An Affordable, Sustainable Library
Written by: Kris Cotharn, PE, IMEG
The village of Oregon had outgrown its downtown library. When another downtown location was deemed unsuitable for expansion, the village chose to build its new library in a rural, but rapidly growing area of the village adjacent to a conservation park. The 31,000-sf, two-story facility was designed to better serve the community, be sustainable, and embrace nature.
About the Space
The new library is three times the size of the former one, with more study and meeting rooms than the former library, a direct result of community requests. The flexible layout allows for a variety of uses for all ages and abilities, including community meetings, individualized study, concerts, maker programming, or accessing the library’s collection. This flexibility allows for adaptability as needs change.
Sustainability
After the location changed, the project underwent a revised design scope process to ensure the project remained on budget. During this process, the village and Library Board prioritized keeping the sustainability features.
Here’s a look at sustainability features that required engineering expertise.
- Solar panels: The library roof houses an array of 129 solar panels that powers the building and sends extra electricity to the grid. The array was designed for expansion, as future budgets allow.
- Geothermal HVAC: A 42 well geothermal bore field and electric-powered heat pumps heat and cool the library. This system, partially powered by the rooftop solar array, eliminates the need for a fossil fuel connection to the building, reducing the library’s energy costs and environmental impact.
- Lighting: The energy-efficient library windows offer abundant natural light. Lighting fixtures are energy-efficient and use 63% less energy than code.
- Plumbing fixtures are water-conserving.
Embracing Nature
The building is situated along the west edge of conservancy land. The owners created a three-year plan to restore the prairie with native plants, grasses, and trees, and to use native vegetation as stormwater management. Turf grass is limited to two areas at the entrance and patio. A pedestrian path runs between the library and conservation park, connecting to a walk/bike path in the park. Inside the library, large, energy efficient windows showcase views of the prairie, creating a tranquil setting.
A Team Effort
IMEG, architect OPN Architects, other consultants, the Village of Oregon, and its library board, worked together to create an affordable, sustainable library after an unexpected site change disrupted the budget. To keep the construction schedule on track after that setback, Tri-North Builders, the construction manager, joined the team early to enable design to be refined, and costs managed, as the project moved to the construction phase. This team effort led to a building that has quickly become a community resource — with twice as many visitors as at the former library.
In January 2024, the first month the library was open, patron visits were twice as high as in the former library in January 2023 and the new study rooms were used 181 times. In the first three months of operation, more than 700 people signed up for new library cards, more than the previous two years combined. The library also added a teen librarian and began new programming targeted to that age group.
About the Guest Blogger
Kris Cotharn, PE, is the client executive of IMEG’s Madison office and principal-in-charge of projects. She served as the project executive for the Oregon Public Library project in Oregon, Wis. IMEG is a national engineering consulting firm and an ACEC Wisconsin member.