, located on the university’s main campus. Designed by Ellenzweig to be LEED Silver certified, the project, awarded by the University of New Hampshire, was completed in three phases, which included 82,500 s/f of renovations and 47,500 s/f of additions to the space, providing new teaching and learning facilities for biochemistry, cell culture, medical laboratory science, anatomy and physiology, ecology, organismal biology, and neuroscience, as well as research and core lab facilities, and support spaces.

“The successful partnership with Skanska and Ellenzweig teams for the Spaulding Hall Renovation Project created both teaching and research labs allowing the University to deliver state of the art learning opportunities, positioning student for successful entry into the workforce,” said Kenneth Weston, executive director of campus stewardship and university architect at University of New Hampshire.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate the completion of another significant renovation for the University of New Hampshire,” said Bryan Northrop, executive vice president of Skanska USA Building’s New England region. “This project not only gave our team the unique opportunity to work closely with Ellenzweig and the project’s engineers to ensure Spaulding Hall was designed to support the University’s science program, but also allowed us to utilize our extensive experience in sustainable building to install a central plant energy system that increases efficiencies throughout the new and renovated facilities.”

“We share Skanska’s excitement on another successful project at the University of New Hampshire. The new Spaulding Hall addition and renovation, adjacent to Rudman Hall (designed by Ellenzweig and dedicated in 1996), reflects our ongoing commitment to the UNH campus. This project, and our continued partnership with Skanska, further strengthens our relationship with UNH, paving the way for many future collaborations,” said Michael Nipoti, RA, principal, Ellenzweig.

The project involved significant coordination with management to install new steam, chilled and hot water services, and Skanska worked with the project engineer to investigate and ultimately select a Konvekta system to be installed into the new air handling units. This system not only reduced the amount of preheat steam for the outside air but was also used as part of a chilled water recovery loop which eliminated the need for satellite chillers in the building and resulted in greater energy recovery for not only waste heat but displaced cooling. In addition to the piping installed, Skanska oversaw the installation and rearrangement of campus power distribution and telecommunication duct banks.

This project builds upon Skanska’s previous work for the University of New Hampshire which includes the $30 million, 95,000 s/f expansion and renovation of its historic Hamilton Smith Hall, and the $48 million, 217,000 s/f multi-phased renovation of Kingsbury Hall, an addition to the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences building.

Skanska began construction in 2019.