Kaiser Borsari Hall Nears Completion

Final preparations for opening Kaiser Borsari Hall, Western's new electrical and computer engineering, energy science, and computer science building, are underway, and the building remains on schedule to open for the winter quarter in January.

The building is designed to be the region's first publicly funded carbon-neutral academic building on a state university campus. Solar panels cover 75% of the roof surface to maximize on-site energy generation, and Kaiser Borsari uses high efficiency mechanicals and passive design strategies to improve energy performance and enhance comfort. Net zero energy usage will be certified by the International Living Future Institute after the building has been occupied and operating for a year.

To reduce embodied carbon, the structure uses mass timber, which can achieve the high strength ratings of concrete and steel with significantly lower weight and carbon footprint. Kaiser Borsari Hall utilizes glue-laminated timber (Glulam) for the beams and columns and cross-laminated timber (CLT) for the panels. Glulam and CLT allow long spans of exposed wood, which bring a natural beauty to interior spaces. The wood is sustainably harvested from managed forests which provide renewable resources and reduce climate-warming pollution in the atmosphere.

The exterior siding is Shou Sugi Ban wood, which uses a traditional Japanese technique to char wood to increase durability and preserve the wood without using chemicals or surface treatments. After charring, the wood is cooled, cleaned, and finished with a natural oil, producing a beautiful finish that is resistant to fire, insects, and water damage and free from harmful chemicals.

Outside the building, native plant landscaping is expected to reduce outdoor water use by 78% over conventional landscaping. In addition, the location of the site adjacent to the Sehome Arboretum allows the use of native and climate-adaptive plants to form a habitat bridge between the arboretum and the campus core.

The high-performance design will serve as a living laboratory for cross-disciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning. It will offer unique tools to train and support future innovators and leaders, allowing students to learn from their own building about cutting-edge materials and energy technologies. Designed to be both physically and culturally accessible, Kaiser Borsari Hall will be a hub where students can collaborate with faculty and industry leaders to understand real world challenges as they hone engineering or programming skills or craft energy policy for a better future. We look forward to welcoming the campus community in January.