The University of Wisconsin-Superior's new Yellowjacket Union and its newly renovated Jim Dan Hill Library have earned Wisconsin's top design and construction awards for state buildings.

David Helbach, Division of State Facilities administrator, announced that the Wisconsin Department of Administration is presenting its Excellence in Sustainable Design and Construction Award to the new Yellowjacket Union and its Excellence in Architectural Design Award to the renovation of Jim Dan Hill Library.

Gov. James Doyle presented the awards at a brief ceremony Feb. 17 in Madison. Representing UW-Superior were Janet Hanson, vice chancellor for administration and finance, and Deb Nordgren, interim director of Jim Dan Hill Library.

"We're thrilled that the state of Wisconsin recognizes the Yellowjacket Union and Jim Dan Hill Library projects for excellence," UW-Superior Chancellor Julius Erlenbach said. "UW-Superior students and everyone who lives in northern Wisconsin can be proud of the beauty, functionality and long-term value that has been designed and built into these important community assets."

Hanson noted the significance of one university receiving two of the design awards in the same year.

"These awards speak volumes about the dedication of our campus staff, the University of Wisconsin System staff, and the architects and their staff, and the good working relationship they all established which brought forth these buildings that are transforming our campus," she said.

For both the Yellowjacket Union and Jim Dan Hill Library, design committees made up of university faculty, staff and students worked closely with state and UW System building staff and private architects to create buildings that meet UW-Superior's educational needs while taking the lead in environmental sustainability.

The Excellence in Sustainable Design and Construction Award is presented to a state building in which its designers establish "clear sustainability goals and demonstrate achievement of these goals." The $22 million Yellowjacket Union, which opened in mid-January, was carefully designed to include numerous practical and sustainable features.

Among them:

• Making highly efficient use of interior space to reduce the size of the overall building.
  
• Designing the building to make maximum use of natural light and using other energy-conscious features to significantly reduce lighting power needs.
  
• Using a protective vegetated roof that retains storm water, reduces heating and cooling costs, and extends the life of the roof.
  
• Numerous other features, including energy efficient ventilation design, highly efficient water fixtures, energy efficient windows and insulated floor slabs, environmentally safe refrigeration systems, construction site recycling, and paints, adhesives and carpeting made of low-emitting materials.
  

The Yellowjacket Union was designed by an integrated design team that included Workshop Architects of Milwaukee; The Baker Group of Des Moines; LHB of Duluth; Arnold & O'Sheridan of Milwaukee and Madison; and PSJ Engineering of Milwaukee.

The Excellence in Architectural Design Award to the $7.7 million Jim Dan Hill Library project, completed in August 2009, recognized the renovation that turned a 1960s-era building into an inviting, technologically advanced information center for the 21st century. The building now features an open floor plan, additional windows to make maximum use of daylight, expanding useable space for students and faculty, and a more efficient layout for staff.

Design challenges faced by the design team included:

• Devising strategies to meet current building codes and adapting to conditions discovered during the project.
  
• Giving the building's interior an entirely new look with new finishes, an open floor plan, an environmentally controlled special collections area, an information commons, and two fireplaces contributing to the building's ambiance.
  
• Incorporating energy savings and sustainability measures into the project, such as added building insulation, energy efficient lighting fixtures, and low-emitting materials in adhesives, paint and carpeting.
  
• Carefully managing construction waste.
  

The integrated design team for Jim Dan Hill Library included River Architects of La Crosse, Wis., LHB Inc. of Duluth, and PSJ Engineering of Milwaukee.