Wednesday, Apr 28, 2010
Other buildings are “green” with envy! Rider University announced that its new West Village Residence Halls have officially been awarded LEED® Silver certification, as established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.
“Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council. “The West Village project efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come.”
The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. The U.S. Green Building
Council’s LEED rating system is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising more than 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries.
Rider achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED-certified buildings save money for the University and its constituents; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.
It’s all part of the promise Rider made when President Mordechai Rozanski signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, which said that all further campus construction would be LEED certified. The USGBC’s ratings system is thorough and all-inclusive, right down to caulking, according to Mike Reca, Rider’s associate vice president for Facilities and Auxiliary Services.
“The U.S. Green Building Council looks at what types of concrete you’re using, to insulation and mechanical systems and whether or not you’re using Energy Star-rated appliances,” Reca explained. “Even things like carpets and caulk, whether they are recycled or emit off-gas, matter.”
LEED Certification of West Village, which opened for student residence in September 2009, was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. For example:
Other buildings are “green” with envy! Rider University announced that its new West Village Residence Halls have officially been awarded LEED® Silver certification, as established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.
“Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council. “The West Village project efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come.”
The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. The U.S. Green Building
Council’s LEED rating system is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising more than 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries.
Rider achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED-certified buildings save money for the University and its constituents; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.
It’s all part of the promise Rider made when President Mordechai Rozanski signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, which said that all further campus construction would be LEED certified. The USGBC’s ratings system is thorough and all-inclusive, right down to caulking, according to Mike Reca, Rider’s associate vice president for Facilities and Auxiliary Services.
“The U.S. Green Building Council looks at what types of concrete you’re using, to insulation and mechanical systems and whether or not you’re using Energy Star-rated appliances,” Reca explained. “Even things like carpets and caulk, whether they are recycled or emit off-gas, matter.”
LEED Certification of West Village, which opened for student residence in September 2009, was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. For example:
- Appliances in the West Village Residential Halls – heaters, air conditioners, refrigerators, washers and dryers – are EnergyStar certified and use less energy more efficiently
- The buildings are superinsulated to perform 17 percent better than base code requirements, and the slabs are made with concrete that includes recycled fly ash, one of the residues generated in the combustion of coal
- Thirty-five percent of all energy used is generated via renewable methods, such as wind power and hydropower, to reduce Rider’s carbon footprint
- The low-flow fixtures, storm-water management and native plantings reduce water use
- Paints and carpets were selected that do no emit harmful gases and odors
- Cork flooring is used in West Village kitchens
- Ninety percent of all spaces have views to the outdoors and are naturally illuminated
- More than 20 percent of construction materials were obtained locally and at least 75 percent of construction waste was recycled
- Light pollution has been reduced by improved efficiency and directing of lights toward the building
- Covered bicycle racks are present to encourage low-emission modes of transportation
The project was designed by Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., an award-winning, full-service architecture, planning, and design firm from Trenton. West Village added 152 beds in a two-building complex that encompasses 48,000 square feet of suite and apartment style living for upperclassman students. The residence halls include loft-style living areas, a number of apartments with kitchens and washers and dryers in all units.
Rider actually earned LEED points toward its Silver certification beginning with the earliest days of the construction project by using two massive Belgian draft horses, supplied by CitiLog, an environmentally friendly logging company, to haul the trees felled on the West Village site, to clear the land. The use of the horses eliminated the need for mechanized vehicles and actually cost less to use, as well. The trees removed to clear the land were then used to make benches, raised garden beds and other furniture.
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 100,000 LEED Accredited Professionals, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to soar to $60 billion by the end of 2010.