Active Rec. Center for an Active University

On the average, only 50 percent of college students participate in non-varsity or intramural activities nationwide. However, at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, the percentage is nearly ninety. That is why Notre Dame decided to build the Rolfs Sports Recreation Center to meet the needs of students and faculty with intramural programs, club sports and fitness and recreational services the almost that entire student body would utilize.

"We located spaces and activities in the building so that they connect visually through balconies, windows and a three-story atrium," explains Jed Eide, principal of Architecture Design Group. "We designed the Center to have an open interior with views between spaces and an abundance of natural light. The openness allows the activities to be watched from the inside or the outside. By eliminating walls, only a small supervising staff is required as varying activities can be seen from one focal point. With the use of windows and a Kalwall translucent skylight in the lobby and entry corridor, the building is flooded with natural light that helps create the clean, healthy atmosphere in which to work out."

Above the double-height entry way and lobby is a 76 ft. x15 ft. translucent Kalwall skylight system. As the most highly insulating, diffuse light-transmitting system available, Kalwall is a structural composite sandwich panel formed by permanently bonding specially formulated fiberglass-reinforced translucent faces to a grid core constructed of interlocked structural I-beams. The diffuse light transmitting properties of Kalwall allow natural daylight to effectively illuminate the space, while eliminating harsh glare, hot spots and shadows often associated with traditional skylights and glazing. With Kalwall, the cost of electric lighting is significantly reduced. Even on cloudy days, an even balance of usable natural light fills the interior. Kalwall offers light transmission ranges from 3% to 75%; in the Rolfs Center, Kalwall delivers a light transmission of 30%. "We are surprised about how much light gets all the way down to the basement level about 38 feet below the skylight," comments Eide. "Kalwall works very well."

Inside the 77,100-square-foot Center are amenities for every level of athletic ability. There are three wood-floor courts for use in basketball, volleyball or badminton. There is also a multisport court, enclosed for use in floor hockey or indoor soccer. There is a 5,000-square-foot fitness room with aerobic machines, strength machines and free weights; two 2,000-square-foot activity rooms for dance, aerobics and martial arts; a three-lane, 1/8-mile suspended running track is also incorporated into the design. In addition, there are locker rooms, classrooms, offices and a wellness center.

"The interior is very open and dynamic," adds Eide. "There are great views to the courts from the upper levels and track." The use of color brings unity to the interior as well as creating a bright atmosphere. The diffuse light properties of Kalwall maximize the natural daylight while screening out the effects of solar heat. "We are familiar with Kalwall, so we know what to expect," says Eide. "We chose crystal/crystal Kalwall panels for it's light transmitting abilities as well as it's energy saving factors. Even in cloudy South Bend, we were concerned about heat gain through the skylight."

Kalwall is the most highly insulating system available. During the manufacturing process, Kalwall panels can be infilled with various densities of translucent spun glass "batt" insulation. In the standard 2-3/4" (70 mm) panels, "U" factor options range from .53 to as low as .18 and solar heat gain coefficients from 1.0 to under 0.04. In the optional thermally broken panels, performance can be as low as .10 as tested and/or computer modeled according to NFRC-100 A procedures as endorsed by the Department of Energy, for maximum energy efficiency and reliability. A "U" factor of 0.23 was specified with a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.34.

"Our biggest concern when designing the Rolfs Sports Recreation Center was to make a place that students would want to come to and like to be in," concludes Eide. "The fact that students used the facility almost 300,000 times in its first year of operation has proven its popularity."

Kalwall Specifications:
"U" factor: .23 by NFRC
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: 0.34
Light transmission: 30%
Color: Crystal/Crystal
Trim: Bronze

For more information, contact:

Bruce Keller
Kalwall Corporation
1-800-258-9777

Architect: Architecture Design Group
Photography: Mike Chesnut