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.
Cal Poly Pomona Residential Suites Earns LEED Silver
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona’s new Residential Suites building has achieved LEED Silver certification. Environmentally friendly features include green space, bike racks and parking spaces for hybrid vehicles. Each one of the 150 residences is equipped with a dual-flow toilet and metering to ensure energy-efficient heating and cooling. The residences are part of the university’s climate commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
Concordia U Wisconsin Enviro Stewardship Bldg Earns LEED Platinum
Concordia University Wisconsin recently achieved LEED Platinum certification for its Center for Environmental Stewardship. Environmentally friendly features include geothermal heating and cooling, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and T-8 fluorescent and LED lighting. Intended as a teaching tool for students and visitors, the $4 million center opened in August 2010.
Connecticut College Auditorium Awarded LEED Silver
Connecticut College’s largest classroom has achieved LEED Silver certification. The auditorium, which seats up to 150 people, was one of the first major construction projects completed after the adoption of a college-wide green building policy in 2005. A quarter of the total building materials used for the renovation were manufactured using recycled materials and nearly half of the building materials were manufactured regionally. More than 63 percent of the construction waste generated on-site was diverted from landfills.
LA Mission College Debuts Environmentally Friendly Fitness Center
Los Angeles Mission College (CA) has unveiled its $38 million health, physical education and fitness center. Previously, the physical education and athletic programs were housed in leased buildings dispersed off campus. The 87,000-square-foot building’s sustainable features include a constant monitoring of indoor air quality levels, a two-week preoccupy flush to remove construction-related contaminants, green housekeeping practices and low-VOC paints, carpets, adhesives and sealants. The center also features bicycle storage areas to encourage alternative transportation.
Meredith College Student Housing Earns LEED Silver
Meredith College’s (NC) newest student housing, opened in August 2009, has achieved LEED Silver certification. The apartments' sustainable features include dual-flush toilets, energy-efficient light fixtures, water-efficient landscaping and a drip irrigation system. Construction materials were made from recycled materials and extracted and manufactured regionally.
San Diego Mesa College Opens Renovated Design Center
San Diego Mesa College (CA) has unveiled a new Design Center, renovated with funding by the district's $1.555 Propositions S and N construction bond program. Sustainable features include extensive use of natural lighting; design materials made with recycled content; and a landscape plan that utilizes water-efficient irrigation and low water-use plants and shrubs.
U Missouri-Kansas City Building Receives LEED Gold
The University of Missouri-Kansas City's Student Union, opened in August 2010, has achieved LEED Gold certification. The building’s sustainable features include public transportation access, stormwater control and natural lighting.
North Carolina State Res. Halls Receive Energy Star Certification
Three North Carolina State University residence halls - Carroll, Sullivan and Tucker - have received ENERGY STAR certification. They join fewer than 80 residence halls nationwide in receiving the certification. ENERGY STAR-certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. "The fact that each certified building is a residence hall demonstrates University Housing's ongoing commitment to address our nation's energy challenge while providing safe and affordable housing for our student body," said Dr. Tim Luckadoo, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, in a news release.
City College of San Francisco Building Earns LEED Gold
The City College of San Francisco’s (CA) newest building has earned LEED-NC Gold certification. The 110,000-square-foot academic facility showcases many green features including a passive cooling system. A louvered central atrium and skylight system, driven by wind power, takes advantage of natural ventilation by allowing airflow from the perimeter classrooms to be exhausted through glazed skylights at the roof level. The building’s Central Utility Plant is supported by a 400-well ground loop geothermal exchange system.
Dalhousie U Announces Green Building Policy
Dalhousie University (NS) has announced a new green building policy that recommends all new buildings be built to LEED Gold standards or higher. The policy also calls for Facilities Management and Office Sustainability staff to incorporate annual green building training for the campus community including green building tours, videos, fact sheets and other communications products.
U Victoria Building Awarded LEED Gold
The University of Victoria's (BC) Administrative Services Building has earned LEED Gold certification from the Canada Green Building Council. The $16.3 million project incorporated a number of sustainable design features including a glass atrium, natural ventilation, an aggressive waste management plan and plumbing fixtures that use recycled water from the university’s aquatic research facility. The building is the fourth campus facility to achieve LEED Gold certification.
Harvard U Students, Staff Weatherize Campus Building
Organized by the Environmental Action Committee and a host of other campus groups, 30 members of the Harvard University (MA) community volunteered to help weatherize a 160-year-old building that serves the campus as the Freshman Dean's Office. The crew installed low-flow sink aerators, high-efficiency light bulbs and recycling signs, and weatherized windows. The project is estimated to save the university $1,928 per year.
Grist Profiles Green Schools Movement
Grist Magazine recently sat down with Rachel Gutter, director of the U.S. Green Building Council's Center for Green Schools, to talk about green schools legislation, creative financing and students taking the lead on greening efforts.
Harvard U Earns 35th LEED Certification
With the recent LEED Silver certification of its Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations, Harvard University (MA) has earned its 35th LEED-certified campus project. Sustainable features of the center include the reuse of 60 percent of the existing furniture, thermal and ventilation controls, occupancy sensors and renewable electricity sources. Seventy-five percent of the construction waste was diverted from the landfill.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Debuts Green Roof
Thanks to seed money provided by the class of 2010 and the efforts of the Student Sustainability Task Force, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY) has debuted a green roof atop its Rensselaer Union bookstore. The university held a Green Roof Groundmaking Celebration on Earth day, where student volunteers planted thousands of green plant plugs. The project will include a multicolor array of sedum plants and sensors that will compare temperatures between a standard roof and a green roof. To date, 285 individuals including students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents and several organizations have donated funds to support the project, surpassing its goal of $55,000.
Yale U Health Center Awarded LEED Gold
Yale University's (CT) new Health Center, opened in August 2010 and serving 36,000 students, faculty, staff and retirees, has received LEED Gold certification. The 147,006-square-foot building features a large atrium, ample natural light, rooftop gardens and sustainably sourced materials.
Duke U Initiative Inducted into Int'l Green Industry Hall of Fame
Duke University's (NC) Home Depot Smart Home Program was recently inducted into the inaugural class of the International Green Industry Hall of Fame. The university's dorm, research and educational program that emphasizes energy-efficient and sustainable living was one of six inductees including people and organizations honored by the Fresno, Calif.-based organization. The selection criteria for inductees included analysis of environmental benefits, innovation and widespread applicability.
George Mason U Hotel Earns LEED Gold
George Mason University's (VA) Mason Inn Conference Center and Hotel has been awarded LEED Gold certification. Nearly 90 percent of the on-site construction waste was diverted from landfills to recycling agencies, and more than 30 percent of the total building materials were manufactured using recycled materials. The center features high-efficiency glazing on windows and doors and water-source heat pumps, and has implemented green housekeeping initiatives including sustainable cleaning materials and a comprehensive recycling program.
American U Building Earns LEED Gold
American University’s (DC) School of International Service has been awarded LEED Gold certification. The building features numerous green components including an LED-lit parking garage, a solar air and water heating system, skylights to provide natural lighting, sunshades to prevent heat loss, and energy-efficient appliances.
Harvard U Law Building Awarded LEED Gold
Harvard University (MA) has earned its 44th LEED certification with the recent LEED Gold certification through LEED for Commercial Interiors of a Harvard Law School building. Sustainable features include lighting upgrades expected reduce electrical demand by 40 percent, a 95 percent construction waste recycling rate and the salvage of more than 11 tons of furnishings and electronics for future campus projects.
U California San Francisco Unveils 3 Green Laboratories
Featuring the integration of water-efficient devices and energy efficiency strategies, the University of California, San Francisco has recently opened three new green laboratories. The university received its first LEED Gold certification for a lab renovation with its School of Dentistry Mesenchymal and Craniofacial Research Laboratory, which involved renovating an entire floor of an existing high-rise research tower. The university will also seek LEED Gold certification for its Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building and Cardiovascular Research Building. More than 75 percent of the demolition materials were reused and diverted from the landfill in all three projects.
U Pennsylvania Music Building Receives LEED Gold
Along with its new green cafe, the University of Pennsylvania has earned LEED Gold for the renovation of its School of Arts and Sciences Music Building. Sustainable features include efficient lighting, controls and mechanical and plumbing systems, passive stormwater management techniques, reduced site water use with selection of drought resistant plant species and "smart" controls that adjust irrigation based on rainfall levels. The project also recycled or salvaged 95 percent of construction waste.
College of the Desert Training Academy Awarded LEED Silver
The Public Safety Academy at the College of the Desert (CA), which is used to train firefighters and police officers, has earned LEED Silver certification. Sustainable design features include the use of skylights for day lighting, PVC cool roofing to reduce a heat island effect and the use of recycled denim jeans as insulation.
Fort Lewis College Biology Wing Earns LEED Gold
Fort Lewis College (CO) has earned its second LEED Gold certification for the new biology wing of Berndt Hall. Environmentally friendly features of the building, which was designed to maximize open space, include water-efficient landscaping, renewable energy sources and regional and recycled building materials.
New U Texas Austin Student Center Seeks LEED Gold
The University of Texas at Austin has unveiled a new student center, designed to meet LEED Gold certification. Student input and design workshops informed the building design, which includes ample daylighting, an accessible rooftop courtyard with an adjacent green roof and a cistern that collects and recycles rainwater for landscape irrigation.
U New Mexico Debuts Green Science and Math Center
The University of New Mexico has formally opened the doors of its new Science and Mathematics Learning Center, which will seek LEED Gold certification. The 62,000-square-foot building houses classrooms and teaching laboratories.
U Texas Dallas Student Building Awarded LEED Platinum
The University of Texas at Dallas’ new Student Services Building has earned LEED Platinum certification. The four-story, 74,000-square-foot-building includes energy-efficient lighting, a solar hot water system, and was constructed using local building materials. The $27.5 million dollar project was financed in part by student fees collected from a $71 tuition increase.
2 Harvard U Buildings Awarded LEED Certification
Harvard University (MA) has earn a LEED EBOM (Existing Buildings Operations and Management) certification for its 1959 Class Memorial Chapel. Since 2008, the university has reduced the Chapel’s energy consumption by 49 percent through lighting updates, water conservation measures, heating and cooling monitors and water pipe insulation. The university has also received LEED Gold certification for its SEAS Computing and Information Technology Office. Renovations include new furnishings, lighting fixtures and windows, and more sustainable materials for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Eastern Michigan U Completes First Phase of $90 Mil Renovation
Eastern Michigan University's Mark Jefferson Science Building has completed the first phase of a $90 million renovation. The campus is in pursuit of a LEED Silver certification with features such as metal sunshades, a green roof and a rain garden. The building also utilizes a Design of Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS) to help reduce its energy use. Phase two should be completed in 2012.
U California San Diego Sustainability Center Earns LEED Gold
The University of California, San Diego has earned its fifth LEED-certified building project with the recent LEED Gold certification of its new Sustainability Center. Many of the sustainable features are student ideas, including reclaimed wood, metal building materials and a recycled cardboard table that looks like a hardwood table. The building's ceiling lights are directly powered by solar panels. In related news, the university has unveiled new environmentally friendly campus apartments for transfer students starting in fall 2011. Aligned to capitalize on wind and solar rays, the building's plaster, paving, carpet and metal studs are made with recycled materials and the residents will bathe with solar-heated water.
Queen's U Belfast Library Earns Sustainability Award
The McClay Library at Queen's University Belfast (Ireland) has received the 2010 Sustainability Award from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. The new library features sustainable strategies based on natural ventilation and low energy use including a thermal mass that acts as a heat sink, regulating the temperature profile of the internal environment by absorbing heat during the day and releasing it to the space at night. A rainwater harvesting system uses recycled rainwater for toilets and internal environmental conditions from lighting to temperature and fresh air levels are monitored.
Saint Paul U Dumaguete Implements 'Nature-Friendly' Technology
Saint Paul University of Dumaguete (Phillipines) has opened a "nature-friendly" campus facility for mushroom, fruit and vegetable drying. The facility includes a waterless toilet, recycled indigenous materials and the use of solar power and green roof technology.
San Diego Miramar College to Seek LEED Gold with 2 New Buildings
San Diego Miramar College (CA) has opened the doors of two new buildings that will seek LEED Gold certification. Funded as part of the San Diego Community College District’s $1.55 billion Propositions S and N construction bond program, its $34.4 million dual-classroom building project was the first to be fully integrated in Building Information Modeling (BIM), allowing for the creation of the building in digital space before building it in real space. Sustainable features include recycled materials, high-efficiency lighting and efficient thermal "massing," which delays the transfer of heat throughout the course of a day and minimizes the impact of a heating or cooling load on a building. The college also debuted the Compass Center, the new central gathering point on campus.
U California Berkeley Earns Fifth LEED Certification
With the recent LEED Silver certification of Durant Hall, the University of California, Berkeley received its fifth LEED building certification. Completed last summer, the renovation lets a high degree of daylighting into the work spaces and features new mechanical and electrical systems that exceed California's mandated energy efficiency standards by 17 percent. Eighty-eight percent of the construction waste was diverted from landfills.
U California San Francisco Unveils Medical Center Green Roof
The University of California, San Francisco has opened the doors of its Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building, which features a terraced green roof. The $123 million building was paid for with grants and donations. The university has $12 million left to raise.
Obama Visits Pennsylvania State U Sustainability Scientist
President Barack Obama recently visited Pennsylvania State University for a firsthand look at a university researcher’s ideas on how to transform the building industry by making energy-efficient renovations more affordable. The U.S. Department of Energy has designated three Innovation Hubs to develop and advance scientific understanding of how to make more sustainable buildings. The university's professor Jim Freihaut leads the hub that focuses on technology that can reduce dependence on imported oil and curb greenhouse gas emissions.
U Louisville Earns Third LEED Gold Designation
The week before the University of Louisville (KY) received a STARS Silver rating, the university also received word that it had achieved its third LEED Gold certification for its Center for Predictive Medicine biosafety research lab. The $44 million, 50,000-square-foot center allows scientists from Kentucky and surrounding states to study diseases like the flu, glanders and the plague in a secure environment.
U Wisconsin Oshkosh to Seek LEED Gold with New Building
The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s new Sage Hall is nearing completion and is on track for a LEED Gold designation. Some of the eco-friendly features include a green roof, stormwater purification, solar thermal for heating water and recycled materials used for construction. Natural sunlight will provide 90 percent of the interior lights.
Ithaca College Earns LEED Platinum for Administrative Building
Ithaca College (NY) has received LEED Platinum certification for its Peggy Ryan Williams Center, which houses the Office of the President and other senior administration. More than 50 percent of the building's energy comes from renewable sources, with a geothermal system to provide heating and cooling and natural convection ventilation that pre-cools the atrium at the start of each day by drawing in cooler night air and relieving it out a light monitor four stories above. Other sustainable features include nearly 6,500 square feet of vegetated roofing and a 12,000-gallon tank below the garden that collects rainwater from the roof, serving more than 85 percent of the building's yearly water needs.
Allegheny College Residence Hall Achieves LEED Gold
Allegheny College (PA) has received LEED Gold certification for its North Village II residence hall, which opened in fall 2010 and houses 230 students. Sustainable building strategies include Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, construction materials with high recycled content that were produced within 500 miles of the building site, open spaces with vegetation to reduce water run-off, an energy-efficient heating and cooling system fed by on-site geothermal wells and energy-saving motors in all mechanical equipment.
Columbia U Alumni Center Earns LEED Gold
Columbia University's (NY) McVickar Hall, home to the university's Alumni Center, has earned LEED Gold certification. Historically preserved, sustainable features of the 1908 building include a recycled heating system, water filtration system and lighting that automatically adjusts to natural light and uses occupancy sensors to maximize energy efficiency.
San Diego City College Career Technology Center Awarded LEED Gold
San Diego City College (CA) has received its first LEED Gold certification for its new Career Technology Center. Sustainable features of the $63.1 million center include water-efficient landscaping, plumbing fixtures that reduce potable water use by 55 percent, regionally sourced materials and the ability to filter 100 percent of collected stormwater. Sixty-five percent of the construction waste was diverted from landfills.
U California Santa Barbara Marine Science Bldg Earns LEED Gold
The University of California, Santa Barbara's Marine Science Research Building has been awarded LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features of the 60,542-square-foot building include an efficient lighting system and controls; an extensive metering system to track energy use and air quality; waterless urinals and low-flow sinks; the use of reclaimed water to irrigate its drought-tolerant landscape; passive ventilation in perimeter offices; and renewable materials in carpet, wood fixtures, and concrete.
Oregon State U Energy Center Earns LEED Platinum
Oregon State University's Energy Center has received Platinum LEED certification. Environmentally friendly features include natural interior lighting, water-efficient landscaping, the use of recycled building materials and a rainwater harvest system. Campus engineers expect the Energy Center to produce half of the university's annual electricity usage, saving $650,000 a year. Compared to the previous power facility, it is poised to reduce CO2 emissions by 38 percent. The center will also serve as a sustainable energy laboratory where students can track the building's performance.
6 Harvard U Buildings Awarded LEED Certification
Six Harvard University (MA) buildings have recently achieved LEED certification. The Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Biophysics Laboratory and East Wing Offices, Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Larsen Hall Upper Floor Classroom, and Harvard Medical School’s renovation of 641-643 Huntington Avenue have each received LEED Gold certification. The university earned LEED Silver certification for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' teaching labs and the renovation of the Graduate School of Education's Longfellow Basement. Common sustainable features include water-efficient fixtures, a reduction of overall energy consumption, passive solar design and the diversion of construction waste from landfills.
