PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Many college students dread moving into the dorm because of the cinder block walls, cramped quarters and few comforts of home.

However, that’s hardly what is waiting for upperclassmen students at Duquesne University.

Des Places Hall is an all-suite residence hall on campus near UPMC Mercy Hospital. One, two and three-bedroom suites will be available in the 12-story building to juniors, seniors, grad students and those in law school.

“You can focus more, you can concentrate more on school,” Simon Gomez said. “It’s just perfect here. I feel like it is just amazing.”

Built to LEED Gold certification standards, the dorm will save an estimated 22 percent in energy each year.

How green is the building?

The site where it stands is actually recycled building materials from the old buildings that were pulverized before a high-powered magnet removed the metal to be recycled.

Water fountains are actually filling stations for reusable bottles. Elevators generate electricity when they slow down. Laundry facilities on every floor feature machines that use less water. Even the carpet tiles in the lounges are made with recycled products.

Yet for the 384 students moving in this fall, it really comes down to one thing.

“It surprised me because everything is really nice. When we came in, it was a lot of space so we can all do our own things,” Julio Perez said.

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