The plans of the Danforth University Center, set to open at the beginning of next semester, have been shaped by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process, as the design looks to meet the rigorous standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.
“We expect the building will be, at a minimum, 20 percent more energy efficient than is required by building code standards required by LEED,” said Matt Malten, assistant vice chancellor of environmental sustainability.
According to Green Action President Lee Cordova, LEED certification is a system developed by the Green Building Council (GBC) to award points for sustainable buildings according to certifiable standards.
Buildings get points for efficient heating and cooling, water, drainage outside the building and the use of native plants.
To help save energy, the lights of the University Center will be connected to a sensor which detects daylight. Based on how much daylight it detects, the lights inside the building will be dimmed.
The building is also expected to use 30 percent less water than is required by the LEED code. This will be achieved by using water fixtures that receive LEED credit-points based on the environmental effect of the object. In addition, the University Center will have an underground cistern filled with rainwater and non-potable groundwater, and will use that to irrigate the landscaping. If there is leftover water, it could be used to water the Olin Business School’s lawn.
The center will also have several resources catering to bike riders.
“We want to provide secure, covered facilities for people who ride bikes for when it is snowing or raining. Also, there will be showers and changing facilities so that people who ride their bikes to class or to work will have a place where they can go to get freshened up,” said Malten.
The University Center will be rated LEED Gold, which is the second-highest certification. It is expected to rank in the middle to high end of the Gold spectrum, meaning that the Center exceeds some required LEED standards.
LEED certification affects all stages of the building, including its maintenance.
“All cleaning within the building will be certified green,” said Malten. “That includes green chemicals, equipment and training of the staff to clean in an environmentally-friendly way. The use of green custodial staff is something that [the University is] looking to do campus-wide.”
Other innovations will include bamboo flooring, which is a “rapidly renewing material,” meaning that it can replenish in less than 10 years. The use of bamboo also gives the building LEED credits.
Another feature, and one largely driven by student involvement, is the incorporation of dishes to the dining area in place of the disposable containers currently used at many food service locations.
“It’s all a matter of space-in Bear’s Den and Mallinckrodt, there isn’t the space to wash [dishes]. They did plan for that in this building,” said Cordova.
Green Action hopes to give tours of the building when it is finished, to educate people about what LEED certifiication entails.