Going Green: Buildings and Remodeling Practices

Environmental Goal: Utilize Sustainability-Based Building And Remodeling Practices To Reduce Environmental Impacts Of Construction Projects*

A. Environmental Objective—Sustainable Design Practices

  1. Environmental Objective: Incorporate significant sustainable design strategies.
  2. Performance Updates:
    • The University’s Boise, Idaho campus—which became operational in January, 2010, was built to meet LEED Gold certification standards under the LEED’s New Construction category. The interior was designed/developed to meet LEED Gold certification standards under the Commercial Interiors category.
    • Fountainhead (Tempe, AZ) shell buildings being designed to achieve energy and environmental efficiencies.
    • Significant sustainable design strategies were incorporated into the University’s and Apollo’s Riverpoint Center buildings. Key strategies included:
      • Orientation of the building (3:1 ratio of North/South to East/West exposure);
      • Day lighting – minimizing the need to rely on artificial light at all times;
      • Under floor air distribution – providing every occupant with the ability to control their own thermal comfort;
      • Use of locally manufactured or extracted resources;
      • Use of high-performance quality glass;
      • Use of covered parking structures;
      • Water-efficient landscaping that is appropriate for the desert climate;
      • Sediment and erosion control design;
      • Use of high recycled content materials when possible;
      • Installation of energy efficient T-5 light fixtures;
      • Low-flow plumbing fixtures in restrooms;
      • Use of energy recovery outside air units with high-efficiency motors.

B. Environmental Objective—Green Leasing Practices

  1. Environmental Objective: Implement environmental components in newly leased properties.
  2. Performance Update: Tenant improvements to follow environmental guidelines, including the following:
    • Use recycled cotton sound batt insulation
    • Install of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood doors that are free of formaldehyde resins where possible
    • Paint shall not exceed the volatile organic compound (VOC) content limits established in Green Seal Standards GS-11
    • Floor covering adhesives not to exceed 50 g/L of VOC
    • Carpets shall meet CRI green Label Plus and be made with recycled content (must retain product literature with percentages of post-consumer recycled content)
    • Ceramic tile must contain recycled content (must retain product literature with percentages of post-consumer recycled content)
    • All appliances must be Energy Star rated
    • Millwork shall use composite wood and agrifiber that shall contain no urea-formaldehyde resins. Provide wood products that include FSC certified wood material.
    • Installation of low-flow plumbing fixtures
    • Construction Waste Management - A strict recycling program is required to be followed by the contractor to prevent construction waste from going into landfills.

 

*Excerpted from “Apollo Group: Environmental Objectives and Performance Summary.” For a summary of this and other activities, please see http://www.apollogrp.edu/gogreen/goals.asp.