Adaptable

Adaptable residence halls might include living space for faculty and students, faculty offices, classrooms, and areas for academic advisors, tutoring, small group study, library space, and activities.

Social

Blurring the lines between living and learning creates opportunities for communities to emerge that expand learning and enrich social interactions.

Stimulating

Students come to campus with their own computers, printers, gaming systems, TVs, MP3 devices, cell phones, printers, and other "essentials" that they have integrated into their lives.

Healthful

Residence hall living/learning spaces should comfortably fit the people who occupy them and sustain their well-being. To create these healthful spaces, colleges and universities are applying what is known about the effect of space on the mind and the body.

Resourceful

Students are asking for more than just technology. Laundry facilities, air conditioning, and security systems are also requirements today. Fitness rooms, satellite dining facilities, coffee shops, and convenience stores are routinely considered for new construction projects.

In a recent study, concern for "improved health and well-being" was the most critical social reason for constructing sustainable buildings on campuses.