Author: Charlotte Flight
Swan Hall has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Level certification, issued by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), acknowledging the increased energy efficiency and sustainability of the building following its recent renovation.
USGBC is a non-profit organization that aims to promote sustainability in the construction and design of buildings. The levels of certifications rank from lowest to highest from Certified, Silver, Gold to Platinum. Occidental initially aimed for a Silver certification due to its recent adoption of a policy committing to achieve at least a Silver LEED certification on new construction, but the energy efficiency of the Swan Hall renovation was greater than expected.
“[Silver Certification] is something that we can achieve,” Sustainability Coordinator Emma Sorrell ’13 said. “It’s also what a lot of colleges have designated as their building requirement because it is achievable without breaking the bank.”
Construction on Swan hall began in January 2011 and was completed July 2012 at a cost of around $19.8 million. The efficiency of the construction process was judged as part of the accreditation. Ninety seven percent of all construction waste was recycled or reused during the renovation.
Calculated water use for the building was reduced by 42 percent with the installation of more efficient faucets and fixtures. Swan Hall also uses the campus solar panels as a source of power with 80 percent of its energy now purchased through renewable energy credits, which enables the college to offset the environmental impacts of sourcing electricity through non-renewable means. The landscape design for the building is 57 percent more efficient than a typical landscape installation, helping to conserve water by reducing levels of runoff and allowing water to saturate the ground, sending it back into the water cycle more quickly.
The building’s renovations have been noticed by the staff who work in the hall.
“The renovated building is much more pleasant,” Professor of English and Comparative Literary Studies John Swift said. “There are motion sensors on the lights, waterless urinals and self functioning taps which all appear to be gestures towards sustainability.”
Occidental began actively seeking accreditation in the planning stages of the refurbishment of Swan, bringing in LEED trained architect Joe O’Hara. The renovation was planned around the LEED criteria, with energy efficiency taken into account from a structural level. The historical buildings at Occidental present a unique challenge, as planners must balance the preservation of the buildings with the introduction of more efficient fixtures, according to Sorrell.
“[LEED] is popular on College campuses in particular because it’s very energy intensive to be an educational institution,” Sorrell said. “Colleges are trying to conserve resources, become more responsible and educate students on the importance of being sustainable.”
In 2010 the University of Southern California’s Board of Trustees passed a resolution to aim for LEED accreditation on all campus buildings and have achieved the goal with four of their buildings. UCLA has adopted a similar policy with a target of achieving Silver Certification or higher on all new construction.
Johnson Hall is expected to receive
certification in the coming months, once it has been operating long
enough to prove that it is operating sustainably. The LEED criteria are being considered as
plans are made for the upcoming renovation of the Academic Commons. To celebrate the achievement, a plaque will be mounted by the main entrance to Swan Hall opposite the patio area outside of Dumke Commons by Nov. 8.
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