Campus Construction Highlights

Our campus is in the midst of a transformative period. Our community is laying the groundwork for spaces and infrastructure that will allow us to live into our mission to educate the whole person and steward our resources toward a more sustainable future. 

As you walk the grounds, you’ll see work underway that supports a variety of projects, from  To Zero By Thirty-Five, the College's energy plan and vision for realizing its goal of carbon neutrality by 2035, to the revitalization of facilities across campus. These exciting and necessary projects will have a wide-reaching and long-standing impact on our community. Explore the resources below to learn more about some of the most critical and innovative work happening at Swarthmore.

To Zero By Thirty-Five

To Zero By Thirty-Five is Swarthmore’s bold vision for realizing its goal of carbon neutrality by 2035 by moving the College away from fossil fuel combustion and toward greater use of renewable energy. In 2025, drilling has begun on a well field in front of Parrish Hall and McCabe Library that will be part of Swarthmore's new geoexchange system.

Green Roof

  • Geoexchange Well Drilling

    During the Fall semester, drilling will take place on the lawn in front of the Dining and Community Commons. Sound mitigation panels have been installed around the perimeter of the site to help dampen drilling noise in the area, and a new temporary pathway has been put in place to facilitate access from Mertz Hall to the Dining and Community Commons during construction. Over the summer, drilling  on Clothier Lawn and the lawn in front of McCabe Library was completed, and piping installation is now underway at both those sites.

    Dining and Community Commons

  • Moving Through Campus

    Work continues on installing low temperature hot water and chilled water piping that will ultimately connect Ben West House, Worth Hall, Willets Hall, McCabe Library, Bond Hall, the Lodges, Cunningham House, and the Wister Center to the geoexchange system. Pathways connecting Ben West Parking Lot to Old Tarble and Worth Health Center will be closed through the end of the semester, and you will need to access these buildings from around the front.

    Pathway Closure from Ben West Parking Lot

Renovating Kohlberg Hall

Work is underway to revitalize Kohlberg Hall. In addition to being connected to the geoexchange, updates will include a new roof and ceiling, new lighting and fire alarms, mechanical upgrades, and OneCard installation.  Kohlberg Hall will reopen by fall break.

Renovating Benjamin West House

Renovations to Benjamin West House will continue through Fall 2025. Updates are being made to the interior of the building, and a new addition will be added to create more space to support Public Safety programming. Public Safety’s communications center and offices are temporarily located in Bond Memorial Hall during renovations. The department will move back into Ben West House once work is completed in late fall.