Atlanta’s Spelman College, founded in 1881, is taking a bold step toward environmental responsibility — and making history at the same time — with its new green residential facility, now under construction in the Atlanta University Center (AUC) community. The college’s first construction of the 21st century is on track to become the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to attain LEED certification. It will also be the first LEED Certified residence hall in the state of Georgia.

The facility, scheduled for student occupancy in July 2008, is designed with a high priority on health, reduced environmental impact and increased resource conservation.

“The very future of our planet is at stake,” says Spelman’s president, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum. “I believe we have an obligation to increase our own environmental responsibility at Spelman and to educate students about it. We are doing our part to protect the environment for generations to come.”

The residence hall will contain more than 201,455 square feet and will house 303 beds, raising the current housing capacity from 1,176 to 1,470. There will also be a 175-seat dining hall and a 100-car parking deck, which will have preferred parking for environmentally-friendly, low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles, and covered secure bicycle storage areas.

An adjacent parking lot was transformed into a green space that students can enjoy while also providing habitat for birds and other creatures to improve bio-diversity. Native adaptive plants will be used to minimize water consumption.

The design-build team worked together in a collaborative process to apply LEED practices to the construction. At the outset, a goal was set to recycle 50 to 75 percent of construction waste. Trees that had to be removed were ground into mulch and spread on campus.

Recycled content was used in steel and finishes to obtain or reduce the impact on virgin material. Most materials came from within a 500-mile radius of the construction site. Low- or no-VOC paints, carpets and composite woods were selected.

The building is calculated to be 21 percent more energy efficient than minimum energy code requirements due to a more efficient heating and air conditioning system, as well as controls such as occupancy sensors and carbon dioxide controls.

Building envelope commissioning reduces potential significant impacts on indoor air quality (IAQ). Construction IAQ management was practiced to reduce pollutants both during construction and in post-occupancy.

Green housekeeping, a process that reduces the overall impact of cleaning on health and the environment, will be employed. For instance: changing to janitorial products with less-toxic ingredients, scheduling floor finishing to an “as needed basis,” managing the entry of dirt and debris into the building, properly sequencing cleaning tasks, replacing cotton mops and rags with Microfiber, vacuuming with HEPA filter vacuums instead of sweeping, proper training of personnel on the use of cleaning products, and having in place a policy to remove any spills as they occur will all protect the environment.

Green site management, which employs the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that relies on a combination of common sense practices, will be used. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, will be used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment (according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

Execution of the measurement and verification plan will help maintain the building’s performance after occupancy. The team wanted to make sure the building will have a long service life as well as reduce the potential for future indoor air quality issues and greenhouse gas emissions.

Yvonne Jackson, chair of the Board of Trustees for Spelman College is proud of Spelman’s leadership role in the AUC and among HBCUs in being more environmentally responsible with the construction of the new green facility. Citing benefits such as improved student health and productivity, reduced operating costs and greater resource efficiency, Jackson said, “All of these things will contribute to the wealth of the college, the well-being of our students and raise awareness among students, faculty and staff of the importance for each of us to be more responsible and work together to preserve the world we all live in.”

SPELMAN COLLEGE RESIDENTIAL FACILITY

LOCATION: ATLANTA
COMPLETION: SUMMER 2008
SIZE: 201,455 SQUARE FEET

DESIGN TEAM AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
ARCHITECT: THE FACILITY GROUP
DESIGN/BUILD: NEW SOUTH CONSTRUCTION
MECHANICAL ENGINEER: THE FACILITY GROUP
INTERIOR DESIGNER: THE FACILITY GROUP
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN/LEED CONSULTANT: COMMISSIONING & GREEN BUILDING SOLUTIONS, INC. (CXGBS)
GREEN HOUSEKEEPING/SITE MANAGEMENT: CXGBS

ABOUT SPELMAN COLLEGE
FOUNDED IN 1881, SPELMAN COLLEGE IS THE ONLY HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE IN THE NATION TO BE INCLUDED ON THE U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT’S LIST OF TOP 75 “BEST LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES – UNDERGRADUATE,” 2005. LOCATED IN ATLANTA, THIS PRIVATE WOMEN’S COLLEGE BOASTS OUTSTANDING ALUMNAE, INCLUDING CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND FOUNDER MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN; U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE DIRECTOR GENERAL RUTH DAVIS; AUTHORS TINA MCELROY ANSA AND PEARL CLEAGE AND ACTRESS LATANYA RICHARDSON. MORE THAN 83 PERCENT OF THE FULL-TIME FACULTY MEMBERS HAVE PH.DS OR OTHER TERMINAL DEGREES AND THE STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO IS 12:1. ANNUALLY, NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF SPELMAN STUDENTS RECEIVE DEGREES IN THE SCIENCES. THE STUDENTS NUMBER MORE THAN 2,186 AND REPRESENT 43 STATES AND 34 FOREIGN COUNTRIES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.SPELMAN.EDU.

Georgia Southern University Builds Green with RAC

The recently-completed Georgia Southern Recreation Activity Center employs green practices. Photo courtesy of Frank Fortune, Georgia Southern.

Georgia Southern University, founded in 1906 as a district agricultural school in Statesboro, Ga., has morphed into a regional university that draws its 16,000 students from every state and 86 nations.

In December 2006, the university completed a 135,000-square-foot, $31-million addition to its student Recreation Activity Center (RAC), nearly doubling the original facility, adding 10 new indoor multipurpose courts and five new racquetball courts, a 23,000-square-foot, fitness center, weight/fitness rooms, and indoor 11-lane competition pool and diving well. New outdoor venues not included in the building’s square footage total added 20 acres of lighted sport fields, two lighted basketball and two lighted sand volleyball courts, as well as a one-mile walking trail, multipurpose outdoor pavilion, band shell and leisure pool. The RAC is also available for use by conference attendees.

With a growing student population, Georgia Southern sought to meet the recreation and fitness needs of the entire university community. Overcrowding of the existing facility and loss of previous recreation spaces required new and expanded spaces to enhance the wellness component of the university’s student-centered mission.

“We are committed to our role and responsibility as a public institution to serve the community by creating educated, informed and engaged citizens,” said vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Dr. Teresa Thompson. “We take advantage of opportunities to help our students understand how to live responsibly in a global environment, and building a green RAC has been a valuable teaching tool and an opportunity to lead by example.”

Local and regionally manufactured and harvested materials were used in construction, lowering greenhouse emissions associated with transportation of construction materials.

The more efficient building envelope, lighting and mechanical design of the expansion is calculated to be 27 percent more energy efficient than minimum energy code requirements. An ENERGY STAR roof reduces the heat-island effect. Increased ventilation effectiveness improves occupant comfort and helps ensure a good mix of indoor and outdoor air.

Hydrochloroflurocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were eliminated to reduce the impact on ozone. Improved indoor air quality was achieved through the use of low- and no-volatile organic compound-containing materials in construction, finishes and furniture.

Measurement and verification procedures and software that identify when systems are operating outside allowable tolerances provide a tool for ensuring the building is operating at peak performance.

“By building green we feel we are being good stewards of educational dollars as the sustainability, reduced energy load, and decreased water usage reduces operational costs in a significant way,” Thompson continued. “A green facility also helps us fulfill our educational mission, demonstrate environmental leadership, and set an example as responsible leaders whose actions portray their understanding of civic engagement.”

Indoor air quality is enhanced through multiple measures, providing an environment where individuals push their bodies to the limit in exercise and activity. High use of natural lighting with low-e glass throughout the building creates an open and motivating space as well as reducing the use of electricity. Green planning as extends to the maintenance of the building and outdoor venues as moderated water flow mechanisms were installed in all plumbing, and the landscape and outdoor playing fields irrigation system benefit from the reclamation of storm water.

Green housekeeping and green site-management processes will also be employed.

“Our goal is to promote healthy lifestyle habits for our students, faculty and staff, and work towards a point where we no longer utilize the resources of the earth at a level more than we require,” Thompson said. “In doing so, we will ensure the resources are sufficient for generations of Georgia Southern University students to come.”

RECREATION ACTIVITIES CENTER (RAC) EXPANSION

GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
LOCATION: STATESBORO, GA.
COMPLETION: DECEMBER 2006
SIZE: 135,000 SQUARE FOOT ADDITION (201,870 AT COMPLETION)

DESIGN TEAM & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
ARCHITECT: LYMAN DAVIDSON DOOLEY, INC.
CONTRACTOR: TURNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN/ LEED CONSULTANT: COMMISSIONING & GREEN BUILDING SOLUTIONS, INC. (CXGBS)
GREEN HOUSEKEEPING/SITE MANAGEMENT: CXGBS
OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE: HAROUN HOMAYUN, AIA

ABOUT GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
CLASSIFIED BY THE CARNEGIE FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF TEACHING AS A DOCTORAL/RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IS THE LARGEST CENTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE SOUTHERN HALF OF GEORGIA. A RESIDENTIAL CAMPUS LOCATED FIFTY MILES WEST OF SAVANNAH, GA., IT OFFERS 85 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND 45 GRADUATE DEGREES IN EIGHT COLLEGES: BUSINESS, EDUCATION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, LIBERAL ARTS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES, AND PUBLIC HEALTH. A COMMUNITY OF 17,000 GEORGIA SOUTHERN STUDENTS REPRESENT ALL 50 STATES AND 86 COUNTRIES. FOUNDED IN 1906, GEORGIA SOUTHERN SERVES THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICES THAT PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ADVANCEMENT THROUGH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES. CENTERS FOR BUSINESS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, RURAL HEALTH, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, TEACHER EDUCATION, REHABILITATION TECHNOLOGY, WATER POLICY AND BIOSTATISTICS INVOLVE TEAMS OF EXPERTS WORKING ON COMMUNITY, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CONCERNS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.GEORGIASOUTHERN.EDU

PRODUCTS

• MILLWORK OF RECYCLED CONTENT WOOD PANELS, INCLUDING DESKS USING BIO-FIBER PANELS AND A THIN BAMBOO VENEER.
• SLATWALL SYSTEM, A BIO-COMPOSITE PANEL MADE USING SUNFLOWER SEED HULLS.
• QUARTZ SOLID SURFACE COUNTERS MADE USING RECYCLED NATURAL STONE BYPRODUCTS.
• A STAINED CONCRETE FLOOR, LOW VOC STAINS.
• INTERIORS FINISH MATERIALS THAT ARE LOW-VOC EMITTING, INCLUDING TILE, CARPET AND PAINTS.
• RECYCLED-CONTENT STEEL.
• ENERGY STAR-COMPLIANT APPLIANCES AND CEILING FANS.
• LOW-E GLASS MADE WITH RECYCLED GLASS SCRAP CONTENT, WHICH LOWERS ENERGY USAGE AND IMPROVES DAYLIGHTING.