(October 8, 2009) Columbia's renovation of the fifth floor of 33 East Congress has received a Silver LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the first campus building to be certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.
The nonprofit organization that developed the rating system awarded the fifth floor of Columbia's 33 East Congress a Silver Certification under the LEED Commercial Interiors category. This is the first Columbia project to receive LEED certification.
The project, designed by Gensler, was awarded in the Commercial Interiors category. LEED for Commercial Interiors is the system used for major interior renovations. A rating of Silver is given to projects earning between 27-31 of a possible 57 points. Columbia's original goal was to simply achieve certification, a goal the Silver rating exceeds. All college building projects are conducted in the spirit of the LEED standards, whether or not certification is sought.
The project consisted of a full renovation of classrooms, offices, lighting, restrooms, and more in the floor’s 20,000 square feet of space. It also included a “green roof” (roof space covered with plants) in several areas. Green roofs reduce pollutant run-off and urban heat-island effect, and provide a high level of insulation, cutting energy costs.
The project’s overall rating was calculated across six prerequisite categories.
• Three points were awarded in the Sustainable Sites Category since the project site is located within half a mile of a minimum of 10 community services, served by 8 rail lines and 20 bus lines.
• No parking space was included, thereby encouraging public transportation and bicycle use.
• An additional 2 points were gained in Water Efficiency for a reduction in potable water use by 40.73 percent of typical usage.
• The Energy and Atmosphere category received 2 points for reducing lighting power by 29.98 percent below typical usage.
• Six points were earned for Materials and Resources by utilizing "green" building materials and incorporating the practice of recycling waste.
• Nine points (the highest rating) were given for Indoor Environmental Quality.
• Four points were awarded for Innovation in Design.
The Silver LEED Certification was the result of cooperation between Columbia College, construction contractors, and the USGBC as part of the college’s continued dedication to sustainable facilities and practices.
A Few Green Facts:
84.63% of on-site-generated construction waste was diverted from landfill by recycling the waste.
20.19% of total building materials content were manufactured using recycled materials.
69.43% of the total building materials were manufactured within 500 miles of the project site.