Green/Sustainable Architecture
"If you are anticipating the worst while hoping for the best, you will get the worst. The things that happen to you are in direct accordance with the things wherein you place your faith. Believe you are licked and you are." --- Harold Sherman
part of the university’s efforts to become “a model for sustainability”
university “mindful of our responsibility to our environment and to our surroundings”. That means implementing the latest standards in “green design” for all new campus buildings.
new UA construction projects followed LEED benchmarks since 2004
Green Globes is similar to LEED. 90% percent of criteria between the two agree, but Green Globes identifies wood as a renewable resource
Features:
wood frame
energy efficient lighting, windows and insulation
carpets will be made from recycled materials
showers and toilets will be designed to restrict water flow
landscaping will use native plants that limit erosion
the greenest school in the U.S., the first to earn a platinum LEED rating
if initial cost of going green is high- savings can be even greater: the energy bill for primary and secondary schools in the U.S. is $6 billion--and that's per year (more than spent annually on computers and books combined)
Features:
constructed wetland (first in Washington, DC), treats building waste water on site - part of a closed system that recycles water back to the building and lavatories
Green roof vegetation holds and filters rainwater; gutters and downspouts direct rainwater to a biology pond, which supports native habitat. Herbs grown by students on the green roof are supplied to the cafeteria
Building orientation
passive and mechanically assisted ventilation
solar chimneys
solar panels 5% of the building’s total electrical load is generated on the roof
double-glazed windows
Window placement, skylights and reflective panels maximize use of natural light so energy for lighting in this building is 10 – 15% of that of a comparable code compliant building
Recycled, rapidly renewable and locally produced materials such as cork, gypsum, linoleum, bamboo and wheatboard substrate Exterior cladding is western red cedar (reclaimed from wine casks)
Paints, carpets and adhesives were selected for low emission of volatile organic compounds
carbon dioxide sensors in the classrooms automatically adjust temperature by detecting how many people are inside
one of the country's first green communities will rise:
33-acre development has an environmental focus
$350 million project is still under review
could begin as soon as 2008
600 residential units, along with office and a revamped shopping mall, all within walking distance to help cut back on car use
Eco-friendly materials will be used throughout the project
green screens where plants can grow on some outside walls and rooftops
tinted glass that will allow for the shading
sustainable woods like bamboo and palm and products made of recycled material like the carpets and countertops
maximizes the amount of natural light that gets indoors
paints, adhesives and other materials will also have a low chemical content
part of a nationwide pilot program to expand LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED certified building ends up with 35 percent cost reduction in energy consumption and 40 percent in reduction of water consumption than a non-LEED building)
economic data supports the decision to green your facilities
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Architects: Little Diversified Architectural Consulting (Charlotte, NC) with Allison Architects (Fayetteville and Little Rock)
