ISSUED: 28 August 2015
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University’s Center for Contemporary Arts Phase II is the first building on the university’s campus to become LEED certified. CCA II has been designated LEED Silver by the U.S. Green Building Council.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is a rating system that determines a building’s energy efficiency. CCA II is one of the few college campus buildings in West Virginia to achieve certification.
“I am proud that Shepherd sets the standard and provides the model for other institutions,” said Dow Benedict, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities. “Building sustainably is the right thing to do, and this is the right time to do so as we now recognize the impact on our environment and how it affects the lives of people today and the future.”
Benedict said building to LEED standards is more energy efficient because materials are reused, they can be easily replaced, and they come from the local area so fuel is saved in transporting them to the site. During the construction of CCA II, dirt and stone that were removed for the foundation were reused, existing trees were protected, and land erosion control was implemented.
Another factor that contributed to CCA II earning LEED certification is the building’s wastewater management system. Benedict said all the water from the roof is captured and used to flush toilets and to water the grounds. CCA II also uses energy efficient lighting, heating, and cooling.
“The LEED process is a difficult one that requires additional effort by everyone involved including all the contractors who have to work to exact specifications,” Benedict said. “That also placed additional responsibility on our facilities people as they monitored the construction, as well as learned how to handle materials and equipment that we have not normally seen. It truly was a team effort.”
The council’s web site says CCA II scored 51 of 59 potential points for the Silver award. CCA II received 20 of 26 points in the sustainable sites category, 10 of 10 for water efficiency, zero of 35 for energy and atmosphere, six of 14 for material and resources, seven of 15 for indoor environmental quality, four of six for innovation, and four of four regional priority credits.
There are four levels of LEED certification—certified, silver, gold, and platinum. Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture, the firm that designed the building, documented the information about CCA II for the certification process.
— 30 —
