Photo by Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado |
| Students gather in a common area of the renovated Andrews Hall. The CU-Boulder residence hall recently was LEED certified with a gold rating for green design, construction and operations. |
The University of Colorado at Boulder's Andrews Hall, a residential building in the Kittredge Complex, this month received the gold rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification issued by the United States Green Building Council.
LEED standards are considered a U.S. benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Arnett Hall was the first CU-Boulder residence hall to receive LEED certification in September 2009, receiving a gold rating.
A LEED certification of gold or higher is the campus standard for major renovations and new buildings. The real benefit of meeting LEED standards is the long-term savings for CU-Boulder through energy and water use reduction, said Energy Conservation Officer Moe Tabrizi.
"On this campus, it is tempting to say 'ho-hum, another LEED gold-rated building,' but we should all resist that urge," said Curt Huetson, director of facilities planning and operations for Housing & Dining Services. "This truly is another example of the campus commitment and support for this and other LEED-focused projects, led by staff members who are leaders in the sustainability movement, as well as a great external design-build team."
The green renovations to Andrews Hall help the campus move toward goals laid out in CU-Boulder's carbon neutrality plan to reduce energy consumption 20 percent by 2012. They also are in line with goals of the Governor's Energy Office.
Andrews Hall is expected to experience a 25 percent reduction in energy use and a 20 percent reduction in water usage. New features include insulation, double-pane windows, sensors that suspend heating and cooling systems when windows are open, dual-flush toilets, low-flow showerheads, aerators on faucets, energy-efficient lighting with automatic controls and carpet and other finishes made from recycled materials.
Andrews Hall also is a multi-year residential college housing the Engineering Honors Program and faculty resident Associate Professor Scot Douglass along with his wife and two young daughters. Future renovations in the Kittredge Complex are slated to include similar layouts, accommodating residential colleges in each building.
Other residence hall renovations under way include Buckingham Hall with expected occupancy in August 2010 and Smith Hall with expected occupancy in August 2011. Both buildings are expected to obtain a gold rating in LEED certification. The new Williams Village North residence hall may be the first LEED platinum-rated full-scale residence hall in the nation, set for occupancy by August 2011.
For more information on LEED-certified campus buildings visit http://www.colorado.edu/facilitiesmanagement/about/conservation/leed.html.
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