The project: Transform Morehouse Residence Hall into the Johansen Student Center, a dedicated hub for more than 150 student organizations and a launch pad for the next generation of collaborators, change agents, and critical thinkers.

The goal: Provide Drake University with a revitalized space that shifts from a traditional residence hall to a modern, multi-use student center, offering an environment that fosters community, creativity, and leadership development.

Project amenities: The new Johansen Student Center will serve as a central gathering place for student groups across campus. By incorporating meeting and collaboration spaces, the facility is designed to provide the infrastructure and resources needed to support student-led initiatives, campus events, and leadership activities.

Design approach: IMEG provided performance commissioning services and collaborated directly with the architect and project team from the earliest design phases. This proactive approach included demolition of select windows before the project went to bid, allowing the team to test how the new systems and windows would integrate with the existing building. This early investigation informed design refinements and created efficiencies throughout construction.

Unique aspects:

  • Window replacement strategy: The team managed the full process, beginning with the investigation of existing openings, through design, installation of blocking, installation of the windows, and final sealing to both the interior and exterior existing wall conditions.
  • Value engineering: By simplifying the blocking requirements, the team streamlined the installation and created an effective way to tie the new windows and air barrier system to the existing building walls. This allowed for a more reliable and cost-efficient solution.
  • Seamless integration: A particular challenge was ensuring that the new windows tied cleanly into existing plaster walls on the interior. The solution required careful coordination to maintain barrier continuity and proper sealing on both the interior and exterior sides of the structure.

Challenge: Integrating modern building envelope systems into a historic residence hall structure. Solution: Early collaboration with the architect and the ability to perform window demolition before the bidding process gave the team critical insight into how the new systems would align with existing conditions. This led to practical, engineered solutions for window blocking, air barrier connection, and sealing, ultimately ensuring performance and longevity.

Estimated and actual design schedule: The project’s design schedule, estimated from December 2022 to September 2023, was successfully achieved.

Project outcome: The Johansen Student Center will provide Drake University students with a vibrant, flexible, and well-constructed facility that supports collaboration and leadership. By upgrading the building envelope systems and ensuring quality performance commissioning, the University will benefit from an efficient, durable, and welcoming space that strengthens campus life and enriches the student experience for years to come.