PSU Behrend Federal House Renovation + Addition

The historic Federal House at Penn State Behrend has been transformed into a new 12,000 sf home for the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, and Evaluation (CORE). Led by GBBN, the $6.3 million renovation will adapt the historic structure to support CORE’s expanding research, outreach, and community partnerships, including collaborations with Erie Insurance, the Erie Community Foundation, and United Way of Erie County. Through these programs, CORE’s work reaches more than 3,000 young people across the Erie region each year.

evolveEA is serving as sustainability consultant, working alongside the design team to integrate building performance and environmental goals into the renovation of the historic structure, supporting sustainability framework requirements, coordinating performance strategies across disciplines, and guiding documentation related to energy efficiency, water conservation, material selection, indoor environmental quality, and occupant well-being.

The project demonstrates how thoughtful adaptive reuse can extend the life of a significant historic building while improving its performance and supporting a new generation of community-focused programming. By pairing preservation with measurable sustainability strategies, the Federal House renovation will provide CORE with a durable, healthy, and resource-efficient home for its growing regional impact.