2008 Woodie Awards
New JSU center to be eco-friendly
Brandon Hollingsworth
Issue date: 9/6/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Features such as natural ventilation and recycled materials will help make JSU's Little River Canyon Field Center the university's first "green" building, designed with environmental concerns in mind.
When finished, the field center in DeKalb County will house offices for JSU and National Park Service staff, an auditorium, three classrooms and a museum.
"It's the first of its kind," Pete Conroy, director of the Little River Field School, said. "It's a LEED certified building, the first JSU's ever done, and one of the first that any university's done in Alabama."
LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" and is a designation awarded to structures that meet certain earth-friendly criteria. LEED recognizes "performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality," according to the U.S. Green Building Council.
The Little River Canyon Field Center will employ many techniques intended to lessen the impact on local ecosystems. The center will use geothermal sources for heating and air conditioning, utilize recycled materials for insulation and plant local flora to cut down on irrigation needs.
The notion of an environmentally-friendly building met with mixed reactions when first proposed.
"Some are more comfortable doing the same that they've done in the past," said Conroy. "Others are looking at ways to be innovative and use new technologies, and not only save money but protect the environment."
The university is not only helping the environment, but saving money. The $6.5-million price tag for the field center was provided entirely by outside sources, according to Conroy.
The ideas implemented at the Little River Canyon Field Center are finding wider applications across the state. Conroy said that JSU is competing in a "friendly manner" with Auburn University to construct LEED-certified buildings. Auburn's is going up near the Shelby County seat of Columbiana, and will house an environmental science education center.
Brandon Hollingsworth is the News Editor of The Chanticleer. He can be reached at (256) 782-4704 or at chantynews@gmail.com.
When finished, the field center in DeKalb County will house offices for JSU and National Park Service staff, an auditorium, three classrooms and a museum.
"It's the first of its kind," Pete Conroy, director of the Little River Field School, said. "It's a LEED certified building, the first JSU's ever done, and one of the first that any university's done in Alabama."
LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" and is a designation awarded to structures that meet certain earth-friendly criteria. LEED recognizes "performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality," according to the U.S. Green Building Council.
The Little River Canyon Field Center will employ many techniques intended to lessen the impact on local ecosystems. The center will use geothermal sources for heating and air conditioning, utilize recycled materials for insulation and plant local flora to cut down on irrigation needs.
The notion of an environmentally-friendly building met with mixed reactions when first proposed.
"Some are more comfortable doing the same that they've done in the past," said Conroy. "Others are looking at ways to be innovative and use new technologies, and not only save money but protect the environment."
The university is not only helping the environment, but saving money. The $6.5-million price tag for the field center was provided entirely by outside sources, according to Conroy.
The ideas implemented at the Little River Canyon Field Center are finding wider applications across the state. Conroy said that JSU is competing in a "friendly manner" with Auburn University to construct LEED-certified buildings. Auburn's is going up near the Shelby County seat of Columbiana, and will house an environmental science education center.
Brandon Hollingsworth is the News Editor of The Chanticleer. He can be reached at (256) 782-4704 or at chantynews@gmail.com.
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