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University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
 With 5.9 million square feet of new construction planned over the next 10 years, as well as considerable renovation work, this is the time to ensure that new buildings will be more efficient than their predecessors. New design guidelines covering all aspects of design and construction will be issued soon. In the meantime, all designers responding to bid announcements are provided with information on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program developed by the US Green Building Council. Bidders are asked to indicate which LEED items their company has experience with and can address in the project.
Two campus buildings now in the design phase – The Visitors Center at the Botanical Garden and the addition to the Carrington Hall Nursing School – will take the additional step of applying for LEED certification. Geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaic cells, green roofs, heat recovery units, and waterless urinals are some of the innovative and more efficient technologies that will be employed.
Protecting the cherished green spaces and tree cover on campus is taking on additional importance as we enter an expansion phase. A tree protection plan, developed by the Grounds staff, is now incorporated in all design contracts and considered an enforceable component of the construction documents. A GIS-based tree inventory will assist in these protection efforts. On-site erosion and storm water runoff, as well as construction and demolition waste recycling, will likely be addressed in a similar fashion in the future. | |
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