Land and Building Task Force      

To help organize our thinking about what sustainable strategies can be incorporated into design and construction of campus buildings, we have been using a nationally recognized rating scale, the “LEED Green Building Rating System”, published by the U.S. Green Building Council.  The scale is divided into five categories: Site, Energy, Materials & Resources, Indoor Air Quality, and Water.

How do we incorporate sustainability into the design/construction process?

The task group has begun to incorporate sustainable practices into the design/construction process in the following ways:

·        In information that is sent to designers who respond to advertisements for design services, the task group now includes a statement that it is seeking designers with experience in sustainable design. The designer selection committee for the new Visitor Center at the Botanical Garden interviewed and selected an architect based partly on sustainability experience.

·        All Facilities Planning project managers are now charged with the responsibility of incorporating sustainable features into the design of their projects.  Using the LEED scale, project managers will develop, with the project architect, a sustainability program for each project.  This program will provide the basis for review of the project by the Land and Buildings Task Group.

·        A design review has been instituted by the Land and Buildings Task Group as part of the design review for all capital improvement projects.  The first review was the design of the new Herbarium/Botanical Library.

·        The Grounds Department has written new guidelines for tree protection at building construction sites

Task Group’s Goals for Year 2000:

·        Explore the feasibility of including a building commissions plan as a requirement for every capital improvement project.

·        Include sustainability requirements in Design Guidelines currently being rewritten by Facilities Planning (in process).

·        Extend green building practices into the operations of the Architectural & Engineering Services department and the construction shops.  The new LEED interiors rating scale will be considered as a tool for evaluation of renovation projects.  This includes working with Purchasing to identify and stock green building materials.

·        Explore the C&D waste issue as it relates to all work on campus with the goal of significantly lowering the University’s contribution to the C&D landfill.

·        FCAP (Facilities Condition Assessment Program) will incorporate LEED system in its database for evaluating University facilities.

·         At the request of the Coalition, the Land and Buildings Task Group will evaluate the use of pesticides on campus.

·         Engage students and faculty in researching alternative building systems and materials for consideration in future campus projects