U Illinois at Chicago Renovation to Seek LEED Gold
The University of Illinois at Chicago has reopened Douglas Hall after a one-year, $11.7 million renovation that will seek LEED Gold certification. Now home to the College of Business Administration, the building features geothermal wells, solar panels, automated interior lights, water savers and automated cooling/heating. The project was funded by student fees and gifts from individual and corporate donors.
Centennial College Debuts Green Library
Centennial College (ON) has debuted its new environmentally conscious library and academic facility. The $52.5 million project was designed and built to LEED Gold certification standards. Sustainable features include a graywater recycling system, green roof and a biowall of live plants that can remove indoor airborne contaminants.
Colorado State U Research Center Earns LEED Gold
Colorado State University’s 60,000-square-foot Research Innovation Center has earned LEED Gold certification. The design incorporates solutions that increase the energy performance of the building and lower operating costs by 42 percent. Low-flow faucets and toilets reduce the building’s water use by 38 percent, native species cut irrigation water consumption by 90 percent and low-emitting carpets and paints were used to ensure a high standard of indoor air quality. The building also hosts a 54-kilowatt solar array that provides about 6 percent of its electrical load.
Georgia Tech Reveals New Green Classroom Building
Georgia Institute of Technology has unveiled a new sustainably designed academic classroom facility. The 220,000-square-foot building features an underground cistern containing 700,000 gallons for graywater recirculation and irrigation, and 300,000 gallons for stormwater detention. Other sustainable design features include a solar photovoltaic farm and solar hot water system, green roof, passive solar design, locally sourced construction materials and radiant floor heating. More than 95 percent of construction waste was diverted from the landfill.
Northern Kentucky U Unveils First Green Building
Northern Kentucky University is getting ready to open the doors of its first building designed to meet LEED certification. The Digitorium features efficient lighting and plumbing, local construction materials and a green roof that covers 23 percent of the total building roof area. The facility is scheduled to open in October.
SUNY ESF Opens New Environmentally Friendly Residence Hall
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry has constructed its first residence hall with a focus on sustainability. Centennial Hall, designed to meet LEED Silver standards, will reduce its impact on the environment through the use of stormwater management techniques, sustainable building materials, landscaping that includes native plants and a limited need to mow, extensive indoor bicycling storage facilities and a pedestrian-friendly design. The college also partnered with a local company that specifically designed furniture using red maple harvested from sustainably managed forests.
Ecotech Institute Receives LEED Gold
The Ecotech Institute (CO), which opened its doors early this year, has received LEED Gold certification. The institute has 12 rooftop solar panels and eight small wind turbines. Other environmentally conscious features include energy-efficient lighting, monitoring of campus energy consumption and low-flow fixtures. The campus also includes four electric car-charging stations.
Ferris State U Student Housing Receives LEED Gold
Ferris State University's (MI) East Campus Suites has received LEED Gold certification. The student housing buildings feature green design and construction efforts including a 30 percent reduction in water use, 18 percent reduction in energy use and the diversion of more than 90 percent of construction waste from landfills.
Guam CC Resource Center Earns LEED Gold
Guam Community College’s Learning Resource Center has achieved LEED Gold certification. The 22,000-square-foot building features photovoltaic solar panels, digital temperature controls, energy-efficient windows, and lighting, asphalt and furniture made from recycled materials. The majority of construction waste was diverted from the landfill.
Boston U Seeks LEED Certification with Remodeled Campus Residence
Boston University is expecting its first LEED certification for a residence with its remodeled St. Mary's faculty and staff apartment complex. The 13,700-square-foot building, which was stripped down to its rafters, studs and floorboards, will seek LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features of the $3.5 million renovation include a tankless water heater, bamboo flooring, energy-efficient lighting, individually metered units and countertops made with at least 80 percent recycled materials like glass and metal.
Linfield College Library Renovation to Reduce Energy Use by 30%
With the recent renovation of its historic library building, Linfield College (OR) expects to decrease the building's energy use by 30 percent. Built in 1936, the library offered inadequate space to install a modern heating and cooling system. The college selected radiant ceiling panels for both heating and cooling.
Salisbury U Receives First LEED Gold with Renovation
The renovation of Salisbury University’s (MD) Pocomoke Hall has achieved the university’s first LEED Gold certification. More than 15.8 percent of building materials were sourced and manufactured within 500 miles of the construction site and 22 percent were made from recycled materials. Approximately 75 percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills and 67 percent of the wood used in the building was from Forest Stewardship Council-certified products.
U Kentucky Earns First LEED Certification
The University of Kentucky has earned its first LEED certification with the recent LEED Gold certification of its Davis Marksbury building. Part of its College of Engineering's Digital Village, the three-story, 45,014-square-foot building includes photovoltaic collectors on the roof to convert sunlight into electrical power to help serve the building and provide research opportunities.
Western Oregon U Building Earns LEED Platinum
Western Oregon University’s Ackerman Hall has achieved LEED Platinum certification. The 91,000-square-foot facility mixes both scholastic and housing programs into a single community on university grounds. Rooftop solar thermal panels preheat water and air for use in the facility, resulting in a 50 percent reduction in potable water usage and 35 percent reduction in energy consumption. Other sustainable features include energy monitoring systems, low-flow plumbing fixtures, a rainwater harvest system, permeable paving and passive solar design.
Bridgewater College Debuts Sustainable Residence Hall
Bridgewater College (VA) has debuted a new green student residence hall that will seek LEED Silver certification. Some of its environmentally responsible features include reduced stormwater runoff, recycled building materials, insulation composed of renewable materials, occupancy sensor lights and low volatile interior paints and adhesives. Twenty percent of all materials used during construction were made or harvested within 500 miles.
Harvard U Earns 50th LEED Certification
Harvard University (MA) has become the first higher education institution to achieve its 50th LEED certification. The green building milestone includes six platinum-level projects and represents more than 1.5 million square feet of labs, dormitories, libraries, classrooms and offices. An additional 3 million square feet of space is registered and pursuing LEED certification. In April, the university announced a 10 percent decline in the university’s overall greenhouse gas emissions reflecting energy supply improvements, efficiency measures and the engagement of faculty, staff and students in activities designed to transform behavior.
Saginaw Valley State U Hall Earns LEED Silver
Saginaw Valley State University’s (MI) Pioneer Hall has earned LEED Silver certification. Sustainable features of the $16 million renovation include high-performance glass for optimized energy performance and thermal comfort, regionally manufactured materials and passive solar design.
U Maryland Eastern Shore Renovation Earns LEED Gold
The renovation of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's Somerset Hall, a 60-year-old former dormitory that is now the campus' most energy-efficient building, has received LEED Gold certification. Renovations to the building, which now houses the pharmacy school, were designed and built to consume less energy. Sustainable features include housekeeping products that are recyclable and non-toxic, designated parking spaces for electric and hybrid cars, and bicycle racks.
Winona State U Plans Sustainability Theme House
If approved by the Winona City Council, Winona State University (MN) plans to build a pilot theme house dedicated to sustainability. Ten students with similar interest and studies in sustainability will live together in the university-owned house. If the university can demonstrate that the pilot house is successful, it plans to implement more theme houses in the future. University officials describe the pilot project as a compromise solution to concerns that have been raised as the city works through the process.
2 Wake Forest U Buildings Awarded LEED Gold
Wake Forest University (NC) has achieved LEED Gold status with its new Welcome Center. Sustainable features of the building include low-VOC materials used throughout the interior of the space; regionally sourced materials; Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood; repurposed materials; and nearly 90 percent of the waste generated during construction was diverted from the landfill for recycling. The university's newest residence hall was also awarded LEED Gold certification.
Blackfeet CC Tribal Building Earns LEED Platinum
Blackfeet Community College’s (MT) new math and science building has been awarded LEED Platinum certification. The $5 million, 13,000-square-foot building has increased energy efficiency by 57 percent compared to minimum standards. Sustainable features include passive solar design, insulated glass, computer-controlled heating, low-flow plumbing fixtures and minimal pollutants in cabinetry and finishes. The college also diverted 83 percent of construction waste from the landfill.
DePaul U Debuts Eco Friendly Art Museum
DePaul University (IL) has applied for LEED Silver certification for its new $7.8 million art museum. The 15,200-square-foot building was designed to incorporate a variety of energy-efficient features including a green roof, reflective roof coatings, proximity to public transportation, water-efficient landscaping, stormwater system design and energy-efficient heating, cooling and ventilation. The museum will open to the public in September.
North Dakota State College of Science Earns LEED Certification
The renovation to the 75-year-old North Dakota State College of Science’s Horton Hall has earned LEED certification. The building’s certification was based on a number of sustainable design and construction features including passive solar design, high performance glazing, improved insulation, solar thermal hot water, low-flow plumbing fixtures and energy-efficient lighting. The university system has also adopted an integrated green building education program.
Rock Valley College Science Center Pursues LEED Gold
Rock Valley College (IL) is preparing to open its newest green building, the 106,000-square-foot Center for Science and Math. Designed to meet LEED Gold standards, the college has implemented numerous strategies to reduce the energy consumption of its new facility. Sustainable features include passive solar design, a closed loop geothermal system, chill beam cooling system and solar panels.
U North Texas Dallas Building Earns LEED Gold
A new building at the University of North Texas at Dallas has achieved LEED Gold certification. The $43 million, 102,000-square-foot building features high-efficiency mechanical controls, a vegetative roof equipped with drains to collect rainwater for irrigation, and solar panels. The building also maximizes the use of natural light through large windows and skylights.
U Pacific Technology Center Awarded LEED Gold
The University of the Pacific’s (CA) John T. Chambers Technology Center has achieved LEED Gold certification. The 24,500-square-foot building is the first LEED certification for the university. Sustainable features include 100 percent non-potable water in surrounding irrigation, bicycle racks, low-flow water fixtures, native plants in the surrounding landscape, reflective glass to reduce the need for cooling and low-reflective materials on the roof. The building is also the university’s first structure to have solar panels.
Calhoun CC Renewable Energy Center to Seek LEED Gold
Calhoun Community College (AL) has opened the doors of its new Alabama Center of Excellence in Clean Energy Technology. The center will train energy conservation practitioners in energy assessment techniques and energy-efficient installation. Training will be focused toward dislocated and unemployed workers for jobs in the growing renewable energy sector. Design elements of the building include energy-efficient windows, canopies and a heat pump system designed to reduce energy consumption by 50 percent. Funding for the center was made possible by a $3.47 million grant from the Department of Labor.
St. Louis CC Earns Second LEED Gold Certification
St. Louis Community College (MO) has received its first LEED Gold certification with the recent rating of its William J. Harrison Education Center. Environmentally friendly features of the 31,000 square-foot facility include lighting controllability, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, indoor chemical and pollutant source control, and the use of recycled materials in the construction.
U California Santa Barbara Hall Receives LEED Silver
The University of California, Santa Barbara’s Kohn Hall has been awarded LEED Silver certification. Sustainable features include passive solar design, natural ventilation and efficient cooling provided by the campus chilled water loop. The hall is also one of 15 university buildings to have piloted the campus’ commingled recycling program. Kohn Hall is the sixth campus building to be certified through the LEED Existing Building Portfolio Program.
Harvard U Building Achieves LEED Gold
Harvard University’s (MA) Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study has achieved LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features of the new 42,000-square-foot building include an efficient HVAC system, low-emitting paints and materials, and passive solar design. Education about the sustainable operation of the building was also provided to staff. A utility display in the lobby allows occupants to see the building’s real-time energy use.
Rowan-Cabarrus CC Constructs First LEED Gold Building
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s (NC) first new building to be constructed in more than 30 years has earned the school its first LEED Gold certification. Sustainable design features include solar tubing, low-flow plumbing fixtures, carpeting made from recycled materials and the use of exterior materials that reduce light pollution. The building’s green design is expected to save the college more than $14,000 in utility costs and reduce water usage by 60,000 gallons each year.
Saint John's U Awarded First LEED Gold Certification
The McKeown Center at Saint John's University (MN) has been awarded LEED Gold certification. The first LEED-certified building on campus, the community center features natural lighting; energy-efficient lighting, heating and air conditioning systems; low-flow lavatories; monitored energy use; no-mow grass; a rain garden; and pervious sidewalk pavers. The building also provides educational value, offering environmental studies students the opportunity to visit a sustainable building on campus.
U Texas Arlington Research Building Earns LEED Gold
The University of Texas at Arlington’s new Engineering Research Building has received LEED Gold certification. The 234,000-square-foot building features multiple green and light-reflecting roofs, passive solar design, rain and condensate water storage systems for landscaping, and incorporated recycled materials. Approximately 82 percent of on-site construction waste was diverted from landfills and 28 percent of total building materials were manufactured using recycled materials.
U Washington Awarded Fifth LEED Gold Rating
The University of Washington has earned its fifth LEED Gold-certified building with the recent certification of its Paccar Hall. Environmentally friendly design and construction features include wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council; low-VOC paints, adhesives and carpet; an electric vehicle plug-in station; and a green roof system. Ninety-six percent of the construction waste was recycled.
U Winnipeg Opens Green Environment and Science Complex
The University of Winnipeg (MB) has opened the doors of its new Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex. The building will seek LEED Gold certification with environmentally friendly features including a 1,127-square-foot rooftop greenhouse. The facility will provide a space for research and development in natural and social sciences focused on climate change, water stewardship, green chemistry, urban sustainability and indigenous science.
Appalachian State U Introduces Green College of Education
Appalachian State University (NC) has unveiled its new College of Education building. The university expects to receive LEED certification for the $35 million structure, which includes a green roof, motion-sensor lights and cork flooring. Recycled materials were used during construction and solar panels were installed on the roof to help with domestic water heating.
Elon U Alumni Field House Earns LEED Gold
Elon University's (NC) Alumni Field House has earned LEED Gold certification. Environmentally friendly features of the 30,000-square-foot building include added layers of insulation to improve its thermal envelope; high-efficiency window glazing that acts as a passive solar mechanism to reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer; low-flow plumbing fixtures that reduce potable water consumption by 40 percent; and climate adaptive vegetation and a drip irrigation system. Ninety percent of the construction waste was diverted from the landfill for recycling or reuse.
Georgia Tech Basketball Center Earns LEED Gold
Georgia Institute of Technology’s Zelnak Center has achieved LEED Gold certification. The design and construction of the basketball practice facility was guided by the institute’s Yellow Book. The Georgia Tech Yellow Book is a document that guides architects and engineers in the process of designing new buildings, additions and renovations to existing buildings. The center is the institute’s fourth building to receive LEED Gold certification.
Michigan State U Uses Hybrid Technology for Construction
Michigan State University has started using hybrid technology at a construction site on campus. The university’s contractor opted for a green alternative and invested in a hybrid excavator. The machine can cost up to 20 percent more than a regular machine, but with the amount of reduction in fuel consumption, the excavator can pay for itself in three to five years.
U Connecticut Unveils Campus-Wide Retro-Commissioning Project
The University of Connecticut has begun implementing recommended energy conservation measures at a dozen campus buildings as part of phase one of its campus-wide retro-commissioning project. The university's Smart Building Smart Grid Workgroup, driven by eight School of Engineering faculty members, will use one of the retro-commissioned buildings as a test bed for research that will also raise campus awareness about enhanced sensors, controls and fault detection for building systems. The retro-commissioning project is expected to improve the energy efficiency of 34 campus buildings, saving $500,000 in energy costs and cutting 3,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
U Massachusetts Amherst Debuts Green Building Guidelines
The University of Massachusetts Amherst's Green Building Committee has published Green Building Guidelines that outline and prioritize the strategies for sustainability that are most important to the campus. Design teams for all new campus buildings will use these guidelines, which use the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system as a framework to address sustainable site development, water efficiency, materials and resource use, indoor air quality and energy efficiency.
Wellesley College Alumnae Hall Renovation Earns LEED Gold
The renovation and restoration of Wellesley College’s (MA) Alumnae Hall has earned the first LEED Gold certification for the campus. A carefully designed glass system was installed to maximize transparency and light transmission. The building, designed in 1922, is the final initiative in an extensive land reclamation and environmental mitigation project and also features a green roof to help retain heat in the winter.
Harvard Achieves 520K in Annual Savings with Retro-Commissioning
A recent retro-commissioning effort of Harvard University's (MA) Laboratory for Integrated Science and Engineering has resulted in $520,000 in annual savings and a reduction of 800 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Previously the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' second largest greenhouse gas emitter, the laboratory's existing building systems were combined into a more "closed loop" controlled feedback approach that allows for common data to be shared amongst the systems.
Life U Dining Hall Earns LEED Gold
Life University (GA) has earned its second LEED-certified building with the recent Gold certification of its new campus dining facility. In addition to sustainable water and energy consumption during operation and green waste management, the Socrates Café sources local and organic produce and uses compostable dining ware.
Harvard U Custodial Services Achieves Green Seal Certification
Harvard University’s (MA) Facilities Maintenance Operations Custodial Services has achieved Green Seal certification. Green Seal is a nonprofit organization that certifies products and services that meet rigorous environmental safety standards. The process took several years and required the university to adjust the cleaning products and procedures as well as invest in new equipment. Custodial services customized a cleaning program to meet the specific environmental needs for each building.
Harvard U Dormitory Earns LEED Existing Buildings Certification
Harvard University’s (MA) Thayer Hall, an undergraduate dormitory, has achieved the university’s first LEED Existing Buildings certification. A team was created to identify sustainable practices that could be extended to other residential buildings. Each team member focused on a different LEED category and worked to ensure the building’s compliance with relevant prerequisites and implement operational and infrastructural changes. Sustainable modifications ranged from cleaning protocols to snow removal, lighting retrofits, temperature adjustments and landscaping services. The dormitory reduced its energy consumption by 10 percent in two years. The students of the Resource Efficiency Program also coordinated a recycling campaign and waste audit.
Meredith College Student Housing Receives LEED Silver
Meredith College’s (NC) student housing project, the Oaks, has achieved LEED Silver certification. Opened in August 2009, sustainable features include dual flush toilets, drip irrigation for landscaping, low-emitting materials and construction materials sourced and manufactured regionally. Approximately 89 percent of construction waste was diverted from the landfill.
U Chicago Renovates Building to Incorporate Sustainable Practices
The University of Chicago (IL) has renovated its Young Memorial Building to make it a more sustainable place to work. The extensive renovation not only considered ways to reduce its environmental footprint, but also ways to promote complementary individual action. Water fountains have a water bottle-filling feature to encourage the community to use reusable bottles and bike racks are mounted on the wall and a shower room installed to support bike commuters. Reusing rather than replacing the building and its fixtures was strongly emphasized during the renovation. Other sustainable features include a cork floor, low-flush plumbing, recycled and reclaimed ceiling tiles, and energy-efficient lighting.
U Minnesota Twin Cities Bldg Earns LEED Gold
The University of Minnesota's Science Teaching and Student Services Center (STSS) has achieved LEED Gold certification, the first LEED Gold building on the Twin Cities campus. The building utilized regional materials, a natural air convection system, low-flow fixtures and a high efficiency irrigation system. The exterior glass will reduce solar heat gain by 50 percent and 94 percent of the construction debris was diverted from the landfill to be reused or recycled.
2 Grand Valley State U Buildings Receive LEED Certification
Grand Valley State University’s (MI) new student housing project and dining hall have both received LEED certification. The 279,974-square-foot housing project provides rooms for 600 students and achieved LEED Gold certification. The 24,000-square-foot food service building was awarded LEED Silver certification. The buildings feature energy-efficient lighting, heating and air conditioning systems, as well as landscaping that requires minimal irrigation with expansive stormwater management systems.
