UNC’s Bell Tower Development succeeds in leveraging a disparate design program to meet several critical objectives of the UNC Campus Master Plan. By conceptualizing these projects as a unified whole, the SOM proposal was able to transform UNC’s central, but under-utilized Bell Tower campus into an exciting, activity-rich central agora.

The program includes a new Genome Science Laboratory, a renovated campus chiller plant, an elevated pedestrian walkway, and a multi-story parking garage. The laboratory is highly sustainable, featuring a green roof, high-performance glazing, and the use of special concrete for high thermal efficiency.

Project Facts

Completion Year: 2012
Site Area: 430,000 ft²
Project Area: 210,000 ft²
Building Height: 100 ft
Number of Stories: 5

The University of North Carolina Bell Tower development project transforms the central Chapel Hill campus, establishing a vital link between the historic north campus and the medical school to the south. This project is part of a land reclamation effort, transforming the central portion of campus from a surface parking lot and back alley service area into a series of new science quadrangles and an expansion of the park. The buildings and planning grids of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill campus respond to the region’s topography.

The new 190,000 sf genome science research laboratory consists of research facilities, office and classroom space. The lab features a green roof, high-performance glazing, integrated shading devices, chilled beams in the lab and the use of special concrete for high thermal efficiency. Together, the various sustainable engineering strategies result in a 25% reduction in energy consumption based on ASHRAE standard 90.1 2004. The structural design offered further opportunities for sustainability: much of the exterior structure is exposed, eliminating the need for a finish application – and reducing the cost of materials and labor. Additionally, slag will be used as partial replacement for portland cement in the mix design for the exposed concrete.

The project also includes renovations of a 16,000 ton chiller plant with new cooling towers; new access roads; above and below-ground storm-water retention system of 50,000 gallons and a new central park. The program is designed to achieve a LEED® Silver rating and is scheduled for completion in 2010.

The lab features a green roof, high performance glazing and the use of special concrete for high thermal efficiency.