Building & Site Profiles

Overview

WCU intends to further sustainable design in building and site improvement projects, and in new buildings or additions. For major capital projects, this involves at least a consideration of the LEED scoring system established by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). In some instances the LEED system has provided a template for identifying sustainable design opportunities, while in the case of the Swope School of Music and Madeline Adler Performing Arts Building, the building was registered with the USGBC and designed with a LEED Silver target; certification remains pending.

Sustainable design principles are being incorporated into University standards and applied to smaller projects and renovations as well. Examples include paint with a high Light Reflectance Value (LRV); carpet tile with high recycled content and a well-developed product reclamation program; and low-cutoff site lighting fixtures, which reduce light pollution.

Site design and landscaping are receiving attention just as buildings are. Prime examples include the infiltration basin below the parking lot east of the Matlack Parking Structure, and rain water gardens at 201 Carter Drive.

Student Recreational Center

WCU's Student Recreation Center is currently under construction with a planned opening date of August, 2012.

The University’s commitment to sustainability will be highlighted in two green roofs, solar panels, a live green wall, and the usage of a number of recycled materials in the interior part of the building. The new Student Recreation Center will also be tied into the campus geothermal system that heats and cools buildings using ground sources.

Allegheny Hall

The data center in Allegheny Hall was designed to have only half the energy consumption of the preexisting data center.

EO Bull Center

Ever wonder where all the waste generated during refurbishment goes? To date over 1,620 tons of material from the Bull Center project have been diverted from landfills. That represents more than 97% of the total waste generated and substantially exceeds the 75% goal set by WCU. Here is a report detailing the recycling efforts of this project.

Swope School of Music and Madeline Adler Performing Arts Building

The building design targeted LEED Silver certification. Certification was completed in 2010. Salient features include:

Major office façade canted to best solar orientation
Spectrally selective glazing at all windows facing south, east or west
Forest Stewardship Council certified wood
Construction Waste management
Selection of materials with regard for indoor air quality, reduction of pollution during manufacture, reduction or elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
high percentage of recycled content in materials
use of concrete with replacement pozzolans
high efficiency conventional fuel source heating and cooling
low-cutoff lighting; and
low-flow fixtures in all rest rooms.

25 University Avenue

light well to radically increase natural light
a geothermal (ground source heat pump) heating and air conditioning system for radical reduction of energy usage
Spectrally selective glazing at all windows facing south, east or west
Forest Stewardship Council certified wood
low-cutoff lighting; and
low-flow fixtures in all rest rooms.