Student Union Goes Green

Armstrong Atlantic State University seeks to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED certified) Green Building. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. It provides third-party validation of a building’s performance.

Points are allocated to the following categories to achieve a Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum rating. The following strategies are incorporated into the design and construction of the new AASU Student Union making it the first green building on campus.

Site

• Replace roadbeds. Roadbeds will be replaced with indigenous trees and grasses that will shade 50% of the hardscape on the project site. Parking will be re-directed and pedestrian walkways added.
• Apply the Heat Island effect. The roofing material has a solar reflectance index (SRI) of 78 or better that will reduce heat gain in the building.

Water

• Install water efficient landscaping. A captured rainwater system will be used for the irrigation of landscaping plants. Plant species chosen are acclimated for seasonal rainfall.
• Water use reduction. Dual flow flushometers will be used for all restrooms.

Energy

• Use commissioned energy related systems. This verifies that they are installed, calibrated and perform as intended.
• Use a water-cooled central chiller plant. Twenty percent or more of the energy usage will be saved by centralizing four building chiller systems.
• Add large porches. These will shield occupants from direct light. The roof is designed to reduce solar heat gain by reflecting the heat of the sun.
• Install R-19 Insulation and energy efficient windows. These will reduce solar heat gain.

Materials

• Retain existing construction. More than 95% of existing walls, floors, and the roof of the existing Memorial College Center will remain as part of a renovation project. More than 50% of existing interior walls of Memorial College Center will remain. This limits construction waste and saves on cost.
• Ensure that interior finishes contain recycled-content. Materials include floor tile, rubber base, acoustic ceiling tiles, copper piping and wiring, gypsum wall board, metal studs, steel structural members, brick, and stainless steel kitchen equipment.
• Purchase locally made building materials. These include stone, carpet, brick, casework, furniture, concrete, and wood products.
• Incorporate rapidly renewable materials. These include bamboo veneer wood, furniture, and linoleum flooring.

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Use low-emitting materials. These include adhesives, sealants, paints, carpeting, interior finish wood and resilient flooring that emit low levels of volatile organic compounds— chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature.
• Provide daylighting and views. More than 75% of the public spaces and most of the private offices have direct views and daylight. The building is designed to maximize daylighting.

Innovation

• Eliminate serving trays. This will reduce dining waste, reduce energy, usage and costs. Washable plates and silverware will limit dining waste and reduce the usage of the carbon-based fuel sources of disposable products.