Alfred U Residence Hall Receives LEED Gold
Alfred University’s (NY) new 48-bed residence hall has been awarded LEED Gold certification. Sixty-five percent of the wood used during the construction of Ann's House was from forests certified for using sustainable forestry practices and 30 percent of the materials were from local or regional suppliers. Other sustainable features include 15 kilowatts of solar panels on the roof, high-efficiency boilers, individual-room thermostat controls and a passive solar design.
Cooper Union Academic Building Awarded LEED Platinum
The newest academic building at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (NY) has been awarded LEED Platinum certification. The $150 million, 175,000-square-foot building features a green roof, radiant heating and cooling ceiling panels, and an atrium to improve air flow and provide increased interior day lighting. Also incorporated into the design is an operable building skin made of perforated stainless steel panels offset from a glass and aluminum window wall to reduce the impact of heat radiation during the summer and insulate interior spaces during the winter.
Stanford U Unveils Green Building
Stanford University (CA) has unveiled an eco-friendly building in accordance with its own sustainability guidelines. The university will not seek LEED certification for the $118 million, 166,000-square-foot Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, which will house the university’s environmental science and energy researchers. Sustainable features include windows and shades that shift according to the weather and the angle of the sunlight in order to maximize the efficiency of natural ventilation and lighting. In addition, four large atria provide the center of the complex with ventilation and natural light.
U South Sewanee to Seek LEED Gold for Renovated Forestry Building
Sewanee: The University of the South (TN) has revealed its newly renovated forestry and geology building designed to meet LEED Gold standards. The building’s green features include solar panels, the re-use of the building’s existing woods and stone, energy-efficient windows, recycled materials and the university’s first stormwater management practices. The building now has new labs, classrooms, resource rooms, research space and faculty offices.
Washington U St. Louis Center Earns 'Living Building' Status
Washington University in St. Louis' (MO) Living Learning Center has received the Living Building certification from the International Living Building Institute. A Living Building status is achieved when a project generates all of its own energy through renewable resources; captures and treats its own water through ecologically sound techniques; and incorporates only nontoxic, appropriately sourced materials. The asphalt parking lot where the university's Living Learning Center was built was replaced with pervious concrete walkways, native landscaping and a rain garden. Other environmentally friendly features include salvaged doors and hardware, a bat house with "bat cams" built into the eaves; photovoltaic panels and a 3,000-gallon underground tank that filters and irradiates rainwater collected from the roof with ultraviolet light so that it is clean enough to be potable.
California Lutheran U Debuts Building Designed to be LEED Silver
California Lutheran University has opened its first environmentally friendly building, designed to meet LEED Silver certification. The $8.5 million, 33,000-square-foot social and behavioral sciences center features passive solar design, motorized windows, sensors to turn the air conditioning or heating off in offices and classrooms, light sensors and water-efficient plumbing fixtures. Bioswales were incorporated into the landscaping for stormwater treatment and native, drought-tolerant plants were planted with high-efficiency irrigation. Eighteen percent of the materials used during construction featured recycled content and 22 percent came from within 500 miles of campus.
Ohio Wesleyan U Opens Green Recreation Center
Ohio Wesleyan University has opened an environmentally friendly recreation center designed to meet LEED certification. Sustainable features include a geothermal energy system that heats and cools the building, and a heat recovery system that heats water for the pool. The building also features a reflective clay-tile roof, as well as recycled, regional and low-VOC building materials.
U California Davis Launches Sustainable Winery and Brewery
The University of California, Davis has opened a winery, brewery and food-processing facility expected to meet LEED Platinum certification. The $20 million, 34,000-square-foot research complex was designed to serve as a test bed for production processes and techniques that conserve water, energy and other resources. Environmentally friendly features include on-site solar power generation and a large capacity system for capturing rainwater and conserving processing water. The stored rainwater will be used for landscaping and toilets. The winery has been designed to capture carbon dioxide, a natural byproduct of fermentation, from a port in each of the new fermentors. Additional green features include maximum use of natural light, rooftop photovoltaic cells to provide all of the facility's power at peak load, new food-processing equipment that minimizes energy and water requirements, the use of recycled glass in the flooring, interior paneling recycled from a 1928 wooden aqueduct, and certified sustainably harvested lumber.
Lakehead U Campus Building Earns LEED Platinum
Lakehead University’s (ON) Orillia-based campus has earned LEED Platinum certification for its new academic building. The $43 million facility was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Knowledge Infrastructure Program and the City of Orillia. Sustainable features include a green roof, geothermal heating system and a rainwater retention pond that collects water for use in the building’s non-potable water functions like toilet flushing.
Richland College Garland Campus Receives LEED Gold Certification
Richland College's Garland Campus has received LEED Gold certification. The building was designed to operate with minimal impact to the environment. The college hopes the building will teach students and the community how buildings can function in ways that are friendly, carbon neutral and environmentally sustainable.
Lehigh U Opens Environmentally Friendly Facility
Lehigh University (PA) has opened a 135,000-square-foot building with teaching and research areas designed to facilitate collaborative learning and eliminate boundaries between the classroom and the lab. The $62.1 million facility will seek LEED Gold certification with features including bike storage, shade gardens, passive solar design, occupancy sensors, low-flow plumbing fixtures, Energy Star roof membrane, a green roof, air quality monitoring system and the preservation of a large portion of the site's original green lawn space. A large percentage of construction materials was recycled and diverted from the landfills.
Dalhousie U Debuts New Green Building
Dalhousie University (NS) has debuted the Mona Campbell Building, the new home for its College of Sustainability. Designed to meet LEED Gold standards, sustainable features include bike racks, a cistern to collect non potable water, organic food selections, 85 heat pumps to re-circulate heat, low-flow plumbing, energy-efficient lighting, a green roof and a solar wall to preheat ventilation air.
Northern College Installs Green Roof
Northern College (ON) has installed a new green roof. The college is experimenting with a modular roofing system that covers the surface with soil and drought tolerant vegetation to capture stormwater, reduce energy and extend the lifespan of the roofing membrane. The college used perennial plants including nine different varieties of sedums and mountain chives. The vegetative surface should improve insulation and reduce the fluctuations in the building’s temperature.
Paul Smith’s College Building Earns LEED Silver
Paul Smith’s College (NY) has earned LEED Silver certification for its 5,800-square-foot Countess Alicia Spaulding-Paolozzi Environmental Science and Education Center. The center, which opened in January 2010, features geothermal heat loops, ductless fume hoods, environmentally friendly building materials and low-wattage light bulbs.
U Akron Offers Green Housing for Students
The University of Akron (OH) has announced the creation of a green-minded student living environment. Known as the EnVision Apartments, the development will consist of 111 two and three-bedroom units equipped with Energy Star appliances, tank-less hot water systems and secured indoor bicycle storage. The apartments will house about 300 residents within its five buildings.
U Colorado at Colorado Springs Events Center Earns LEED Gold
The Gallogly Events Center at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs has earned LEED Gold certification. Environmentally friendly features of the building include natural light, reserved parking spaces for high-efficiency vehicles and an energy-efficient heating, air conditioning and ventilation system.
U Pennsylvania Debuts Sustainable Horticulture Center Complex
The University of Pennsylvania's Morris Arboretum has completed its $13 million Horticulture Center Complex. The 20,840-square-foot facility was designed and built to LEED Platinum standards with photovoltaic panels, solar hot water heaters, stormwater collection cisterns, green roofs on the equipment storage garages and a ground-source heat pump that will provide heating and air conditioning for the complex using only about one-fourth of the energy of a typical boiler and air conditioning system.
U Phoenix Idaho Campus Receives LEED Gold
The University of Phoenix has earned its first LEED Gold certification for its Meridian, Idaho, campus building. Environmental features of the 40,000-square-foot facility include bicycle storage, a white roof, low-flow plumbing fixtures, an energy-efficient HVAC system and passive solar design. Ninety percent of the construction waste was recycled.
Ball State U Dedicates Green Residence Hall
Ball State University (IN) has dedicated its newest residence hall. Kinghorn Hall was designed and built to meet LEED certification standards with two “bioswales,” a landscape element designed to remove pollution from runoff rainwater.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Opens New Green Building
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has opened Building E62, the newest green building on campus. The building was designed to meet LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features include automatic window shades, recycled glass in the terrazzo flooring, a green roof, sensors for heat and cooling, and lights that turn on only when someone is using a room. Solar panels are planned for part of the roof but have not yet been installed. The building uses triple-glazed, reflective and opaque glass in different places to allow the right amount of sunlight in. Ninety-two percent of the existing building on the site previously was reused or recycled.
U Maryland Building Earns LEED Gold
The University of Maryland has earned LEED Gold certification for its new journalism building. Sustainable features of Knight Hall include a 10,000-gallon rainwater system used to irrigate the surrounding gardens, motion sensors and passive solar design.
New Mexico State U Football Coaches Building Awarded LEED Silver
New Mexico State University's Football Coaches Office Building has been awarded LEED Silver certification. More than 88 percent of construction materials for the 6,749-square-foot building were diverted from landfills and more than 20 percent of construction materials were made from recycled content. Ninety-five percent of the building's occupied space is lit by natural daylight and the building uses 45 percent less water through water-efficient installations.
Princeton U Opens Green Chemistry Laboratory
Princeton University (NJ) has opened the doors of its Frick Chemistry Laboratory. The building's four-story atrium features 216 photovoltaic panels on the glass roof that convert solar energy into electricity and offer shade by letting in a controlled amount of light. Integrated mechanical systems enable the transfer of cooled and heated air from offices through the atrium into the laboratories, reducing the amount of outside air that must be conditioned to meet the ventilation demands of the labs. A sustainable monitoring display will show the building's investment in energy and energy savings and 200 high-efficiency fume hoods have been installed at work areas. The 265,000-square-foot building also features a 12,000-gallon rainwater cistern that collects and recycles stormwater for non-potable use.
Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Earns LEED Gold
With instructional space for marine science students from the University System of Georgia, the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography's Marine and Coastal Science Research and Instructional Center (GA) has been awarded LEED Gold certification. The center's energy-efficient orientation minimizes its east-west exposure, reducing the heat absorbed from the sun. Other sustainable features include a solar hot water heating system, a 1,000-gallon cistern to capture rainwater and 6-inch foam insulation.
Spartanburg CC Installs Rooftop Garden
Horticulture students and professors at Spartanburg Community College (SC) have installed a rooftop garden atop a campus gazebo. The garden features heat resistant plants including sedum, agave and nanaparetta, with future plans for ornamental grasses. The college hopes to use the green roof as an educational tool for the rest of the community.
U Central Arkansas Installs Green Roof
The University of Central Arkansas has installed a green roof on Laney Hall, home to the chemistry department. Nearly 2,000-square-feet of drought-resistant sedum was planted to help reduce stormwater runoff and insulate the building. If the green roof proves to be cost-saving, the university will add more green roofs across campus.
Champlain College Opens Green Admissions Center
Champlain College (VT) has opened the doors of its new environmentally friendly Welcome & Admissions Center. The $12 million renovation of the 1859 historic building includes energy-efficient lighting and climate control systems including a geothermal pump. The new staff headquarters will seek LEED Platinum status.
Colorado State U Recreation Center Gets Green Makeover
Colorado State University's Recreation Center is undergoing a green renovation. Sustainable features include energy-reducing lighting and thermal controls, motion sensors, water-efficient landscaping and the re-use of more than 75 percent of existing structural walls, floors and roofs. The center will achieve a 20-30 percent reduction in water use and at least a 21 percent reduction in energy use. Seventy-five percent of the construction waste will be recycled.
Dickinson College Hall Awarded LEED Gold
Dickinson College's (PA) Althouse Hall has received LEED Gold certification. Home to Africana studies, economics, and international business and management, the building's green renovations used more than 27 percent of recycled building materials. Other green features include a dedicated area of bicycles and recycled materials, waterless urinals, automated energy-saving lighting and thermal controls, water-efficient landscaping and erosion, sedimentation and stormwater runoff control plans to prevent pollution from construction activity.
Emory U Debuts Green Residence Hall
Emory University's (GA) newest residence hall completes phase three of its planned freshman complex. Designed to LEED Silver standards, green features of the Longstreet-Means Hall for incoming freshman include recycled countertops, flooring and a new water recycling system. Eighty-four percent of the construction waste was recycled.
Palm Beach State College Unveils First Green Building
Palm Beach State College (FL) has announced the opening of its first green building. The 33,982-square-foot Technical Education Center was constructed to LEED Gold standards. Sustainable features include a wastewater recycling system, energy-efficient lighting and renewable energy sources. The native landscaping is designed to utilize stormwater runoff for irrigation. The $13 million project will be used as a training facility for a variety of careers including sustainable building.
U Arizona Recreation Center Receives LEED Platinum
The University of Arizona's Recreation Center has been awarded LEED Platinum certification. The $27.6 million, 55,000-square-foot building's location and established programs support and encourage mass transit, walking and bicycling. Sustainable features include solar panels, preferred parking for low-emission vehicles and a water runoff site where rain is funneled to planting areas or directed to a rock pile beneath the ground.
U North Texas Dallas Opens Green Building
The University of North Texas at Dallas has opened its newest green building. The 103,000-square-foot building was designed to meet LEED Gold standards. Sustainable features include a 60,000-gallon rainwater cistern to irrigate the campus, passive solar design, a roof garden and 448 solar panels expected to produce 100.4 kilowatts of power.
U Victoria Achieves LEED Gold
The University of Victoria's Social Sciences and Mathematics building has been awarded LEED Gold certification from the Canada Green Building Council. The building features two green roofs and patio gardens to help insulate and capture rain and moisture. Other sustainable features include energy-efficient lighting, natural ventilation, and showers and lockers for bicyclists.
U Wyoming Debuts Green Building and Gardens
The University of Wyoming has opened the Bim Kendall House, a 1950s office building that was renovated to house the university's environment and natural resources program. Sustainable features include a passive ventilation system, photovoltaic system, cork and rubber flooring, recycled and re-used construction materials and energy-efficient windows. Twenty-five percent of the construction waste was recycled. The building is intended as a model for residential and small-scale institutional green design with native plant gardens that feature rain chains mounted to the gutter to move water from the roof to the landscaping below.
Central Carolina CC Opens Sustainable Technology Center
Central Carolina Community College (NC) will open the doors of its new Sustainable Technologies Building in September. The college will share the building, which will house several college programs including sustainable technology, sustainable agriculture and biofuels production, with the Chatham County Public Library. The biofuels area will include both a production facility and research lab for students. The building uses a wastewater reuse system and features a green roof to reduce energy costs.
Faulkner State CC Opens Green Science Building
Faulkner State Community College (AL) has announced the opening of its Allied Health and Natural Science Building. The $7.3 million, 45,000-square-foot building will seek LEED Silver certification and is expected to reduce energy costs by 38 percent. The new building will house the college’s nursing program and other classrooms.
Spring Hill College Student Center Achieves LEED Certification
Spring Hill College (AL) has opened its first LEED-certified building. Environmentally friendly features of the college's student center reduce the building's energy needs by 14 percent, including recycled building materials, low-VOC paint, passive solar design, and water-efficient plumbing fixtures and landscaping. The center houses a variety of offices, lounges and dining services.
Wake Forest U Opens Green Residence Hall
Wake Forest University (NC) has opened its newest residence hall, designed and built to meet LEED Silver certification standards. The building includes solar panels on the roof to heat water and touch screens in the hallways for monitoring energy usage. Other sustainable features include passive solar design, double-paned aluminum windows, dual-flush toilets, low-flow showerheads and rain gardens. Fifty percent of all construction materials were recycled.
Berry College Residence Halls Earn LEED Gold
Two Berry College (GA) residence halls have achieved LEED Gold certification. Housing around 350 students, Audrey B. Morgan and Deerfield halls are the first LEED certified buildings on the campus. Environmentally friendly features of the buildings include low-flow showerheads, faucets and washers; motion sensor lights and thermostats; and LED lighting fixtures.
Harvard U Grad School of Education Hall Receives LEED Platinum
Harvard University's (MA) Larsen Hall has received LEED for Commercial Interiors Platinum certification. The renovation of the Graduate School of Education's 7,006-square-foot classroom building includes occupancy sensors to vary temperature within the space, a heat recovery unit to increase energy efficiency and low-flow plumbing fixtures. Ecological friendly materials were used during construction.
Pellissippi State CC Debuts Green Campus
Pellissippi State Community College (TN) has opened a new environmentally friendly campus. Green features include bicycle racks, showers for bicycle riders, reserved parking and charging stations for electric vehicles, passive solar design, light sensors, added insulation and recycled materials. The facility was recently awarded the Nashville Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for successful environmental projects and conservation measures.
Salem State U Opens Green Residence Hall
Salem State University (MA) has announced the opening of a new 158,000-square-foot residence hall designed to achieve LEED Silver or Gold certification. The $57.5 million Marsh Hall project will house 525 students. The building has green features including the use of sustainable building materials, a green roof and the use of renewable energy. The hall was built near a former landfill and will help restore a marsh.
Two Ringling College Buildings Earn LEED Gold
Ringling College of Art and Design (FL) has announced that both of its new campus buildings have been awarded LEED Gold certification. The 82,000-square-foot academic center has five stories and 40 solar panels installed on the roof. The 75,000-square-foot residence hall is equipped with 35 solar panels. Sustainable features include low-flow plumbing fixtures, dual flush toilets, light level sensors, energy-efficient air conditioning systems and passive solar design. Seventy-seven percent of total construction waste was recycled and diverted from the landfill. Native Florida plants are featured in the water-efficient landscape that will use low-flow irrigation for the first year. The landscape will be self-sustaining after the first year.
U South Carolina Office Achieves Carbon Neutrality
The University of South Carolina's Outdoor Recreation Office has accomplished its goal of becoming carbon neutral. Since March of 2009, students, faculty and staff have been working to reduce the office’s carbon footprint. Efforts include recycling, organic gardening, energy conservation, composting and organizing trash pickups. During the 2009-2010 school year, the office calculated their emissions at 7.7 tons of carbon from car trips and the powering of lights, computers and other electronics. The office determined that these emissions could be offset by planting 39 trees to absorb the carbon through photosynthesis. Students helped plant peach, plum and cherry trees around the recreation center fields. More trees will be planted in November.
Western Kentucky U Unveils Green Building
Western Kentucky University has debuted its first green building. The $35 million College of Education and Behavioral Sciences building was designed to LEED standards and is expected to be open to students in January. Energy-saving measures and systems include insulated concrete, low-flow plumbing, motion-sensing lights and advanced heating and air conditioning systems.
California State U Chico Recreation Center Earns LEED Gold
California State University, Chico’s Wildcat Recreation Center has received LEED Gold certification. Sustainable features include the use of natural light, installation of low-flow showerheads, waterless urinals, a solar pool heater and the control of pollutants during constriction. The pool heater alone will save the university $80,000-$90,000 a year. The university retrofitted 25 elliptical exercise machines to allow users to generate electricity while they work out.
California State U Sacramento Dorm Receives LEED Gold
A California State University, Sacramento residence hall has earned LEED Gold certification. The apartment-style dormitory features green building materials and technology including ozone-friendly refrigerants; energy-efficient lighting, heating and air-conditioning systems; water-efficient fixtures; low-polluting boilers; and solar water heaters.
Rice U Duncan College Residence Hall Earns LEED Gold
Rice University’s Duncan College (TX) residence hall has received LEED Gold certification. The 324-bed residential college sustainable features include occupancy sensors for lights, passive solar design, insulation, green roof, dual flush toilets and covered parking for 60 bicycles. Ninety percent of all construction waste was diverted from the landfill.
Utah State U Tower Receives Energy Upgrade
Utah State University has given the lighted “A” atop the university's Old Main tower an energy upgrade. The light will receive new light-emitting diode strips to replace the current neon lights. The new LED lighting has a longer lamp life of about 10 years and is expected to save a considerable amount of electricity.
