The Kaufman Building, home to the psychology, earth sciences, environmental studies & environmental science departments, was recently renovated. In keeping with Dickinson’s tradition of sustainability, the changes were made with the environment in mind, according to members of the faculty and administration.

Kenneth Shultes, director of facilities management, noted that the renovations included the addition of a new greenhouse, building entrance and landscaping. The new greenhouse includes four research areas, a laboratory area and a shared classroom.

“I am very excited about the new Kaufman renovations, especially the greenhouse,” said Lexie Raczka ’15, an environmental science major. “My wildlife ecology class, for instance, has been using the greenhouse since it first opened this semester. We have collected water samples from vernal ponds in the area and have been studying the growth of organisms in the water.”

The new landscaping on the south-side of the building includes a geological timeline and a bio-swale, a landscaping feature that removes pollutants from run-off. An 18kw solar panel array was installed to counteract some of the new greenhouse’s emissions.

While the changes were made following a high sustainability standards, the Kaufman Building is not yet LEED certified. According to Shultes, the college will submit the building for LEED certification after it has been renovated in its entirety.

“The new space has been received very enthusiastically and the project is really transformational, both in terms of the new programs it will support [and] also in the way it will positively change the way Kaufman looks and feels from the outside,” said Shultes.