University at Buffalo (UB) 
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Greiner Hall
Overview
FacilityGREINNumberA140FunctionResidenGross Square Feet198,801Construction Cost$52,469,435CompletedAugust 2011ArchitectCannon DesignFunction
![LEED Gold Certification.]()
The $57 million, 198,000-square-foot building blends residential, academic and recreational spaces in a "learning landscape." Its architecture follows the principles of universal design, meaning the building and its amenities are designed to be accessible to people with diverse abilities. The building is the first in Western New York designed to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold standard. This residence hall is intended for sophomore students. It is a six-story structure located on the North Campus, adjacent to the Fargo building of the Ellicott Complex. Greiner Hall consists mainly of living suites, and also contains a café, classrooms and offices on the ground floor.
Namesake
![William Greiner.]()
(1934-2009) William R. Greiner, who joined the law faculty in 1967, rose through the faculty and administrative ranks, culminating with his appointment as UB's 13th president in 1991. He served until 2003, and was named UB president emeritus on Nov. 17 by the SUNY Board of Trustees.
Greiner's administrative leadership resulted in a period of unprecedented growth at UB. His extensive list of major accomplishments includes the expansion of the university's research enterprise, including the creation of major research institutes and recruitment of world-class faculty, solidifying UB's place as a top-flight research university. He transformed student life, including the development and construction of five state-of-the-art student apartment complexes. He established the university as a leading international educational institution, and under his leadership, UB developed pioneering collaborative educational programs with universities in Poland, Cuba and Turkey.
He built a worldwide network of UB alumni, and fostered a new cultural presence of the university in the community, including the opening of the Center for the Arts. Greiner also spearheaded UB's drive to Division I athletics and oversaw the most ambitious fundraising campaign in university history.
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sustainable, Plyboo walls. Floor tiling made from recycled soda bottles. Man-made ponds designed to capture rainwater before it enters an overloaded sewer system. Electrical outlets high enough to be easily accessible to wheelchair users. Classrooms and lounges suitable for educational programs and social gatherings.
These are just a few of the cutting-edge features that make the University at Buffalo's newest residence hall, Greiner Hall, a model for campus living.
Dedicated on Aug. 19, the 198,500 square-foot building has capacity for 600 students, with suites featuring two double rooms with an adjoining private bathroom and storage area. Additional amenities include wireless Internet access, a 50-seat Au Bon Pain café, multi-use classrooms, study spaces and fireplace lounges.
"Greiner Hall provides students with a living environment that supports their intellectual pursuits and creates opportunities to socialize and exchange ideas in a vibrant university setting," said Dennis Black, UB vice president for university life and services.
Greiner Hall is reserved for sophomores, who are often seeking greater privacy and more space as they enter their second year of college.
The building's blend of residential, recreational and academic spaces creates a vibrant living and learning environment for these students, encouraging them to remain engaged in academics as they continue their education. The facility embodies the "learning landscape" concept in the university's UB 2020 strategic plan, which encourages continual student learning by creating an environment that supports discovery outside the classroom.
Located on UB's North Campus, Greiner Hall was designed to earn a gold rating under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, and to conform with best practices in universal design, which refers to the creation of buildings, products and services accessible to people of diverse abilities.
Greiner Hall stands in memory of Greiner's 42 years of service to the university and his lifelong dedication to UB's students.
The building's many green features include:
- High-efficiency lighting and low-flow shower heads and faucets
- A roof whose reflective, ultra-white coating helps keep the building cool
- Showers for staff and faculty who work in Greiner Hall and commute to UB by bicycle
- A landscaping irrigation system that draws water from a lake on campus
- Walls made in part from Plyboo, a bamboo plywood material harvested from sustainable forests
- Counters and flooring made from post-consumer materials
- Retention ponds, called "bioswales," that catch and maintain rainwater trickling from the roof and other hard surfaces, preventing the water from entering the sewer system
The building's many universally designed features include:
- Stoves, washers and dryers whose controls are easily accessible to wheelchair users
- Electrical outlets high enough off the ground to ease accessibility for all users
- Adaptable or accessible in-suite bathrooms that feature oversized showers to accommodate wheelchair users and others who need more space; some bathrooms have safety bars that people can grasp for support.
- High-contrast finishes on floors and walls in public areas to help people with poor eyesight distinguish between different spaces in the building
The usability and effectiveness of Greiner Hall's universally designed components will be tested as part of a research project that UB's Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDeA Center) is conducting with the goal of evaluating and improving new universal design standards for public buildings.
The study, part of UB's Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Universal Design in the Built Environment, funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, will survey current universal design practices in architectural design. Results will help researchers develop an improved evidence base for universal design standards.
Hsu, Charlotte (2011, August 19). UB Opens State-of-the-Art Residence Hall Named for its 13th President. UB News Center. https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2011/08/12799.html
