A major dorm overhaul at Boston University is giving some freshmen a dramatically different move-in experience. The first renovated tower in the school's Warren Towers complex has been transformed from a major source of pollution into a zero-emissions residence hall.
Here's what to know
According to MassLive, Tower A is the first of Warren Towers' three student housing buildings to receive a full renovation. Along with new fixtures, furniture, a rebuilt dining hall and accessibility upgrades, the project replaced fossil-fuel heating with an all-electric, zero-emissions system.
Dennis Carlberg, Boston University's chief sustainability officer and associate vice president for climate action, described the significance of the shift. "We're able to really move this building from a major greenhouse gas emitter, one of the largest in Boston, competing for the largest at Boston University ... to zero greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
Warren Towers opened in 1965 and is the university's largest residential complex, housing about 1,800 students.
MassLive said the overall effort is on a longer timeline than any single tower, with the $550 million project expected to finish in 2029 after retail-space renovations and streetscape work along Commonwealth Avenue are completed. The dorm towers themselves are each expected to take about 15 months, and are projected to be finished in 2028.
More background
Tower A uses electronic card-access locks throughout, making it the first BU residence hall to do so, while all doors were widened to meet accessibility requirements. Rooms were also redone with new flooring, lighting, and furniture.
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On the outside, the renovation included insulated, repointed walls and new triple-glazed windows to improve both temperature control and noise reduction. Those windows can still open up to 4 inches for ventilation.
The shared bathrooms were reworked so that every floor includes eight private enclosed rooms, each with its own toilet, sink, and shower, with additional sinks located outside those rooms.
What's being done?
The university is completing the overhaul in stages. MassLive reported that Tower A was gutted beginning in late December 2024, forcing BU to relocate about 600 students to Peabody Hall on the Fenway campus.
Demolition on Tower B is underway, and work on Tower C will begin in summer 2027.
BU has said the redesign is intended to improve efficiency while also encouraging more interaction among students. Michelle Maheu, associate vice president of planning, design and construction, explained that the university aims to foster "opportunities like this where [students] can get out of their room and come together and build community."
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