Kent State Architecture building receives prestigious green building certification
Mitch Felan and Tyler Thompson
Kent State earned a LEED Platinum certification this summer for its sustainable and green design of the Center for Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED). According to the university, Kent State is the first public college in Ohio to receive the Platinum certification for a building.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and used around the world. Platinum is the highest ranking.
“(The certification) really marks it as a leading building, as far as sustainability,” university sustainability manager Melanie Knowles said.
Long before the building’s official opening in 2016, the university expressed interest in getting the building LEED certified.
“Because it’s the (Architecture) curriculum that is being taught in that space, it became more important to achieve the highest level of LEED that was possible,” Knowles said.
The Features
Many special design elements contributed to the LEED Platinum certification, starting with the building’s orientation.
Sprawling glass windows point north in association with the open design studios, where there is no sun glare, according to Dean at the College of Architecture and Environmental Design Mark Mistur.
“It’s a beautifully day-lit space that doesn’t need shades down,” Mistur said. “On the south side, where there is a smaller amount of glass, we have a lot of shading from the bricks ribs you see on the building.”
Beneath the building, an in-ground geothermal heating system contains 131 wells over 400-feet deep which heat and cool the building.
Toilets throughout the building are installed with greywater recycling systems, with green roofs using a rainwater management system protecting the ground from surcharge and the “urban heat effect.” According to Mistur, the urban heat effect is caused by building’s occupying space, decreasing air and water quality.
The building was designed by New York-based firm Weiss/Manfredi. When contacted, a representative from Weiss/Manfredi said no one was available to comment on the building before press time.
The firm’s website mentions the LEED Platinum certification on its profile of the Architecture building.
For the Students
Aside from its advanced features, Knowles said the design provides a valuable educational opportunity for the students who use the building.
“The really neat thing is that students in that program really get to see in action what sustainable design looks like and know how it operates by being in that space,” Knowles said.
Mistur called the building a teaching model for “environmental excellence.”
“From the human point of view, how we can create interior environments that are healthy?” Mistur said. “This building enhances the mission of teaching collaboratively and in an interdisciplinary way.”
Buildings are involved in 40 percent of greenhouse gas and carbon-based fuel, according to Mistur.
“We always think about cars, but buildings are almost as complicit. We have to teach how to do a better job with them,” Mistur said. “What better way than to build an excellent building for our students to be in.”
Knowles also said “occupant comfort,” notably for the students and faculty, is an important function.
“It allows people to be comfortable in their work or studies,” she said.
Not Just for the Students
Before the building earned the certification, Mistur said its benefits had been paying off for the university.
“It’s helped us to recruit faculty, leadership, as well as students,” Mistur said. “To see that we have such a strong commitment to design and to what this kind of college needs.”
The university will also benefit from the building’s efficiency, which will ultimately save money. Active lighting throughout the interior automatically powers on and off when people are in or out of the building. That also includes a tank that recycles rainwater used for flushing toilets and irrigation.
According to a university press release, the building’s geothermal heating and cooling system is 300 percent more efficient than standard systems.
“We wanted this particular building to be a healthy and efficient building,” Knowles said.
What It Takes to Be LEED Certified
In order to be considered for a LEED certification, the university had to send documents highlighting the building’s features and efficiency.
The U.S. Green Building Council’s main criteria include materials, performance-based approach, smart grid “thinking” and water efficiency. In addition, the organization’s “LEED checklists” tally indoor environmental quality, innovation in design, sustainable sites and several other metrics.
See below: a LEED checklist example.
LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction by Mitchell Francisco on Scribd
Certifications come from “points” earned in each of these areas. “Certified” buildings require 40 to 49 points, Silver buildings require 50 to 59 points, Gold buildings require 60 to 79 points and Platinum buildings require 80 to 110.
Kent State and LEED
In addition to the recent Platinum certification, the Center for the Visual Arts received a LEED Silver certification earlier this year. Kent State now has 13 LEED-certified buildings between its main and satellite campuses.
On Kent’s main campus, The Aeronautics and Technology Building, The Center for Undergraduate Excellence and several residence halls are all certified. The Science and Nursing Building on Stark’s campus, The Regional Academic Center on Twinsburg’s campus and The Tolloty Technology Incubator in Tuscarawas are also certified.
See below: a map of main campus buildings with LEED certifications.
University initiatives target at least a Silver certification for new construction projects. The Integrated Sciences building is currently under review, Knowles said. Other sustainability efforts on campus include construction waste management and material selection.
Components:
Tyler Thompson: Interviews, words, photo
Mitch Felan: Interviews, words, map, document
